AGROTOURISM: NURTURING TRADITION, PRESERVING HERITAGE, AND FOSTERING LOCAL DEVELOPMENT

Agrotourism, beyond its economic scope, embodies an inherent ideological weight in global practice. Its evolution intertwines with the imperative of safeguarding national and ethnocultural legacies, preserving natural and historical habitats, and revitalizing traditional values and lifestyles. The recent emphasis, notably in several European nations, on the societal impact of tourism development has underlined the necessity to integrate local community welfare into the agrotourism agenda. This paper recommends a comprehensive consideration of various agrotourism development models while devising regional strategies. Recognizing the unique attributes of our country, primarily the diverse regional and local conditions, becomes pivotal in optimizing agrotourism management and growth. Two primary models converge to shape the landscape of "Agritourism" models. Initially, small agricultural entities—private auxiliary farms, peasant (farm) farms, and agricultural consumer cooperatives—embark on entrepreneurial endeavours within their domain, catalyzing agrotourism organically without external investments.