Keywords

Introduction

Tourism is a fast-growing industry to obtain higher living standards for the world community through development and economic growth. Developing countries like Indonesia, Kenya, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Zimbabwe have rebuilt their economy with the help of proper utilization and regulation of the tourism industry (The Daily Star, 2017; Dhaka Tribune, 2018; Dhaka Courier, 2019). Bangladesh has the potential space to become a sustainable tourism development in a tourist zone, a land full of natural beauty. As a developing country, Bangladesh is overpopulation. However, a significant part of this population can be successfully involved in the tourism industry. They can cultivate their land as well as can become an element to promote tourism. Agri-tourism can reduce the overpopulation problem when their skills are utilized. Therefore, investment is a sword against the challenges to change the quality engaged in agri-tourism into agricultural, social, cultural, and economic advancement in any country.

In developing countries, lack of cultivable land and population growth can lead to severe food scarcity. Agricultural production followed by transformed agricultural systems has to meet growing markets’ demands (Song et al., 2019; Firoozzare et al., 2018; Robinson & Carson, 2015). This growing market demand can rise agri-tourism because Bangladesh has a green countryside, diversified and rich traditions and customs, colorful festivals, handicrafts, historical heritage and folk arts, which can capitalize benefits of the situation (Ahmed & Jahan, 2013). Plan and action on diversification strategies, promoting sustainable management of natural resources, and local community participation is necessary to get a proper outcome from agri-tourism.

From valuable observation based on Veljković and Broćić (2017) data, agri-tourism is associated with a beautiful natural village setting that expresses farming and local craftsmanship. Agri-tourism reveals the use of assets from farm household and expands employment scope for household members, and prioritizes farmers’ economic incentives to maintain agricultural land and related natural amenities, such as wildlife, streams, and forests that can be significant for ensuring better quality life style in suburban and exurban areas. As an agricultural country, Bangladesh has enormous opportunities to discover this tourism. The local economy can grow by giving opportunities to visit or stay on the granary and participate in gathering agronomical products and quality information. Veljković and Broćić (2017) informed that there are foreign and domestic visitors or travelers interested in spending weekends or short vacations in the countryside that are consistently increasing (mainly out of town). These foreign visitors have a desire to learn about the culture and tradition of different parts of states and enjoy traditional specialty clothes, foods, dishes, and drinks. A better example can be from the opinion of Goodwin and Chaudhary from 2017 that there are many developing countries have a tourism industry that boost their national economy’s performance. Indonesia is one of the countries. Bali, a part of Indonesia with the largest achievement to Indonesian tourism’s attainment due to institutional investors in agri-tourism. Moreover, agri-tourism exponential contributions to the process of sustainable rural development. This research explains agri-tourism in Bangladesh in terms of investment and growth.

Agri-tourism Definition and Its Effective Roles

Agri-tourism or agro-tourism has various definitions on different contexts. Among them, the popular explanations are: “rural enterprises which include both a working farm environment and a commercial tourism component” (Weaver & Fennell, 1997: p. 357), and “an alternative farm enterprise which was one of several possible pathways of farm business development” (Srisomyong, 2010: p. 1). Agri-tourism can be distinguished as farmers’ businesses inside their working for agricultural holdings to enjoy and educate visitors. Farm stays, picnic areas, farm shops, farm tours, educational demonstrations, pick your farm produce etc. are some typical attractions for tourists at farm destinations. Agri-tourism is considered a form of diversification of a farm that can amplify subsidiary activities to agriculture. The relationships between tourism and agriculture include the reality that tourism can help farm diversification by employment in new and remaining businesses and create fresh markets for agronomical products (Srisomyong, 2010). Agri-tourism is a catalyst that helps to grow the income (supplement) and economy and a booming industry that can increase revenue. Agri-tourism is an activity that is diversified on the natural resources’ consumption and the local culture. It also helps to the expansion of personal relationships between the local community and visitors. Still, it can enhance the quality of life by creating employment opportunity, as well as the influence on aspects economic and social; the multifunctional sustainable countryside (rural) development (Sumantra & Yuesti, 2018; Das & Rainey, 2010; Lathiras et al., 2010; Wyporska & Mosiej, 2010; Chesky, 2009).

