AGRITOURISM IN INDIA THE POTENTIAL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AND GROWTH Avantikka Raghunandan Csar Ritz Colleges, Englisch-Gruss

s Strasse 43, CH-3900 Brig, Switzerland E mail: avantikka.reghunandan@ritz.edu Dr. Susan Horner Csar Ritz Colleges, Englisch-Gruss Strasse 43, CH-3900 Brig, Switzerland E mail: susan.horner@ritz.edu Eva Schuepbach Csar Ritz Colleges, Englisch-Gruss Strasse 43, CH-3900 Brig, Switzerland E mail: eva.scheupbach@ritz.edu

ABSTRACT The aim of this research was to explore the scope for developing Agritourism in India. The research began with a review of an existing Agritourism unit in India to analyze the impacts on farmers and tourists in that region. Interviews were then carried out with stakeholders from the hospitality and tourism sector. Experts from the agricultural sector in India were also interviewed including a pioneer of a large scale Agritourism in India. The research also collected views from a sample of potential Agritourists in India. It is concluded that there is potential for Agritourism in India to grow into an important source of income for the rural population if the development is focused on integration and participation. Key words: Agritourism, Rural India, Baramati Distict, Participation

LITERATURE REVIEW Tourism is any form of active recreation away from ones place of residence that is inspired by cognitive, recreational and sport needs. (Sznajder, Przezborska and Scrimgeour, 2009). In India, tourism plays a vital role as it is one of the greatest sources of income to the nation and contributes a large percentage to the GDP of the country. According to the tenth Five Year Plan (2002-2007), the Indian Government spent 2.9 billion Indian Rupees on the development of this industry (Gopal, Varma and Gopinathan, 2008) and earned 25 billion Indian Rupees of foreign exchange. Statistics from the Indian Tourism Ministry show that India had 367 million domestic tourists and 3.92 million foreign tourists in 2006-07, and has earnings and tourism industry created 38.8 million jobs directly or indirectly. India has the perfect combination of different climates, natural characteristics and socio-cultural entities (Gopal, Varma and Gopinathan, 2008), which provide scope for promotion of all season, multi-location tourism products. There are various types of tourism in India such as,e.g., adventure, wildlife, medical, pilgrimage, cultural, heritage, and educational (Gupta, Lal & Bhattacharyya, 2002). The country is trying to grow the levels of inbound tourism and it has focused on a number of tourism products to target the growing numbers of tourists, including cultural tourism, beach tourism, adventure tourism, ecotourism, and spa and well being tourism (Boniface and Cooper, 2005). All of these tourism products emphasize the opportunity that exists for the further development of culturally based tourism as part of the ongoing Incredible India campaign.

One of the newly developing concepts of tourism in India is Agritourism, defined as (e.g., (Boukov, 2008) It refers to the act of visiting a working farm or any agricultural, horticultural or agribusiness operation for the purpose of enjoyment, education, or active involvement in the activities of the farm or operation. Two reasons are cited for developing Agritourism; one could be peoples increasing interest in on-farm experiences, and the other could be that they are getting more inquisitive to experience the country-life as many have moved towards the cities (Wicks & Merretts, 2003). Agritourism can also contribute to the development of cultural tourism as it provides an important resource when it is used in combination with other factors such as traditional crafts, heritage attractions, festivals and special events, and religious sites (Swarbrooke, 1999). The growth of cultural tourism relies on a subtle combination of a number of tourism resources to target the post-modern consumer who desires wider holiday experiences (Swarbrooke and Horner, 1999). Different industries are involved in Agritourism like the hotel industry (agri-accomodation), the food and beverage industry, the recreation industry, the relaxation industry, the sport industry, and the health care and rehabilitation sectors (Sznajder, Przezborska and Scrimgeour, 2009). By combining agriculture and entertainment, the term agritainment has even appeared (Blevins, 2003). The term Agritourism consists of two parts agri- or agro- and tourism;the prefix agri is derived from the Latin term, ager which means field, and the term agro has a Greek origin from the word agros which means soil. This suggests that Agritourism offers tourists an opportunity to living a rural life in a rural environment, learn about farming activities and also about ethnic customs and cultures (Raghunandan, 2010). As such, it may satisfy the emotional needs of a human being as it allows a person to be in direct contact with plants, animals and animal products (Sznajder, Przezborska and Scrimgeour, 2009), and participate in the food production process. Although it has traditionally been viewed as being of secondary importance compared to other tourism resources, Agritourism in India offers many opportunities to exploit tourism products. Agriculture is one of the pillars of the Indian Economy and contributed 18% of the GDP of the nation in the financial year 200607 (Department of Agriculture, 2009). The agricultural sector in India occupies 43% of Indias geographical area (Raychauduri, 1994), and development of rural areas in India is currently in the gestation period. Novel service-oriented products such as Agritourism have thus a potential to increase the competition and productivity of the Indian tourism industry. Agritourism in India is under the guidance of the Agri Tourism Development Corporation (ATDC), is gradually developing and may be digging for gold in rural areas (Bajpai, 2008). Varma and Gopinathan (2008) stress the Innovative Income generating activity for Enterprising Farmers. Blending tourism and agriculture will help not only in bringing in more income into the farms but also help in providing employment. In summary, being a land with diversity in geography and culture, India has abundant chances for the development of Agritourism in the future (Taware, 2006). This study aims at elucidating current potentials and gaps in developing Agritourism in India using a case study approach.

