Objective: Agritourism creates new forms of interaction between agricultural producers and visitors while utilizing existing rural resources. In addition to strengthening local economies, it contributes to the preservation of agricultural land against pressures arising from large-scale retail expansion and global food supply chains. Given the growing importance of this sector, the present study investigates the factors influencing agritourism development in the rural areas of the Central District of Ardabil County, Iran.
Methods: This applied research adopted a descriptive–analytical approach. Data were collected through both documentary and field-based methods. The statistical population consisted of household heads engaged in agricultural land utilization. Based on Cochran’s formula, a sample of 380 respondents was selected through simple random sampling. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using the Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) approach was employed to analyze the data.
Results: A total of 67 indicators were initially examined, of which seven were excluded due to insufficient factor loadings. The measurement model demonstrated satisfactory validity and reliability. The structural model confirmed significant relationships between agritourism development and its determining factors. The highest factor loadings were associated with organizing cultural and recreational festivals, improving street lighting, and promoting crop diversification and agricultural product branding. Furthermore, the highest t-value (43.961) was observed for the relationship between agritourism development and socio-cultural factors, indicating the dominant role of this dimension in fostering agritourism development.
Conclusions: The development of agritourism in the Central District of Ardabil requires effective integration of managerial, policy, and legal dimensions. Agritourism can stimulate comprehensive socio-economic and cultural development, thereby contributing to sustainable rural development. Strengthening agritourism initiatives can enhance employment opportunities, improve household incomes, reduce rural outmigration, and increase the value-added potential of agricultural products and rural handicrafts.