It is commonly believed that agri-tourism can play a key role in promoting ecosystem functioning and biodiversity to support humans’ multiple benefits (Firoozzare et al., 2018). Moreover, agri-tourism or agro-tourism refers to the act that one can visit a working farm or any horticultural, agricultural, or agribusiness operation for the ambition of active involvement in the farm, enjoyment, education, or for operation activities. But the effective agri-tourism or agro-tourism term is difficult which can stand for the development and can be more functional into sustainable agri-tourism in the operational field, as mentioned by Tseng et al, 2019: p.1. For tourism purposes, agri-tourism is an approach that is systematically based on-farm diversification. Quality information is the usual form to assess agri-tourism, where agri-tourism is rural tourism which is a subset that uses farms in a diverse array as tourist destinations. It is an activity that is economic with the potential economic, social, and environmental or triple bottom line. The goal of sustainable agri-tourism is to optimize the benefits in the economy and achieve maximum benefits for the stakeholders, improve quality of life, and promote environmental conservation. In Thailand, agri-tourism is encouraged to support farmers become self-sufficient and is experienced by all professions entire the country. The activities of agri-tourism are based on environmental and ecological preservation to ensure that the natural environment, the ecosystems, and the human population can sustain.

Investment on Agri-tourism and Its Return to the Development

The sustainable development concept was originated in developed first world countries through tourism and agri-tourism. The boosting need for the exercise of natural resources and investment and community participants plan is mandatory to come out economic growth and contribute to agricultural development. Therefore, funds or investment is the first key element to making the excellent business path to rural development. Another study shows that tourism can elicit growth by providing foreign direct investment included many new facilities. The link between capital investment and tourism has been developed based on essential factors like business-friendly environments, accessible human capital, and various amenities through hotels, resorts, parks, transportation, energy, etc. Overall, tourism is extremely needy on power to move towards its diurnal business activities (Khan et al., 2020). The strategy model is forefather in a project that will bring a more profitable impression on any state over a long time (Fig. 15.1).

Fig. 15.1
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The strategic model on sustainable tourism development and rural development. (Source: Khan et al., 2020)

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Tourism and Development for Developing Economies: A Policy Implication Perspective

The majority of developing countries could not be a success in the tourism world. Many possibilities to be a tourism industrial nation need the country’s management to think a robust entrepreneurship plan with sufficient funding support to get the lion-size amount back from the tourism industry into agri-tourist.

Notification from the international tourism industry, among the fastest-growing industries tourism is one which contributed more to the world economy uniting the whole world in a village. USD48 billion was increased by International tourism in 2014 which made a record of USD1245 billion, a 3.7% increase in real terms. A 4.4% increase in International tourists’ arrival also occurred in 2014, attaining a total of 1135 million, up from 2013 which was 1087 million. Travel and passenger transport of International tourism represents 30% of services from the world’s exports and among overall exports, it represents 6% of goods and services (Roy & Hoque, 2015). Concerning the credible note from the article on agri-tourism attracts more visitors to Mekong Delta by Vietnam News/ANN in China Daily (2019), the agri-tourism model is an excellent source of earn and due to an upward trend on income progresses to sustainable agriculture and rural development. And already agri-tourism model garden has been climbed outstanding outcomes, and only fruit farmers earn an annual profit of about USD 17,245 per hectare in several provinces in Vietnam.

According to WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council) (2015), 8.1 billion USD was the total contribution of tourism in 2014 to Bangladesh GDP compared to neighboring Sri Lanka and India, with contributions of 8.2 billion USD and 125.2 billion USD, respectively. On the word of Ahmed and Jahan’s (2013) findings, the particular shape it takes and the way it is organized vary from country to country, such as Indonesia; Sumatra, and Java where rural tourism centers are the plantation areas. Rice planting or rubber tapping etc. activities are main attraction for tourists to visit farms to observe directly. In the form of farm-stay, Korea and Japan offer tourism. The Malaysian government has funded agri-tourism quite massively. Across the country 31 villages has been identified as tourist spots by the ministry of tourism of the Government of India, with the help of state tourism departments and severe attempts has been taken to promote rural tourism. Moreover, the funding sources to support sustainable agri-tourism.

