This research examines the Australian farm tourism sector within both family business and rural studies research paradigms. It analyses which farmers in Australia establish farm tourism businesses, and why. It extends previous research on farm tourism both in breadth, by covering an entire continent; and in depth, using qualitative approaches to determine the internal and external triggers for individual decisions, as well as quantitative approaches to establish the operational structure of the sector and the overall motivations of its operators. There were three separate stages to this study, with an increasingly detailed focus. In the first, a national database of farm tourism operators was constructed from publicly available sources. In the second phase, a 92 item questionnaire was mailed to every operator, with a response rate just below 50%. In the third phase, detailed interviews were conducted with 43 farm tourism operators either on site or by telephone. There are over 650 working farms which offer farm based tourism products in Australia. A few are large, remote and luxurious, but the majority are small, family priced and close to major population centres. There are around 14,000 beds, with mean occupancy rate 35%, and total annual turnover AUS$115 million. Only 0.2% of Australian farmers have taken up tourism, as compared with 10-20% in some European countries. There are four major groups of farm tourism operators in Australia: full time farms, part time farms, retirement farms and lifestyle farms. There are statistically significant differences between these groups in the make up of their income streams, and in their motivations and family structures. Australian farm tourism operators attach slightly more significance to social than financial gains. Particular groups of operators, however, do indeed rely on farm tourism as a key income stream. For lifestyle operators, the farm component is principally a lifestyle luxury and a tourism attraction, with tourism generating the principal income. For retirement farmers, farming is no longer at a commercially viable scale, and tourism provides the cashflow to keep the operators on their farm property during semi retirement. For part time operators, tourism provides an income stream in addition and, where possible, in preference to off farm employment, for farm families having difficulty making ends meet. For full time farmers, tourism is not seen as a long term important income source, but as a diversification option which enabled them to survive external economic shocks caused by changes in commodity prices or government policies. Whereas an income from farm tourism seems to have been an important stopgap or supplement which allows the operators to maintain their farms and farming lifestyles, it does not necessarily generate sufficient income to support two generations on the same property. At least to date, therefore, it appears that farm tourism cannot be relied upon routinely as a new lifeline for rural communities in Australia. It does indeed have a role to play, but the role may be different in different parts of the country. In the more remote areas, farm tourism can provide a buffer for an older generation of farming families, helping to maintain stability in rural communities and land tenure. In areas popular with amenity migrants, however, farm tourism may act as an agent of change, part of a package which brings former urban professionals to a rural semi retirement.

Thesis (MA (History))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Farm tourism is a fast growing industry in South Africa and internationally. It not only supplements farmers’ income, but can also contribute to social and economic developments in rural areas. Before farm tourism can be implemented it is important to evaluate a farm and its surrounding district to assess whether it can be a successful enterprise. Certain norms are applied in the process of assessment. An assessment was done of the farms Soutpan and Sewefontein, and also the districts of Calvinia and Nieuwoudtville. The location of the farms and surrounding areas were evaluated according to climate, ecology and geology. Tourist attractions on the farms and surrounding areas were also evaluated. The study offers a cultural historical perspective on farm tourism: the history of the farms and their owners is discussed, as well as the architecture with regard to style, the materials and building methods. Daily life and farm activities of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries are investigated. This includes aspects of intangible culture, such as word art (including place names and names of persons), as well as weatherlore. Tested against the system of norms, it would be possible to run a farm tourism industry on Soutpan, because there are several attractions to entice tourists to the farm. The Karoo topography and isolation of the farm will however not be acceptable to all tourists. A few of the farm buildings are derelict and extensive capital investment will be needed to repair them. Extensive marketing will also be necessary to successfully advertise and run the farm as a tourist venture. Sewefontein, on the other hand, complies to all the relevant norms and has already been established as a successful farm tourism enterprise. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Plaastoerisme is in Suid-Afrika en in die buiteland ‘n snelgroeiende bedryf. Dit vul nie net die boer se inkomste aan nie, maar kan ook ‘n suksesvolle bydrae lewer tot die sosiale en ekonomiese ontwikkeling van plattelandse streke. Alvorens plaastoerisme bedryf word, is dit belangrik om ‘n waardebepaling van ‘n plaas en die omgewing waarin dit geleë is, te maak, om te bepaal of plaastoerisme suksesvol bedryf sal kan word. Dié waardebepaling word aan die hand van sekere norme gedoen. ‘n Waardebepaling van die plase Soutpan en Sewefontein en die Calvinia- en Nieuwoudtvilleomgewings is gedoen. Die ligging van die plase en die omgewing is geëvalueer ten opsigte van klimaat, plantegroei en geologie, terwyl toeriste-aantreklikhede op die plase en in die omgewing ook ondersoek is. Die studie bied ‘n kultuurhistoriese perspektief op plaastoerisme: die geskiedenis van die plase en hulle eienaars is bespreek, asook die argitektuur in terme van styl, boumateriaal en boumetodes. Die daaglikse lewe en plaasaktiwiteite van die negentiende en twintigste eeu is ondersoek. Dit sluit aspekte van geestelike kultuur soos volkswoordkuns (onder meer plekname en persoonsname) en volksweerkunde in. Getoets aan die normesisteem sou dit wel moontlik wees om plaastoerisme op Soutpan te bedryf aangesien daar heelwat aantreklikhede is wat toeriste daarheen sou kon lok. Die Karoo-topografie en afgesonderheid van die plaas sal egter nie by alle toeriste byval vind nie. Van die geboue op die plaas is reeds vervalle en groot kapitale inset en intensiewe bemarking sal nodig wees om plaastoerisme suksesvol te bedryf. Sewefontein voldoen goed aan die normesisteem en plaastoerisme kan, en word reeds, suksesvol daar bedryf.

The theme of the thesis is to offer analysis of agro-tourist services in the western and southern Bohemia and Vysočina region The aim of this work is the analysis of agro-tourist services offered in selected areas and evaluation of information obtained from a questionnaire survey of selected agro-tourist visitors through the facility. The thesis describes the geographical area of each reference potential, followed by a description of selected agro-tourist facilities, including their mutual comparison. Furthermore, the comparison between the areas of interest, evaluation results and a comparison of Czech and foreign agro-tourism. The thesis made ??proposals for improving the agro-tourist offer services that could contribute to the strengthening of the Czech agrotourism. The last part looks for possible financing sources and uses of funds funded the development of rural tourism and agrotourism in the monitored areas. For better orientation, the color assigned to each area, which is a line of work. For clarity in the work are also used clear tables and graphs that help to better describe the observed data from the survey.