METHODOLOGY A case study approach was adapted to carry out this study. Semi-structured interviews were employed to gather information from key tourism industry experts. A questionnaire designed for the first part of the research was based on published literature and consisted of twelve multi-choice questions as well as open ended questions to solicit personal opinions. The questionnaires were distributed to guests staying at the Casino Group of Hotels, Cochin and Nature Trails, and Yercaud during one week from 8 February to 14 February 2010. This hotel chain was chosen because they already have an interest in Agritourism and it was anticipated that their guests were likely to be interested in the concept. The second part of the research, after the analysis of the questionnaires, used a semi-structured interview which was also designed with reference to the published literature. Three interviews were designed as follows: one for the representative of the Agritourism Development Corporation of India, the second for interviews with successful hoteliers in the southern and northern part of India, and the third for interviews with eminent farmers from different places in the southern and northern parts of India. All of

these respondents were personally chosen by the first author of this paper because of their perceived interest in the concept of Agritourism. One hundred questionnaires were distributed and seventy five of them were completed and returned. Some of the respondents even gave some valuable suggestions from an Agritour they had taken part in. The Statistical Package for the Social Science (SPSS) version 15.0 and Microsoft Excel version 2007 for Windows Vista were used for analyzing the questionnaire and interviews, respectively. An ethical code was developed for the research in order to keep the data collected confidential when required and to handle it correctly (Raghundandan, 2010).