Challenges of Agri-tourism in Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a colorful country to explore tourism development. Yet, Bangladesh could not depict a sustainable tourism development nation, albeit there is a golden garden across the country. Half of the country’s inhabitants are farmers who live in poverty because they spend their life with one income source. Their livelihood can turn on better expectancy life to follow Agri-tourism, but obstacles are the culprit. However, the common issues are underdeveloped infrastructure; lack of skilled workforce; political and institutional barriers; administrative complexity of dealing, corruption, and mismanagement of key development institutions; lack of awareness about business opportunities and supporting financial institutions; and poor global image. In rural areas, low priority by the government; resource constraints; lack of communication skills; lack of local involvement/participation; rural representations’ absence in decision-making process; lack the relatedness between rural communities and rural government are some of the issues. Bangladesh is a colorful country to explore tourism development. There are some minor challenges to construct the agri-tourism industry in Bangladesh to be addressed. Moreover, several significant challenges can harm agri-tourism, such as:

Poverty

Poverty is an offender to promoted sustainable goals over the world and the spread of the World Bank’s work to be successful for poverty reduction. As reported by the World Bank (2020) on poverty is the recent estimate, in 2015, 734 million people or 10% of the world’s population spent less than USD1.90 for living in a day. That’s down for the people in 1990 from nearly 1.9 billion or 36 percent. Poverty stands as the biggest challenge for development in South Asia, and its root is undeniably strong. Gantait, Mohanty, and Mathew (2018) have quantified many valuable measures in the article that poverty alleviation is the most vital challenge faced by the world and is an indispensable prerequisite to sustainable development. Poverty is still a global phenomenon as 767 million (10.7% of the global population) live below the international poverty line of USD 1.90/day by the year 2013. All these statistics in the background establishes that poverty has become a matter of concern in the South Asian context. Therefore, tourism can act as a catalyst in sustainable development in poverty alleviation (Gantait et al., 2018). The importance of integrating sustainability in poverty eradication requires more likely some modern investment approaches in tourism development where strategic leadership is a push factor in achieving our goal as community money is invested in agri-tourism.

Complex Travel Procedures

Cross-border travel is the most critical problem in the region which includes tour operator regulations, border formalities, airline access, visas permits for internal movement in certain areas, and currency use. It is found that most countries travel procedures around the South Asia are very complicated, complex and restrictive, for both intraregional and international visitors. Although among all travels, land travel is far more cost-effective, in South Asia cross-border land travel is challenging. There are limited facilities at most land border points, such as reservation facilities, transport links, and resting facilities (Rasul & Manandhar, 2009).

Tourism Investment

 NTO (National Tourism Organization) is the main actor and serves to coordinate the country’s development attempts at home and abroad to govern visitation of diverse tourist spots. Ishtiaque (2014) advocates that investment is still slow in developing countries like Bangladesh. High risk is found for investment in service-based projects, especially in tourism in the majority of developing countries. Thus, though potential natural tourism may have been found in countries, it is still challenging to gain feasible financing for Bangladesh for tourism projects.

Lack of Human Resources in the Tourism Industry

Specifically, in rural areas, the private sector and NGOs expand training programs for tourism. Linking to the government’s priorities ‘‘Digital Bangladesh’’, useful aspects of such programs can be to make online tourism training courses more readily available. Study material accessibility of ILO and other main international institutions is also important. Luxury hotels owned by the government, including the Dhaka Sheraton Hotel and the Pan Pacific Sonargaon Hotel, Dhaka, unquestionably should be given more significant positions to employ well-trained Bangladeshis to work as interns and in other suitable positions (Honeck & Akhtar, 2014).

