Agritourism in the island of Malta : a stakeholders' perspective

Abstract

The focus of this dissertation is the agritourism industry in the island of Malta. The thesis opens with some introductory information to acquaint the reader with the themes and purpose of the study. This is followed by a thorough research of Literature regarding both agritourism in its general aspect, as well as agritourism in Malta. Following this is a descriptive analysis of the research methodology undertaken in order to asses and critically analyse the state of agritourism sites in Malta. Purposive sampled interviews are carried out with experts in the field, and the response are analysed, contrasted and compared between each other. These are then compared to the literature review on the subject to see if there is any resemblance and relevance between the research and literature. There are various opinions by stakeholders on what is agritourism, its purpose and the current situation of this industry. There is also a lot that can be done in order to elevate the agricultural and rural touristic product , and instigate growth in tourism in rural areas. The researcher proposes suggestions for the reaching of these goals following the research, comparison and analysis.