چکیده:
A great deal of interest has been focused on the area ofagri-tourism in recent years (Bowen, Cox, and Fox 1991; Cawley et al. 1995; Davies and Gilbert 1992; Mjalager 1996;Nickerson, Black, and McCool 2001; Vogeler 1977). Poor agriculture commodity prices, rising production costs, globalization, industrialization, the encroachment of suburban development, loss of government-supported agriculture programs, and the elasticity of commodities markets have led farm families to explore the viability of alternative economic strategies in an effort to preserve the family farm (Doyle and McGehee 2002; Lobo et al. 1999; Weaver and Fennell 1997). According to Bowler et al. (1996), these strategies include receiving compensation from the state, farm size expansion, specialized production, off-farm employment, leaving agri-culture altogether, or, most importantly for this study, the development of alternative farm enterprises (AFE’s) like agri-tourism.