A study on the preferences of tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh for rural-agritourism

Abstract

India is an agriculture-based economy but more than a business, agriculture is a vital part of Indian culture and has a huge potential for tourism in rural areas. This study focuses upon preferences of facilities and activities required by tourists visiting Uttar Pradesh for rural tourism. The tourists from urban areas or from abroad can experience rural life through gaining information about sowing and harvesting of various crops, traditional food, handicraft, culture, music and language. The study explored the viability of various rural entertainment, cultural and agricultural activities in developing a tourist’s itinerary. The tourist may be diverted towards rural tourism destinations across the state for sustainable tourism development. This would also result in reducing the financial burden on the rural population of the state resulting in Counter urbanization. This study attempts to examine the desirability of developing rural agricultural tourism sites for domestic tourism across Uttar Pradesh. A
quantitative research approach was utilized by the researchers to acknowledge the activities and facilities which could be offered to tourists as an attraction in such tourism destinations.