RESULTS Key findings from the questionnaires The first question was designed to get a clear picture of the preferences of an Agritourists activities. When data collected from the questionnaires was analysed it was clear that a majority of the participants wanted a fair mix of all the activities. One participant said that he felt as though the development of Agritourism in India was a splendid idea and that he would come back to India to be a part of the Agritour as he felt that he would learn a lot from that type of tour. Others gave valuable suggestions like going into intricate details of the kind of activities they would like to take part in. One of the respondents, an Indian, had been on an Agritour to Baramati and commented that it was one of the most splendid trips he had been on with his family and also said that the trip was enjoyable because the hosts provided them with a fair blend of activities. The second question was designed to address the type of Agritourist spaces that would be preferred by a prospective tourist. Sznajder, Przezborska and Scrimgeour, (2009) stated that according to a survey in the United States, people there preferred natural wilderness followed by beautiful landscapes. Our study revealed, however, that prospective tourists prefered to take part in activities that are held on the farm. There was also a participant who said that - apart from the spaces mentioned above - it would be great if agricultural universities, museums and research areas could be included. The next question focused on potential top attractions to prospective tourists. From the questionnaires it became clear that the participants in this study wanted to take part in activities that are a perfect blend of all possible activities. There were also comments saying that Agritourism is like an educational programme on the farm where the tourists learn about farming and live stock and it would be right only if the package comprised of a blend of all that happens on the farm. Another respondent said that he would be very upset if he chose something and missed out on another and thus he felt that a perfect Agritourism package is one where the tourists live like a farmer and learn about all the activities that goes on in that farm. There was another respondent who replied saying that not all tourists would be interested in all the activities, so it is correct that the host offers a choice of activities to the tourists and they could choose what they want to do. The last question explored the ideal duration of a stay. It is important to understand that customer segmentation plays a very big role in the success of an Agritourism unit. As mentioned in the literature review, the level of education, standard of life, length of stay, etc. are important factors affecting customer choice. The result of our investigation in India shows that there was almost an unanimous choice insofar as tourists would prefer to stay on the farm over the weekend. It was also surprising that some of the prospective tourists did not mind being a part of an Agritour for more than a week. The interesting part of this result is that the majority of the people who wanted to stay longer on the farms were corporate workers from Europe including British nationals who particularly favoured a longer stay. Some tourists also felt that staying on a farm for just a few hours is enough. Key findings from the interviews Summary of the Interview with Respondent A1 The reason why Respondent A1 was chosen is because he is the founder and Managing Director of the Agritourism Development Corporation of India. In addition, he is the National Tourism Award Winner for 2008-2009, for the development of the unique technique of combining Agriculture and Tourism in the Baramati District (Taware, 2010). He mentioned during the interview that Agriculture is the backbone of the Indian economy and also that tourism is one such sector that brings in a lot of income especially in the forms of foreign exchange. He also mentioned that only if villages are self-sufficient, will the nation develop because more that 50% of the population of India live in villages. On asking him to share his emotions on the development of rural tourism, he remembered his childhood memories in a small village Sanghavi in Baramati taluka.

I was lucky to be brought up as a part of the joint family in the Agri and rural setup in the small village. Unless the villages are self-sufficient, nation cannot progress. We must go to villages in order to achieve development of villages, the mantra given by Mahatma Gandhi still holds true. ATDC's mission is to promote agriculture tourism to achieve self-reliant, employment and economic stability in rural communities and to attract urban people to get back to the roots, he said. ATDC has been celebrating May 16 as World Agri Tourism Day since 2008 and the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) has now acknowledged these efforts by ATDC and declared May 16 as World Agri Tourism Day. He even mentioned that it is apt and possible to start an Agritourism project in any part of India as it has a high scope and also that it requires little investment. He also mentioned that anyone with the interest can start a project because the three major factors that contribute to the success of Agritourism are (i) the farmer, (ii) the village and (iii) agriculture - all present in India in abundance. He also mentioned that is important for the organizer to be sure that the tourists have something to see, do and buy. The respondent also gave information about the initial investment required and the return on investment, saying that an individual farrner could obtain a loan from the bank, invest a small amount of money himself, and as a result could make a steady income from Agritourism. Summary of Interview with Respondent B1 Mr. Sekar is the Managing Partner of GRT Nature Trails Sky Rocca, Yercaud. This hotel focuses on nature trails combined with luxury. In the interview, Mr. Sekar mentioned that Agritourism is a kind of tourism where the farmer gets the opportunity to entertain and educate those interested with what is his primary source of income. He also said that in the present-day scenario, Agritourism will help the farmers as it will give the tourists new options. Mr. Sekar said that he had read in the in-flight magazine on his way back from New Zealand that todays tourists are more health conscious and they want to learn about how the food that they consume is produced. They even want to know about how the cows are fed because that affects the quality of dairy products. He also said that as people want to go back to their roots and learn about the process of food grain production, milk production, meat and poultry, .etc., it is a wise choice to start an Agritourism unit within an existing hotel. When asked about his experience during his recent Agritour, the respondent said: I think this is the best holiday I have been to. The reason I am saying this is that, it is very peaceful and I learnt many things during the entire trip. Not many people know about why the milk of the cow is thick and why it loses its thickness. I love cheese but till date I have never gone into the details of cheese making and this trip has actually got me thinking. In India, in spite of all the resources available, people of our age group think it is uncool to be an Agriculturist but they do not realize that it is that Agriculture that gives them food. I have been pondering so much to the extent that I feel that every child should be sent on an Agritour from time to time, it is only then that they learn about the trouble the farmers takes to provide us with food. I feel, Agritourism is a splendid thing, as it opens ones eyes not only towards agriculture-based education but it also instils important values. When asked who the target market would be, if he were to start Agritourism in his hotel, he said that it would be anyone who would like to have a different kind of holiday. He also said that he would start by marketing it to areas around and then he would like to go on a broader scale. Mr. Sekar was confident that Agritourism would be successful in India because India is an agricultural based country and due to the recent problems of water scarcity, farmers are taking drastic changes like committing suicide and this would be a great idea for them. He also mentioned that according to some recent tourism surveys, the Indian tourists are no longer prejudiced towards new kinds of tourism and ready to visit new places. He also mentioned that Agritourism would have some teething problems but should be ready to face this because every business has problems till its gets established well.

