Cogent Engineering

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Assessing agritourism potential in a Jordanian

village based on farmer-specific and location-
based factors

Bushra Obeidat

To cite this article: Bushra Obeidat (2022) Assessing agritourism potential in a Jordanian village
based on farmer-specific and location-based factors, Cogent Engineering, 9:1, 2119531, DOI:
10.1080/23311916.2022.2119531

To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2022.2119531

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Obeidat, Cogent Engineering (2022), 9: 2119531
https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2022.2119531

CIVIL & ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEERING | RESEARCH ARTICLE

Assessing agritourism potential in a Jordanian
village based on farmer-specific and
location-based factors
Received: 14 February 2022 Bushra Obeidat1*
Accepted: 28 August 2022
Abstract: Rural towns worldwide are undertaking tourism programs to diversify and
*Corresponding author: Bushra
Obeidat, Department of Architecture, revitalize their economies. Despite its natural, cultural, and historical tourist poten­
College of Architecture and Design, tial, Jordan is not a top agritourism destination. This research examines the possi­
Jordan University of Science and
Technology, Irbid 22110, Jordan bilities for agritourism in an agricultural village in Jordan that has not yet embraced
E-mail: [email protected]
it. The research investigates what motivates or discourages village farmers from
Reviewing editor: engaging in agritourism and the geographical aspects of this expected agritourism
Sanjay Kumar Shukla, School of
Engineering, Edith Cowan University, venue. The research method relies on GIS analysis of the case study site to establish
Perth, Australia
its suitability for agritourism development. Farmers were asked about their views
Additional information is available at and motives for engaging in Al-Baqura’s agritourism development. The GIS study
the end of the article
revealed that Al-baqura has the geographical characteristics that identify it as
a prospective agritourism destination. The economic, social, and environmental
benefits of agritourism motivate the local community to support it. This study
reveals that improving demand for local products, promoting cultural interchange
and experience possibilities, and enhancing the region’s image, are vital to agri­
tourism’s success. The variance analysis found no statistically significant association
between participants’ economic, social, and environmental perspectives of agri­
tourism depending on gender, education level, or farm ownership. Despite the
farmers’ eagerness, the town has no agritourism initiative yet. Therefore, the gov­
ernment should offer aid to the local community to promote tourism.

Subjects: Agritourism; Sustainable Development; Jordan; Local farmers; Attitudes

Keywords: agritourism; Jordan; attitudes; sustainable development; rural area

1. Introduction
Rural towns all around the world are taking steps to diversify and revitalize their local economies
by forming and putting into action tourism projects (Baskerville, 2013). These projects generally
concentrate on land investment in predominantly agricultural regions. In certain nations, tourist
development plans have blended agriculture and tourism to create a new business—called agri­
tourism (Ammirato et al., 2020; Apaza-Panca et al., 2020). Undoubtedly, the lockdowns and travel
restrictions accompanying the COVID-19 pandemic have significantly hampered global tourism,
reducing visitor numbers and international tourism revenue (Chin & Pehin Dato Musa, 2021; Uglis
et al., 2021). Scholars believe that this crisis has led to a paradigm shift in the tourism sector where
tourists have become more interested in finding more sustainable and flexible tourism alternatives
such as agritourism which appeared to be more resilient than other tourism businesses during the
pandemic (Chin & Pehin Dato Musa, 2021; Magno & Cassia, 2021; Zawadka et al., 2022). The
success of the agritourism business is linked to its ability to invest in local and natural resources,

© 2022 The Author(s). This open access article is distributed under a Creative Commons
Attribution (CC-BY) 4.0 license.

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drawing the attention of tourists who value nature, hence improving the local economy and
population’s economic condition (Magno & Cassia, 2021; Zawadka et al., 2022).

Jordan, despite its natural, cultural, and historical tourism potential, has not been considered
a prime agricultural tourism destination compared to its neighboring regions (Obeidat &
Hamadneh, 2022). Agritourism may offer a substantial and potentially significant source of income
for farmers and rural communities throughout the country. However, research on agritourism in
Jordan is limited. Therefore, this study investigates the potential of implementing agritourism in
a village in Jordan of intensive agriculture that has not yet adopted agritourism. The study explores
factors that motivate or obstruct farmers in the village from engaging in agritourism. Ultimately,
understanding farmers’ attitudes toward agritourism and its potential in rural areas where such
regulations have not yet been implemented may give critical and novel viewpoints that can aid in
the design, promotion, and exploitation of agritourism and thus rural development (Apaza-Panca
et al., 2020; Bhatta & Ohe, 2019).