Lack of Safety and Security

The thoughtful matter regarding the security, we have to consider it from the services providers’ perspective and the services receivers.  In many South Asian countries, the matter is further provoked by terrorist attacks. To control the movement of terrorists, many countries’ cross-border activities are brought under the responsible authority’s stringent rules and checks. These rules often cause unnecessary hassle at border points. For travelers, a prime concern is to ensure safety and security as a critical factor in determining competitiveness of the tourism and travel sector (World Economic Forum, 2008). In South Asia, significant concerns still remain on the overall security situation, such as terrorist attacks, civil unrest, bomb blasts, insurgencies, war etc. (Rasul & Manandhar, 2009). Ishtiaque (2014) states that tourists’ safety is a fundamental factor for any thriving sub-industry related to tourism and should be the primary objective of tourism management and planning. Tourism issues related to safety, whether perceived or real, negatively influence the fame of the host countries. In this respect, political instability and negative perceptions seem to play a disadvantageous role in the possibilities of tourism in Bangladesh.

Run Way of Agri-tourism on Development Process

Many critical issues, plans, and structural investment processes depend on the first step of specific activity areas such as agri- gardening to the outcome for various purposes. The realization came from initiatives from the governmental and private project:

Funding Practice in Agri-tourism into Green Farming

This study presents the information the show realistic scenario and analyze different development plan to evaluate the strategies and to help initiating advancement plans. Villages in Bangladesh have tourism potentials by highlighting agri-tourism and it supplies come into tourist demand who are boring from their daily life. Agri-tourism shows stable expansion of the villages, with the anticipated tendency of even faster expansion in the future (Petrović et al., 2015). This comprises the interests for art, architecture, archaeology, culture, hunting and fishing, hobbies, music, sport, stay in the country, etc. To escalated economic growth, the right target and growing market to the tourist are agri-tourism is the quality spot, and there appear many important things in the Fig. 15.2.

Fig. 15.2
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Economics of Home-grown agri-tourism Products in Bangladesh. (Source: Dhaka Courier, 2019)

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The Structure of Agri-tourism into Various Indicators

Therefore, the world needs sustainable development through the pillar of economics. However, unfortunately, Bangladesh’s tourism industry is still an infant one, and regions authority should think to nurture tourism the industry to achieve a middle-income country tag by SDGs targeting goal. The branches of tourism have been touched skyrocket in the developed countries. However, there are many natural heartlands to explore agri-tourism. Also, developing nations such as Bangladesh did not realize the supplementing benefit from tourism and argi-tourism. Governments of many third-world countries cannot transform their economy in development in the race of right initiative in projection. Still, practical plans and investment in agri-tourism can motivate sustainable tourism development, and green gardening is the best policy to change the nature of tourism. However, the plan and the strategy practice in agri-tourism are the main roles of various aspects. According to Kieselbach and Long (1990) and Okech, Haghiri, and George (2012), some indicators like economic diversification, economic growth, and stabilization are considered the prime income source where the most crucial other secondary income source is important. Also, improvement and maintenance of public services; revitalizing cultural, crafts, and customs identities; protecting and improving both the natural and built environment; enhancing opportunities for the social exchange and contact; increasing acknowledgment of priorities for rural and potential by economic planners and policy-makers have relevancy.

There are many credible data to establish agri-farms to attract visitors in their articles (Okech et al., 2012). Agri-tourism is not only a valid option to generate employment sources but also restores the country’s progress’ considerably through rural society. Bangladesh has various types of exclusive and expensive places as farm tourism spots. Touristic land areas are connected with various flora-fauna and a good number of facilities which are related to establish the double game in agri-tourism (i.e. production cultivation and enjoying places). Nonetheless, financial support is a rational need here to grow up agri-tourism sources. For example, the Kenya Tourist Board and the Ministry of Tourism from the Government of Kenya are working to develop the circuit of Western Kenyan tourism to turn it into a domestic and international tourist destination. Management and leadership skills can add more resources and skills of human, financial management, setting of planning and goal, and the potentiality to manage individuals effectively. For small entrepreneurs, tourism gives many chances to contribute to the provision of tourism experiences for financial gain.

Moreover, Bangladesh authority can create a model as businesses of Austria. In this country, agri-tourism gets financial aid from their local government. Also, caravans and camping are the major forms of accommodation in rural regions of France that make more colorful and adventurous journeys closer to the nature (Ahmed & Jahan, 2013). A research was conducted in Bandung District of South Kuta, Indonesia that helped to furnish an agriculture model. Patera, Sukarsa, and Wiranatha (2015) found that diverse and intensive activities of tourism from small to large scale firms were energized by beaches, warm air, and attractive natural cliffs in South Kuta. Also, all aspects of tourism development were growing rapidly in such areas. Taxes collected from restaurants and hotels offer the largest contribution of local revenue in South Kuta. These make the area wealthiest in Bandung in Bali. In terms of the new nation, a standard development model can be successful by calculating present condition, formulating a pilot development program, and strategies and implementing the practical plan into the project life cycle to excellent cultivated green garden districts in Bangladesh. Overall, the new farm creator focuses on the figure to be the perfect example for other nations (Table 15.1).