Summary of Interview with Respondent B2 Respondent B2 is one of the Managing Partners of Casino Group of Hotels, Cochin. Though their pilot hotel is located in Cochin, this group has ten other properties around Kerala. The hotel in Cochin has a different theme and most of all CGH focuses on eco-friendly techniques of hotel management. The respondent said that he had not really thought about introducing Agritourism into any of the hotels but also mentioned that it would be great idea. He shared his views about how people are losing the family values in India and how they are now busy and hence they do not have time for each other. He also mentioned that he had heard about Baramati and from his point of view it was a beautiful concept, as it was located in a place where people get good food, knowledge, clean air to breath and also that it is a place where people are reminded about the family values. When asked if he had been on an Agritour, the respondent mentioned that he had always tried to go on one but his busy schedule had not permitted him to do so. He also said that he would grab any opportunity available to be a part of an Agritour. He said that if it is impossible to introduce Agritourism as a part of any of the existing hotels because they all have a different theme, then he would introduce a new property. He said that, Kalari Kovilakam which is located in a rural area of Kolangadu could be a good choice as well. He also mentioned that the present Kalari Kovilakam was the palace of the Vengunad rulers. The company is using this at the moment as a place for Ayurveda, Yoga and Kalaripayattu, (an Indian form of martial arts originating from Kerala and it is also known as the Dance of Steel). The respondent also shared his views that he would like to implement Agritourism but not immediately, and he said that it would be a good idea to start an Agritourism project and would also try to blend it with heritage and culinary tourism, so that the tourists could learn a lot from one trip to India. Summary of Interview with Respondent B3 The final interviewee was with Mr. Virender Yadav, the Managing Director of CozyDeepika Group, since 1987 in New Delhi. Mr. Yadav first started a travel agency in the name of Cozy Travels Private Limited and now they have branches in New York, Moscow, Frankfurt, Hamburg, London, Birmingham and the latest addition to the list being Bergamo, Italy. Mr. Yadav actually has an agricultural background and he is a native of a small agricultural village, Sikanderpur Ghosi, Haryana. The recent projects to CozyDeepika Group are two hotels, Umrao Resorts, New Delhi and Umrao Hotel, Amritsar. Mr. Yadav said that, Agritourism is the process of providing guests with non-expensive accommodation and food, providing maximum exposure to the traditional farmers way of life to the tourists. Mr. Yadav then recalled the days when his children were little. He said that he did not want them to grow up without knowing the worth and value of rural life, so he used to take them to the 400 hundred acre farm in Shona, Haryana, every Sunday so that they would spend time on the farm and learn various things from the farms, the farmers and the animal units. He said that this practice made his children more humanitarian, they knew the worth and value of agriculture and also valued the food that they consumed every day. When the author asked Mr.Yadav, if he would consider developing Agritourism in one of his hotels, he said that both the present hotels are located in a very commercial area and it would not be right if he had to start developing Agritourism in these hotels. At the same time he said that he would like to develop Agritourism on his lands in Shona. These were his exact words: Developing Agritourism has always been on my mind but I am not able to do it right now due to other commitments, which is I want to develop Umrao Resorts, New Delhi before the Common Wealth Games start in October. At the same time I would like to develop Agritourism in Shona, because it is one of the most fertile lands in India. There is a saying that if you just drop a seed, it will grow on its own. I want to have an Agri-resort that caters to different segments of people. I would like to focus on accommodation on the agricultural land, combined with off-the farm education and on the farm practical experience. During the tour, the guests would live in simple style, yet they would have spent a great time on the farm. Just as my children have learnt many lessons from their weekly trip to the farm, I want other adults and children to learn a lot as well.