Furthermore, few studies have examined the geographical features of agritourism sites
(Baskerville, 2013; Van der Merwe et al., 2013). This study assesses whether the village under
investigation possesses the required geographic qualities to incorporate agritourism, for instance,
urban proximity, natural assets, existing leisure possibilities (e.g., parks or historical sites), or other
similar factors. Additionally, the paper highlights the role of agritourism as a strategy for rural
communities’ sustainable development.

2. Potential impacts of agritourism

Rural tourism may be described as tourism that occurs in rural regions and serves as a vehicle
for rural development (Fagioli et al., 2014). The term “rural” is socially created and varies
among nations and cultures. However, there are several general features rural destinations
worldwide share, including (1) low population density, (2) limited area proportions dedicated to
the built environment, (3) the societal structures are traditional, (4) landscapes are essential,
and (5) agriculture is almost certainly practiced, although not always (Deavers, 1992). The
growth of tourism in rural regions promoted agritourism as a distinct type of rural tourism
(Apaza-Panca et al., 2020; Fagioli et al., 2014). The scholarly investigation into agritourism is
centered on its benefits to farmers and local development (Ammirato & Felicetti, 2013;
Karampela & Kizos, 2018; Karampela et al., 2016; Sgroi et al., 2018). By “local development,”
we mean self-development- the sustainable use of local resources in conjunction with promot­
ing economic diversification and beneficial distribution to the local people. Local development
is concerned with enhancing competitiveness via creating dynamic networks and interactions
between the local regions and their larger contexts (Pérez-Olmos & Aguilar-Rivera, 2021).
Agritourism fosters synergy between various activities, not only inside farms but also across
farms or between farms and other rural enterprises (Karampela et al., 2019). The agritourism
farm represents the fundamental element and the center of any rural network (Ammirato &
Felicetti, 2013), as each farm symbolizes the intersection between agricultural activities and
tourist services.

Consequently, agritourism providers become members of this rural network in the rural community
and establish structured and long-term cooperative relationships, aligning their businesses, interests,
resources, and goals, in order to exploit business opportunities and promote investments in the
village as a whole, thereby contributing to the village’s development (Ammirato & Felicetti, 2013).
This rural development paradigm entails improving the value of the agricultural enterprise’s output by
establishing new connections to markets that were previously unavailable to farmers (Van der Ploeg,
2000). Nowadays, agritourism’s impact on rural development is becoming more intricate, crossing
economic borders and focusing on natural resource protection, landscape improvement, and promot­
ing and valuing existing physical and intangible assets (Ammirato et al., 2020).

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Agritourism operations are like any other business venture in that their viability and sustain­
ability rely on a range of variables (Baskerville, 2013). Brown and Reeder (2007) and Bernardo et al.
(2004) offer two categories for these factors: farmer-specific and Location-based variables.
Farmer-based variables are related to understanding factors that may encourage or discourage
farmers from engaging in agritourism. In addition to demographic characteristics (e.g., age,
gender, education, and ownership type), there are three distinct kinds of drivers affecting farmers’
participation in agritourism: economic, social, and environmental (Ćirić et al., 2021). Economic
drivers of agritourism are often highlighted in the literature (Arru et al., 2021; Schilling et al., 2012).
Agritourism creates jobs, profits from local product sales, and revenues from accommodation and
services (Schilling et al., 2012). Moreover, financial stability, occupational stability, and the quantity
and quality of hired labor have all been proven to influence farmers’ engagement in agritourism
(Sanches-Pereira et al., 2017). Social drivers include preserving the local identity, empowering
farmers, helping women achieve the desired social status, preserving local or regional lifestyles,
and reconstructing cultural heritage and social values (Bwana et al., 2015; Gil Arroyo et al., 2019).
Other factors that impact farmers’ choices to engage in agritourism include identity and connec­
tion to place, improving social status and relationships, family continuity and preservation, and
quality of life (Ćirić et al., 2021; Gil Arroyo et al., 2019; Wright & Annes, 2014). Environmental
drivers include farmers’ desire to safeguard natural resources, biodiversity, and agricultural lands
(Ammirato et al., 2020). Farmers also consider agritourism as means of promoting open space
protection, avoiding the loss of farmland to development, learning sustainable farming methods,
and decreasing environmental pollution (Ammirato et al., 2020; Ćirić et al., 2021; Mastronardi
et al., 2015)