Table 15.1 The local feature in agri-farm and agri-tourism development
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The Daily Star (2017) and Dhaka Tribune (2018) explain the benefits of agri-tourism that to attract international tourists our local government should take on more projects to represent our farmers’ indigenous capacities to protect land, environment, and ecology; and by this our agri-tourism industries can be enriched. Rural Development Academy from Bangladesh (BARD) can take the opportunity to promote agri-tourism. One way to innovate agri-tourism can be to integrate global farmers for the reduction of local climatic problems by innovating flood and salinity tolerant agricultural systems. This can also help to share thoughts about marketing on food value and organic manures implementation in land for a productive and collective future (The Daily Sun, 2017).

Farming Progresses in Entrepreneurship

Agri-tourism business or activity invites visitors to visit rural communities or on-farms to enjoy the natural environment of agriculture and its produce, in which it exists. Agri-business is integrated as tourism where agri-tourism generally stays as an addition to the farm (Porcaro, 2010). It is considerably observed that crucially utilizing access of tourists, environmental and agricultural outcome in country sides through agri-tourism entrepreneurship and exploration can consist of business to well income source to develop the capacity of freedom in rural people by reborn of all indicators of human approach, domestically. Agri-tourism helps to gain extensive knowledge in marketing, economics, and management action and it is very important for both urban and rural communities and areas. It can serve several advantages such as employment, raise of income, accommodation use, activities, conservation of natural resources (Zoto et al., 2013). The policy can develop to the front of some critical aims, and these are: first, can be located in countryside; second, can be grounded on rural tourism’s attributes; third, can have settlements and buildings on a small scale; fourth, can be associated with local communities and their families; fifth, can be grounded on small towns and villages; finally, can represent intricate environmental, economic, and historical patterns (Ayazlar & Ayazlar, 2015).

For product decision making, design is essential to understand the behavior of consumers. One of key marketing variables is design, which carries considerable competitive significance in overlooked and unattended marketplaces. In Austria, the Alpine tourism is a relevant example. Aesthetic components are found inherently in tourism products (Pikkemaat & Weiermair, 2011). Moreover, Ayazlar and Ayazlar (2015) analyzed important empirical sides about agri-tourism in the article “Rural Tourism: A Conceptual Approach”. The findings have determined four market segments in rural tourism. These typologies are divided into four groups based on motivational factors in Spain: visitors seeking serenity, rest, and touch with nature; cultural visitors; proximity-gastronomic and nature visitors; and returning tourists. According to the article, there are three major advantages to rural tourism: first, engagement in rural areas increases the number of options for transactions and businesses. Second, rural tourism can aid economic growth, job creation, outmigration, the development of public services, infrastructure improvements, social interaction, and environmental protection. Finally, rural tourism makes isolated and non-urban locations more accessible.

Establishing Sustainable Model into Development

Agri-tourism is a rigid foundation in sustainable development to bring out many benefits, for example, investor and investment, raise tax revenues, worker opportunities, and contribution of modern technologies in the field. Two elements, such as motivation and monitor & evaluation, are essential to spread up tourism markers. To ensure sustainable development in agri-tourism, the following aspects are very much important. Improving the education quality and training skills, growth and diversification of exportation, implementation and formulation of the national plan for land-use, and for development purposes green growth promoting are also very important.