Mr. Yadav also said that developing Agritourism in India is a great idea as India has a lot of natural and agricultural resources. He also said that as India is a very big country with great geographic variations and in each area different crops are cultivated. This would help all the tourists learn about the different geographical areas and different crop varieties. Summary of Interviews with Respondent C1 Mr. Vijayann P. Rajes is a leading Agriculturist in Yercaud, India. He owns an estate where he cultivates coffee, pepper and other spices and fruits. Together with his wife, Mr. Rajes, who also has a dairy farm, a vermicompost bed, a horticulture section where they grow flowers that are supplied to florists in Bangalore, Karnataka. Apart from this they also have an artificially created lake, wherein there are different varieties of fish. Mr. Rajes was the vice-chairman of the United Planters Association of Southern India in 1998 and was the Chairman of the organization in 2006. He is still one of the persons at the helm of affairs of the organization. Mr. Rajes had a lot of information regarding Agritourism and he defined it as, Agritourism is the introduction of non agricultural semi-urban and urban people to the day to day life on a farm producing some Agri or farm based product. Mr. Rajes also mentioned that developing Agritourism would create new employment opportunities in the rural areas that would add to the income of the farmers and he also mentioned that Agritourism prevails among coffee growers. When questioned if the development of Agritourism would reduce the production of food grains, Mr. Rajes responded by saying: I do not believe that Agritourism will reduce the availability of food products, because the public and policy makers are not aware of the hardships faced by farmers in rural areas, who without basic infrastructure and comforts under extreme sacrifice work to make food available. Agritourism will bring awareness to the public at large who will realize the contribution of Agriculturists and the importance of food security to a nation. Policies of Government usually follow public opinion, and therefore Agriculture will eventually benefit. Mr. Rajes also felt that the development of Agritourism in India would be absolutely feasible and his reasons were that many children in cities are not aware of the basic information of how or where their food comes from or how much effort goes into the production of the food they eat each day.. They also have to be sensitized as to how human beings depend on nature for their survival. Climate change, global warming and eco-sensitivity will have more relevance when seen from an agro perspective. He also mentioned that Agritourism offers an opportunity to have a meaningful holiday combined with a learning experience. Apart from recreational activities, Mr. Rajes also said that on his estate, he would give information to the tourists on farm management and also sensitize them on the dignity of labour. He also felt that the uniqueness offered by Agritourism is One gets the unique experience of watching the day to day functioning of an operational farm by living with those who run it probably for the fourth or fifth generation and the passion with which they do things. Summary of Interview with Respondent C2 Mr. R.K.Raghunandan is an agriculturalist and has turned into an Exporter of agro-based products. He is the Managing Partner of M/s. Green India Exports, Pollachi, India and M/s Saffron and Green, UK. Green India Exports produces and exports many eco-friendly products such as Coconut Shell Ice-cream Cups, Natural Wild Bird Feeders, Coir peat products (soil substitute) and Natural Vanilla Beans. When asked what in his point of view is Agritourism Mr. Raghunandan replied, Agritourism is tourism at the agricultural farm level. The tourists will be a paying guest of the farmer, who will in turn charge a fee for food and accommodation and all the amenities provided by him to the tourist. He felt that Agritourism would increase employment opportunities on a small-scale because most of the farm work would be done by the host and the guest. He also stated that the young professionals who no longer want to stay in India due to job scarcity would have a new choice. He felt that by implementing Agritourism, the income of the farmer would increase as he would produce food and agro based products and in addition to that he would also host Agritourists, and this would be an additional source of income. The author wanted to know his point of view on the quantity of food products if the agricultural land is used for tourism purposes for which Mr. Raghunandan responded by saying that tourism will be a part of