Thus, farmers’ engagement and interest in agricultural tourism depend on their attitudes toward
agritourism’s economic, social, and environmental advantages. In addition to farmer-based factors,
earlier research has shown that certain critical location-based features must be included in studies of
possible agritourism development sites (Baskerville, 2013; Bernardo et al., 2004; Brown & Reeder,
2007). (1) Natural Amenities: include climate, terrain variance, closeness to lakes, rivers, protected
areas, and diversified flora. (2) Tourism Infrastructure: closeness to restaurants, hotels, historical and
cultural sites, recreational activities, and transport routes. (3) Urban Influence: closeness to population
density and distance to a city. Together, farmer- and location-specific characteristics help us identify
the setting and its potential for agritourism implementation. In this context, this study is interested in
exploring the following research questions in a particular village in Jordan:

RQ1: What attributes of Al-Baqura village qualify it as a potential agritourism site?

RQ2: Do farmers want to engage in and contribute to the growth of agritourism?

RQ3: What are farmers’ perceptions of the economic impact of agritourism in their region?

RQ4: What are farmers’ perceptions of agritourism’s socio-cultural influence on the local
community?

RQ5: What are the opinions of agricultural farm owners about the environmental effect of
agritourism?

RQ6: Do farmers’ opinions vary according to their sociodemographic characteristics?

3. Materials and methods

The research methodology depends on the GIS analysis of the site for the case study to determine
the features of the site that make it a possible location for the development of the concept of
agritourism. A questionnaire was also administered to determine farmers’ perspectives on the
concept of agritourism and their motivations for participating in agritourism development.

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Figure 1. Al-Baqura village

location and its administrative
boundaries.

3.1. Al-Baqura: The study site

Jordan’s agricultural industry is concentrated in the northern and western highlands, with the
Jordan Valley being the most productive region. The Jordan Valley region is primarily rural, and
many households rely on agriculture for their livelihood. Tiny farms account for the majority of
agriculture, with an average size of 1.2 to 2.5 dunams. Al-Baqura (Figure 1) is regarded as one of
the most productive places in the Jordan Valley due to the presence of huge, high-quality
agricultural fields as well as irrigation water supplies through wells and springs. Citrus and
bananas, as well as wheat, barley, medicinal plants, and vegetable crops, are all ideal for growing
on the land.

Additionally, the region is designated as a national historical and tourist heritage site. The
Al Majma’ah Bridge, the Rothenburg Project, and the Hejaz Train Line are among the most
visible landmarks in the Al-Baqura village (7iber, 2018). Prior to the June 1967 conflict, the
settlement had a population of roughly 7,000, but this number plummeted considerably
during and after the war. The majority of the settlement’s inhabitants relocated to adjacent
communities, and the community now has a population of around 564. Farmers rely on
agriculture for a living. Although agriculture remains the primary income source for most
people in Al-Baqura and the Jordan Valley, farm earnings remain persistently low, with
statistics estimating that farm families earn less than $700 per month on average (Al-
Kheder et al., 2010).

4. Spatial analysis
Al-Baqura village was evaluated using the Geographical Information System (GIS). As previously
mentioned, agritourism growth has been proven to be significantly influenced by three major
location-based characteristics: Natural Amenities, tourism infrastructure, and urban influence.
Baskerville (2013)’s variables were utilized to describe location-related aspects that may be con­
nected with the effectiveness of agritourism in this study (Table 1). Geographic information
systems (GIS) open sources and the Jordan Data Dissemination Services were used to collect
spatial data. The village border was buffered to form three zones: two miles (3.2 kilometers), ten
miles (16 kilometers), and forty-four miles (64.4 kilometers).

1) A two-mile buffer (3,2 kilometers) was used to evaluate what natural features were in close
proximity to the village. It is thought that natural amenities are more significant for the local
region around each farmhouse.

