Objective: Economic challenges and employment issues in rural areas have led to increased attention toward innovative forms of tourism, such as agricultural tourism. In recent years, agriculture in many regions of the country has faced difficulties, but leveraging existing agricultural capacities can facilitate the development of agricultural tourism activities and attract tourists as a complementary sector to agriculture. A crucial factor in this regard is the willingness of the local community to participate in the development of this type of tourism. Therefore, the present study investigates the extent of local community willingness to engage in the development of agricultural tourism in the Siyahkalrud Rural District of Rudsar County.
Methods: This study is applied in terms of purpose, employs both documentary and field methods for data collection with a quantitative approach, and is descriptive-analytical in nature. The statistical population consists of residents of rural settlements in the Siyahkalrud Rural District, comprising 1,942 households. Using Cochran's formula, a sample size of 385 households was selected. To analyze the data, various statistical tests were employed, including binomial tests, Friedman ranking tests, Spearman correlation, Mann-Whitney U tests, and Kruskal-Wallis tests.
Findings: The findings indicate that in all assessed indicators—including economic, social, infrastructure services and facilities, and agricultural tourism activities—the majority of respondents demonstrated a willingness above the average threshold (3). The results of the Friedman ranking test reveal that the highest-ranked indicator is agricultural tourism activities (3.21), followed by economic (3.19), social (1.85), and infrastructure services and facilities (1.75). Additionally, a strong positive correlation was observed among all indicators. The Mann-Whitney U test results show that women exhibited a higher willingness than men, single individuals were more willing than married individuals, and those with access to agricultural spaces were more inclined to participate compared to those without such spaces.
Conclusion: The study concludes that rural residents are primarily motivated by economic factors in their interest in developing agricultural tourism. However, social factors such as maintaining personal privacy and a lack of familiarity with agricultural tourism concepts have somewhat influenced their willingness. Nevertheless, with comprehensive planning, investment in infrastructure, community education, and the promotion of responsible tourism, it is possible to achieve sustainable agricultural tourism development in the region, ultimately contributing to the economic and social improvement of local residents.