the farm but it will not take away all the farm lands. He also said that it would not reduce the amount of food grains produced because the farms where the tourists will be staying will produce up to 60% of their food requirements. Such farms will sell their surplus produce in the market, and hence will increase the food products availability. Mr. Raghunandan also said that he would think about an Agritourism unit in his farm which would offer a range of recreational attractions. Apart from the recreational activities, Mr. Raghunandan also said that he would provide information to the tourists regarding successful management of farms, the process of food production, farm management and the importance of being eco-friendly. In his point of view, Agritourism would be very successful in India because India is an agricultural based country, where agriculture is more of a culture than a profession, but he also mentioned that immense efforts are required. His exact words were: Agritourism could be a success in the long run only if there is enough publicity, sincere efforts and meticulous planning by the Agritourist promoters and Managers and most importantly Agri-Tourism should be advertised, promoted and encouraged by the Indian Government. It would be successful because it is so different from the various types of tourism that exists at the moment. Agritourism gives to the tourists a first-hand feel of the cultural practices of each region, social customs, local lifestyle, and also helps the tourists to know about the agricultural methods and practices of regional farmers. Another important fact is that my friends, from the metropolitan cities, often comment that they want their children to know the value of nature, agriculture and the environment. They also say that they are envious about the fact that my children have knowledge about farm and agro activities and can also know how to handle issues on the farm. I would say that providing this knowledge to all the children and adults would be a great idea.

Mr. Raghunandan also said that, Agritourism is personal, simple and ethnic. It is completely different from any other form of tourism, which makes the whole concept unique in its own special way.

SUMMARY Using survey questionnaires, this study shows that people are not ignorant towards the concept of Agritourism and are ready to try it if it is developed further (Wicks and Merretts, 2003). They also offer ideas about possible areas for development and are interested in culturally based experiences. In the interviews, the expert from the field of Agritourism commented that the development of Agritourism could be the best thing that happens to India because there is a huge population depending on agriculture. Also, 50% of the population in India still lives in villages. If India wants to move forward, the development of the villages should hence be one of the important things to be considered. He also mentioned that it is easy to set up an agritourism unit as the key requirements are agriculture, village and the farmer, and also that the investments are comparatively low and the return on investments is comparatively high. These technical points were the main differences when compared to the other interviews conducted with the other experts from the hospitality and agricultural sectors. The most important issue apart from the development of Agritourism for increasing the gross domestic product is that all six respondents focused on the importance of the knowledge on Agriculture and other farm activities to people living in the urban areas. They also focused on the lack of awareness amongst children regarding human dependence on nature, the environment, the process of food production, the efforts put in by the farmer and many more issues. The analyses of the questionnaires from the respondents in the hotel sector showed that all of them were aware of the existence of the concept of Agritourism but only one of them wanted to implement it immediately. Respondents B2 and B3 also wanted to develop Agritourism but not immediately. The common feature about respondent B1 and B2 is that they wanted to implement Agritourism in one of their existing properties while respondent B3 wanted to have it in a special location, which focuses only on Agritourism. The other common factor about respondent B1 and B3 is that they were both considering the

development of Agritourism as an option but respondent B2 did not have it as an option but it had become an option after the interview. Most of the points made by the two agriculturists were common but the most important difference was the location of their respective agricultural lands. Respondent C1, had his estates in one of the hill stations in India where crops like coffer, pepper, cardamom, oranges, peaches, etc are cultivated whereas Respondent C2, had his farm in the plains where the climate is comparatively hot and also where the crops cultivated are rice, coconuts, mangoes and other tropical crops. The interesting fact is that, though the idea, motive and value might be the same; the tourist experience would be completely different. The recreational activities would be different as well, due to the location and ethnicity of the two places (Blevins, 2003).

CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS The primary aim of this research was to gain a clear idea regarding the development of Agritourism in India with the help of the secondary sources. India, being an agriculture-based country, has the perfect combination of different culture, geographical characteristics, and socio-cultural entities. India has diversity in agricultural climate as well, by which means that different crops are cultivated in different parts of the country, hence giving the tourists a wider choice in Agritourism (Bajpai, 2008). The existing Agritourism Unit in the Malegaon village has become a boom to the farmers as it has changed their lives to a considerable extent. It has converted the farmers to become entrepreneurs and has also helped them to learn soft-skills like hosting guests professionally on their farm and also about marketing their personalized product. Agritourism has not only increased the profit levels but has also helped the farmers develop their self-esteem and also given them a new meaning to life when they thought that their life was over when they were struck by the great drought (Taware, 2006). Agritourism has also helped the farmers to effectively use the available resources and it requires no special qualifications. The interviews with the experts all came to the same conclusion, namely that the development of Agritourism in India would be good idea for the economy and that it would help instilling important values in the children of today. The questionnaire among the prospective Agritourists also claimed that the development of Agritourism in India is a good idea and it also went into details regarding the consumer behaviour and segmentation. All the experts felt the development of Agritourism in India would be an idea that will be welcomed by people from different walks of life and the customers in the hotels supported this view (Gopal, Varma and Gopinaham, 2008). In spite of the sincere efforts taken by the present Agritourism entrepreneurs, organizations and the Ministry of Tourism, this piece of research showed that there is much more to be done in this field in order to make the Agritourism business successful. Some recommendations are outlined below.

Recommendations to the present and future Agritourism Sectors: Different packages of varied duration should be designed for the tourists keeping in mind the consumer behaviour and segmentation in order to have a completely customer-friendly package. There should be support and coordination between the local entrepreneurs from the same field, so as to have more effective promotion, and this could help in cost effectiveness as well. There should also be coordination between the other businesses that are directly or indirectly linked to tourism, in order have a much more successful business because for tourism to be successful, different businesses have to work together. Constant revaluation is required so as to stay on top of the market because Agritourism is simple, personal and ethnic and this gives people the ability to co-exist among other Agritourism entrepreneurs. The Agriculturists should focus on their regional speciality alone and not try to bring in something that does not fit into the geographical and cultural profiles of the location.

 Tourists prefer places with easy accessibility, and a good infrastructure is the key. Hence, the infrastructure and facilities have to be developed in a simple yet clean and comfortable way. The hosts should also be sure that the guests feel safe and there could be easily accessible medical help at any time of the day. Planning is necessary for the efficient and effective use of all kinds of resources, especially in rural areas of India that have limited funds and resources. Good planning is required for promotion the tourist activity so as to have connections with the local businesses that connect to tourism. Planning for the development of tourism should be incorporated into the overall economic strategy of the community due to the interdependence of the community. Hence, tourism planning needs the commitment of the various stakeholders of the community. In a country like India where times have changed from being a male-dominated society to an equal society, the authors feel as though there would be more supporters to Agritourism if there were more women involved in the development of the projects.

Recommendations to the Hospitality Industry: Hospitality and Tourism are complementary and one cannot be fully successful with just having one of them, hence the author feels that it would be a good option to include Agritourism in hotel packages. A particular segment of tourists who would prefer a totally up-scale kind of accommodation at an Agritourism unit. As per traditions, the place where a person learnt and practiced Yoga was supposed to be simple but today there are special luxury resorts to serve that purpose. In the same way, the author being aware of the mentality of people in the home country feels that upscale Agritourism units with accommodation facilities with star rating would be a good option. The ability to act local but think global. The author means that the hoteliers should be able to have the hotel designed in a local way, yet keeping in mind the global consumer behaviour and requirements.