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Table 1. Location-based variables and pertinent measurable variables

Location-based factor Measurable Landscape Data Type
Variable
Natural Amenities Topographic VariationVegetative RasterRasterVector Line
VarietyRivers and a Water area
Tourism Infrastructure Conservation AreaTourism Vector PointVector PointVector Line
BusinessesMajor roads
Urban Influence Proximity to a City of 5000 Vector Point
Population Density

2) A buffer of 16 kilometers (10 miles) was used to determine the tourist infrastructure inside the
“rural area.” Literature suggests that visitors need a range of attractions and activities at their location,
as well as many foods and hotel alternatives and easily navigable highways (Baskerville, 2013).

3) A 40-mile buffer (64.4 kilometers) was used to determine the non-farming population within
a reasonable driving distance of the village. According to Brown and Reeder (2007), the majority of
agritourists dwell in urban regions, with two-thirds residing in metropolitan areas, while the
average distance traveled per trip was 40 miles.

4.1. Survey questionnaire

The questionnaire utilized in the study was based on Nguyen et al. (2018)’s research on the
development and support of agritourism. The authors propose that economics, socio-cultural
factors, and the environment all have a role (Table 1). The questionnaire includes two parts. The
first part includes questions on basic demographic information and the farmers’ willingness to
support and engage in agricultural tourism. The second part contained 20 close-ended questions,
where 14 questions are eliciting perspectives on agritourism’s contribution to economic develop­
ment (4 items), socio-cultural life (6 items), and environmental protection in the research region (4
items). Six additional questions were used to assess participants’ support for implementing agri­
tourism in the village. The survey utilized a scale of three points, where 1 represents an agreement,
2 represents neutrality, and 3 represents disagreement.

5. Sampling
The village’s households were the target group of the questionnaire. Prior to collecting data, an
online lecture was presented on the benefits and drawbacks of agritourism due to coronavirus
limitations. This exercise lasted thirty minutes and was arranged with the cooperation of the
village officials. After informing participating families about the research and obtaining their
approval to participate anonymously, farmers were invited to complete the questionnaire.

6. Data analysis
The spatial and geographical data were reflected on maps, while the analysis of the questionnaire
data was performed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25.0
(IBMCorp, 2017). The respondents’ demographic information and locals’ views regarding the
impact of agritourism were analyzed using simple descriptive statistics (means, standard devia­
tions, frequencies). Assessment for variance assumptions (Mann-Whitney U, and Kruskal-Wallis
H tests) was conducted to investigate differences between participants’ willingness to participate
and involvement in agritourism.

7. Results
To answer RQ1, spatial analysis was conducted. Al-Baqura village and its lands are situated in the
northern Jordan River Basin, which serves as the border for this investigation, as depicted by maps
1 to 12 in Figure 2.

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Figure 2. The geographical fea­

tures of Al-Baqura.

Figure 2 portrays the administrative borders of the village of Al-Baqura. As shown in the Figure,
the residential buildings are concentrated northwest of the village, while agricultural grounds
surround and extend west of the residential buildings. As illustrated in Figure 2, the settlement
is bounded west by the Yarmouk and Jordan rivers and east by the King Hussein Canal. The Figure
also illustrates an abundance of groundwater wells and ponds used to irrigate crops and produce
fish in the region. Figure 2 demonstrate the agricultural nature of the village, as several varieties of
fruits, vegetables, and fruit trees are produced. In addition, the presence of natural elements such
as vegetation and water would contribute to the region’s success in agricultural tourism projects.
Most of the village grounds are flat within a buffer zone of 3,2 kilometers (Figure 2), facilitating
mobility between areas. The village lies at 266 meters below sea level, while the nearby areas to
the east rise to 103 meters in height, reaching 335 m above sea level, providing a natural
topographical variation. In terms of the temperatures, the summertime temperatures vary

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Figure 2. (Continued).

between (28.34 and 40.46) degrees Celsius, while the wintertime temperatures range between
(13.659 and 24.156) degrees Celsius (Figure 2). In addition, summertime temperatures are rela­
tively high, but winter is ideal for various visitor activities.

Figure 2 illustrates the existence of several ancient monuments in the area, proving the village’s
historical significance over the years. Al-Majma’ Bridge is the name given to three ancient Roman,
Ottoman, and British bridges that span the Jordan River in the Al-Majma’ region, and the power
plant or Rothenburg project are the two most significant archaeological monuments situated
inside the village borders. In addition to the existence of other historical monuments going back
to the Roman and Ottoman eras and religious sites of Islamic shrines and mosques in the regions
of Adasiya and Al-Mashareqah, located to the north and east of the hamlet of Al-Baqoura. There
are also tourism destinations, with the mineral baths of Al-Shouna being the most popular in the

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Figure 2. (Continued).

region because of the curative benefits of their mineral waters. Due to the significance of the
agricultural and historical region, there are several government services (Figure 2), including health
clinics, local administrative offices, and security points. In addition, the availability of such activ­
ities or services would encourage a tourist movement in the region.

Concerning the urban influence, Figure 2 depicts the road network in the region. A network of
primary and secondary roads connects the village to the surrounding areas; however, most of
these roads are agricultural. While Figure 2 depicts the towns and villages around Al-Baqoura,
these places and residential neighborhoods represent prospective visitors and tourism destina­
tions. Additionally, most of these neighboring villages are situated inside the 8-kilometer buffer
zone around Al-Baqura. However, the residents of the adjacent villages represent agricultural
communities, while the non-agricultural communities are centered in the Kingdom’s major cities;

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Irbid and Amman are the two nearest cities to Al-Baqura. Notably, Al-Baqoura is 32 kilometers
from the city of Irbid and 122 kilometers from the center of the capital, Amman.

8. Questionnaire results

8.1. Research sample

To answer RQ2–RQ6, the survey obtained 163 replies from the 173 households in Al-Baqura. The
majority of respondents were above the age of 18 years. Female respondents comprised 20.6 per­
cent of respondents, while male respondents made up 79.4 percent. The largest age group was
individuals aged 29 to 50. (60.4 percent). 63.5 percent of respondents have acquired a university
degree. 46.0 percent of respondents’ households earn more than 500 Jordanian diners monthly.
The majority of participants have at least one of their family members employed in agricultural or
farm-related production. Only 28.6 percent of respondents said they owned a farm, while 38.1 per­
cent stated they did not.

8.2. Analysis of respondents’ attitudes toward agritourism

The percentage was used to reflect the proportion of farmers who were pleased or unpleased with
each questionnaire item (Table 2). The findings indicated that the majority of respondents support
the notion of agritourism, where 82.53% have shown their willingness to contribute to the devel­
opment of agritourism. The findings indicated that most participants agreed that local govern­
ments should adopt policies and incentive methods to encourage and develop agricultural tourism.
In addition, they believe local governments should finance infrastructure improvements to boost
agritourism, and the community should be engaged in designing and developing the idea. As
evident by their responses, 82.5% of participants are open to tourists and interested in agritourism
activities taking place in their community. On the basis of these findings, we can validate research
question RQ2 and assert that farmers want to participate in and contribute to the growth of
agritourism.

According to the study’s results, the majority of respondents believe that agritourism may
provide a lot of economic benefits. Participants’ responses indicated that integrating tourism and
agriculture would boost farmers’ income and living conditions. They believe combining tourism and
agriculture will increase employment opportunities for the local community, financial returns, the
number of people working in agriculture, and demand for local products.

According to the study, respondents believe that agritourism provides societal advantages. Most
of them agreed that agritourism could enhance possibilities for cultural exchange. Respondents
disagree that agricultural tourism will negatively impact the village, such as causing conflict
between tourists and locals, compromising the way of life of local people, or impacting farmers’
privacy. The majority of respondents (71.42%) think combining tourism and agriculture would help
women’s empowerment and social support by providing them with unique employment
possibilities.

In terms of respondents’ perceptions of agritourism’s environmental impacts, the study found

that the majority of respondents think it will enhance the region’s image, help maintain the natural
environment, positively affect local people’s environmental awareness, and have no negative
impact on farms and cleanliness in the surrounding region.