Recommendations to the Local Authorities The local governments that are in charge for the successful operations of any local organizations should be aware of the advantages of having an Agritourism unit. They should encourage community leadership so that the people are more involved in the project and support agriculturists who want to start agritourism. Taking the example of Baramati, the farmers aspiring to be agritourism entrepreneurs receive Rs. 500,000/-, as bank loan so that they could start their own unit, and this loan-plan became successful after the persuasion of the local governing bodies and the ATDC. In the same way there should be organizations and governing bodies all over the country so that Agritourism could be successfully developed in India. There should be an increase in the community support. There is a famous phrase the crab mentality, which means, if I cannot have it, neither can you and this is very common in the rural areas of India. The author feels that the local bodies should organize awareness camps and encourage people to work together so that they and their future generations can co-exist. There has to be immense community efforts and support that has to be a part of the development of Agritourism in India because it is a new concept with a totally different nature and the local government has to be able to offer this support.

Issues that Need Attention: Publicity: Publicizing a rural Agritourism unit is a difficult task to be carried out individually, hence Agritourism entrepreneurs of the locality should join together and publicize their units in which information technology could play a very important role for marketing and publicity. Transportation: It is difficult to reach rural Agritourism units due to poor road conditions, which have to be repaired. Tele-communication is another facility that has not reached some of the villages.

Hence, it is absolutely important for the government to develop roads, transportation facilities and telecommunication. Accommodation: Neat and clean accommodation is an absolute necessity for an Agritourism unit. Urban Indian and foreign tourists will have these as one of their main expectations. Clean water and toilets should be available as well. In addition to this, clean potable water should be available for consumption. Networking: Private and public stakeholders at the state and national level should lend a helping hand to agriculturists who want to start Agritourism units. Capacity building of farmers: Farmers need to be briefed about the project, the advantages of its implementation, the facilities that are required, hospitality, public relations and other soft skills which they are not aware of. Safety and security of tourists: Agritourism units are located in rural areas which lack accessibility and medical help. There may also be threats of theft, wild animals, etc. Hence, the local population as well as the host should be aware that the safety of the tourists is one of the key issues that affect the success of the business.

REFERENCES Bajpai, V. (2008). Digging Gold in Rural India. http://www.dare.co.in/opportunities/agriculturerural/digging-gold-in-rural-india.htm (Accessed the 10th of January 2010) Blevins, J. (2003). More Colorado Farmers dabble in Agritainment. Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, Washington. November, 24. Boniface, B. C. and Cooper, C. (2005) Worldwide destinations 4 edition, Elsevier. Boukov, B (2007) Definition of Agritourism http://www.agrotoumet.tringos.eu/files/DEFINITION_OF_AGRITOURISM.ppt (accessed the 11 January, 2010). Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India (2009). Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2008. (Accessed from, http://www.agricoop.nic.in/Agristatistics.htm the 12th of January 2010 Department of Finance, Government of India. Forecast of 2009. (Accessed from http://www.finman.nic.in the 13 January 2010) Gopal, R., Varma, S and Gopinathan, R. (2008). Rural Tourism Development: Constraints and Possibilities with a special reference to Agri Tourism. Conference on Tourism in India Challenge Ahead. IIMK. (pp. 512 524). Gupta, S.P.. Lal, K. and Bhattacharyya, M. (2002). Cultural Tourism in India. New Delhi. D.K. Printworld (P) Ltd. Raghundandan, A. ( 2010) A Critical Analysis of Developing and Implementing the Concept of Agritourism in India. Undergraduate thesis submitted on March 26 2010, Csar Ritz Colleges Switzerland. Raychaudhuri, S.P. (January, 1994). Agricultural Land Resources in India. Soil Science. Vol. 97. No. 1, pp. 43 47. Swarbrooke, J. (1999) Sustainable Tourism Management, CABI Publishing. Swarbrooke, J. and Horner, S (1999) Consumer Behaviour in Tourism, Butterworth Heinemann. Sznajder. M, Przezborska. L and Scrimgeour, F. (2009). Agritourism. United Kingdom. MPG Books Group.
th th th th

Taware, P. (2006). Agritourism in India. http://www.agritourism.com/article.php? article=46&sid=5522960 (Accessed the 12th January 2010) Wicks, B.E. and Merrett, C.D. (2003). Agritourism: An Economic Opportunity for Illinois. Rural Research Report, 14(9). Macomb, Illinois: Western Illinois.