Comparing the three primary factors that motivate farmers to adopt the concept of agritourism,
the research revealed that farmers place the most importance on agritourism’s economic aspects
(M = 1.32, SD = 0.545), followed by its environmental effect (M = 1.37, SD = 0.416), and finally by its
social impacts (M = 1.49, SD = 0.455). However, the findings revealed that the participants’
assessments of the following items had the highest degree of concordance: The assumption
that the combination of tourism and agriculture would improve local product demand, which
represents the economic advantages of agritourism. The assumption is that agritourism would

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Table 2. Factor structure of the scales and descriptive statistics

Code Variables Agree% Neutral% Disagree%
V1 Willingness to 82.53 9.52 7.93
support the idea of
agritourism if
proposed.
V2 The belief that the 87.30 7.93 4.76
community should
be engaged in the
concept’s planning
V3 Local governments 92.06 6.34 1.60
should implement
policies and
initiatives to
encourage
agritourism.
V4 Desire to see more 92.06 0.00 7.93
agritourism
activities in the area
V5 Openness to the 82.53 9.52 7.93
concept of tourists
visiting the area
and interacting with
them
V10 The belief that Local 93.65 6.34 0.00
governments
should fund
infrastructure
upgrades to support
agritourism
V6 Tourism and 76.19 14.28 9.52
agricultural
integration would
boost farmer
income and living
conditions
V7 Combining tourism 73.01 14.28 12.69
and agriculture will
enhance
employment
opportunities for
farmers and other
specialties.
V8 Agritourism will 73.01 19.04 7.93
enhance financial
returns and
increase the
number of
individuals who
choose to work in
agriculture.
V9 Integrating tourism 85.71 7.93 6.34
and agriculture will
increase demand
for local products
Economic scale Mean1.32* Standard Deviation 0.545
KMO = 0.754; Chi-
square = 158.98;
p = 0.000

(Continued)

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Code Variables Agree% Neutral% Disagree%

V11 Improving 82.53 12.69 4.76
opportunities for
cultural and
experience
exchange
V12 Impairing the local 22.22 17.46 60.31
people’s way of life
V13 Agritourism will 25.39 26.98 47.61
invade farmers’
privacy
V14 Tourists’ presence 11.11 28.57 60.31
will raise crime
rates such as theft,
violence, and
damage
V15 Agritourism will 9.52 25.39 65.07
negatively affect
the region by
causing visitor-local
conflict
V16 Agritourism would 71.42 17.46 11.11
boost women’s
empowerment by
providing unique
work opportunities
Social scale Mean1.49* Standard Deviation 0.455
KMO = 0.726; Chi-
square = 81.192;
p = 0.000
V17 Agritourism would 82.53 14.28 3.17
improve the
region’s image.
V18 Agritourism will 73.01 22.22 4.76
assist preserve the
local natural
ecosystem
V19 Agritourism raises 71.42 17.46 11.11
locals’
environmental
consciousness.
V20 Agritourism will 11.11 33.33 55.55
harm the farms or
the surrounding
area’s cleanliness.
Environment scale Mean1.37* Standard Deviation 0.416
KMO = 0.577; Chi-
square = 62.524;
p = 0.000
*Larger values imply greater disagreement

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enhance cultural interchange and experience possibilities, resulting in societal benefits. Moreover,
the notion that Agritourism will enhance the region’s image reflects environmental advantages.
Based on these results, we may confirm research questions RQ3, 4, and 5 and indicate that farmers
anticipate positive economic, social, and environmental effects of agritourism, which motivates
them to engage in it.

8.3. ANOVA results

The findings of the variance analysis revealed that there was not a statistically significant relation­
ship between participants’ perceptions of the economic, social, and environmental aspects of
agritourism based on their gender, level of education, or type of farm ownership. However, the
findings showed a disparity between the participants in different age groups and their evaluations
of agritourism’s impacts on the environment. Specifically, the findings showed that participants in
the older age groups seemed to have a less positive attitude when evaluating the environmental
impacts of agritourism. The statistical findings revealed a disparity between the appraisal of
participants with varying monthly incomes and the evaluation of the social components of
agritourism. According to the findings, the group of participants whose monthly earnings are
more than 500 Jordanian dinars had a less favorable view of the effects of agritourism on society.
The statistical study revealed that participants’ perceptions of agritourism’s economic and envir­
onmental consequences varied depending on the number of family members employed in agri­
culture. Families whose members all work in agriculture evaluated the economic and
environmental effects of agritourism less favorably than the other groups surveyed. Based on
these results, we may conclude that the variance test partly supported the research question RQ6
and that farmers’ perceptions of agritourism’s economic, social, and environmental advantages do
not differ based on their sociodemographic characteristics.

9. Conclusions
In this work, researchers explored agritourism to contribute to the discussion on the rural development
of Al-Baqura village. The research evaluated Al-Baqura attributes as a possible agritourism destina­
tion. The study also investigated farmers’ intention to participate in agritourism in Al-Baqura and
addressed their attitudes towards the expected effects of agritourism on their economies, social
culture, as well as on the environment. Understanding locals’ views toward agritourism may increase
their active engagement in the development of this rural area, which sustainably supports tourism
development and society (Ammirato et al., 2020; Ciolac et al., 2019; Nguyen et al., 2018).

Evaluation of Al-Baqura as a possible agricultural tourist destination, the investigation revealed

that the region has the advantages necessary to promote agricultural tourism in the future. The
area is well suited for agricultural development because of the presence of natural cover and
water. The topography of the region is conducive to the requisite biodiversity. Summer tempera­
tures are relatively high, but winter temperatures are mild, facilitating year-round visitor activities.
In addition to being an agricultural region, the existence of historical sites in Al-Baqura invites
tourists to visit the area. Various government services are readily accessible. Moreover, the region
is covered by a network of streets linking the village to the neighboring agricultural communities.
Irbid, the closest city, is situated within 32 kilometers, making it a possible source of tourists.

The study revealed that agritourism’s economic, social, and environmental advantages inspire
locals to support and participate in it. If we examine the questionnaire findings on a farm-by-farm
basis, we discover that most farm owners are always seeking “new methods” of doing business to
enhance their economic situations, which is reflected in their ratings. The economic gain is
prioritized above the social and environmental benefits.

Three aspects dominated and had a high degree of agreement among the investigated ques­
tionnaire items: increasing demand for local goods, encouraging cultural exchange and experience
opportunities, and strengthening the region’s image. The agritourism farm represents the hub of
agrifood products. The primary issue in this circumstance is to attract consumers who purchase

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agricultural goods from remote areas. Farmers have no choice but to invite people to their town to
sell their products. Therefore, Agritourism for farmers can potentially solve the issue of local goods
sales. In addition, it may stimulate the development of various local economic activities, such as
establishing a showroom and specialized stores to sell agricultural products, dried fruits, and
vegetables to meet tourist demand. Notably, these activities may serve as a form of joining and
networking amongst farmers in the region as a whole so that they may work together to sell local
goods and boost demand for them.

In addition, respondents believed that agricultural tourism could improve cultural exchange and
experience opportunities, leading to social advantages. Agritourism, from their perspective, will
boost the region’s overall image, including roads, sanitation, and other public infrastructure, as
well as contribute to a cleaner living environment. The variance analysis revealed no statistically
significant differences between participants’ ratings of economic, social, and environmental benefits
of agritourism depending on their gender, level of education, or farm ownership. However, varying
age groups have different opinions on agritourism’s environmental implications. The statistics
showed variations between participants’ rating of different monthly salaries and agritourism’s social
components. Finally, the number of family members engaged in agriculture influenced participants’
views of agritourism’s economic and environmental benefits.

Despite the farmers’ readiness to embrace the notion of agritourism, there is currently no
agritourism project in the village. In order to build the notion of agritourism in Al-Baqura, the local
administration and the Jordan Tourism Board should work to promote tourism in the village. In
addition, the government should offer aid to the village’s local community to help farmers initiate
their own projects and agritourism activities, which would benefit the farms and the rural commu­
nity as a whole to revitalize the rural communities. This study demonstrates the need to broaden the
scope of research on agritourism and the possibility of activating it in rural areas of Jordan in order
to boost urban development, beginning with the overall economic, social, and environmental
benefits. There are obvious limitations to this research. The first limitation is the small sample size,
although it encompasses almost all families in the community. Second, three-point Likert scales
were utilized in the questionnaire. Therefore, the resultant variables were not regarded and analyzed
as continuous variables, and advanced statistics such as correlation and regression were not used.
This subject demands thorough consideration and debate. Thirdly, the research focused on
a particular Jordanian village. Clearly, there is a need for more large-scale or comparative research
in other rural regions of Jordan, but this study offers a solid foundation.

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