 Tourism spots or farms can be highlighted by the effect of visitors’ satisfaction and corporate supply all types of support to visitors and their happiness, creative economic growth through communities’ improvement in various ways by subsidy in state GDP. Also, intensive analysis comes from Streimikiene and Bilan (2015) that tourism demand motives are very important for tourism development especially for rural tourism. In the territory, many reasons are found for the development of rural tourism both for success and failure. Several models are apprised to define the leading driving forces on the basis of the supply, demand, and rural communities’ motives. Also, an evolutionary approach is applied in most of the theories to identify the leading drivers of development for rural tourism (i.e. different features have a significant impact on the various stages of development for rural tourism). Besides there are factors related to general demand which drive development of rural tourism, tourism services have essential consumer motives. For running a project, the model must be helpful to construct forever for future generations, as reported by Sumantra and Yuesti (2018). The use of a model made it easier for evaluators to know what was happening during policy implementation inputs, implementing activity programs on physical, economic, and social characteristics. However, logic or other models require in-depth data and information about the activities carried out until the results are obtained. As a result, tourism development reveals quality and quantity impact on nations to achieve Sustainable Development Goals with sustainable golden growth in economics.

 Ishtiaque (2014) argued that a mechanism can bring durable plans and strategic planning action for compatibility goals. A tourism strategy can be developed by the help of it and this plan can be comprehensive, unified, and integrated. In this regard, the measure of cooperation between the government and private sectors is a related and important issue regarding the co-development of marketing tactics and strategies. As a vehicle for economic growth the preliminary assumption of tourism has focused mainly on its impact on a country’s industry and trade, and creating a framework to transform to economic development. Therefore, economic globalization of the world can boost tourism trade by agri-tourism. Surprisingly, this grew a chance for the third world countries to climb the tourism side to fall down the horrific problems and touch the skyrocket in this ever-growing industry. To sustainable tourism into economic growth by work policy has explained in this article (Zoto et al., 2013) that tourism service quality meets all customer demand regarding the cost, the sets undertaken by law, the observance of hygiene and safety, and the natural environment’s harmony. Standardization and assertiveness of rural tourism depending on agricultural production is the main instrument of the quality assessment. The purpose of these visits is to review modern and new technologies in rural agricultural farms for production and differentiate these with other countries.

 Some of the researchers are influenced by Ishtiaque (2014) to understand the context of evaluating impacts on tourism on the host societies in the form of sociological, environmental, economic, political, anthropological, and holistic perspectives. Also, all these aspects can easily focus on developing the scenario and examining the critical linkages. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) will be the best-fitted assessment about the growth of agri-tourism in Bangladesh. The linear construction of linkages-effects–externalities is very much significant to understand the SEA system’s framework. Moreover, the indicators to achieve it can include responding to social trends and changing economics; responding creatively and strategically to increasing competition; raising tourism dispersal the tourist destination all over the year; and expanding visitation, yield, and satisfaction of the visitors.

The Changes in Nations Development Influenced by Sustainable Agri-tourism

 In a developing country as Bangladesh, economic, environmental, and social factors are not adequate for tourism. In such perspective, a technique is studied with its association with countries’ development through economic growth for sustainable tourism development. On the similar ground, some indicators as found essential in México are average backwardness of education at home; current per capita income; access to health services, social security; spaces of housing, quality, and food; the degree of social cohesion and road accessibility (García & Michel, 2017). Some of the positive attitudes of sustainable tourism are:

Socio-economic

 Tourism promotion brings infrastructure development, foreign currency inflows, regional development, employment generation, and distribution of income through multiplier of economic activities; it also brings social capital as a precondition to develop the tourism industry, and to foster socio-economic development as a whole (Quaranta et al., 2016). The farm income is the best economic door although sadly information in many countries has ignored this stair in development. Above all agri-tourism will open a new normal life in rural people across the country. According to many scholars (Gnanapala & Sandaruwani, 2016), the community is mainly focused by its socio-cultural and it shows long term impacts on the visitors. Therefore, the changes in the value system of collective, societal, and individual, social relationships, behavior and lifestyles, modes of expression, and structure of the community. Through rural tourism, rural community participation and education, and health are tools to solve major problems related to socio-economy in rural and marginalized communities through increasing local activity with active stakeholders’ participation to achieve equal distribution of economic and social benefits (Khan et al., 2020). Furthermore, rural tourism motivates acquiescence to an idle pictorial version of community that can result in solidarity of personal ties and community. It will most fruitfully reduce rural people’s migration to urban areas (Ahamed & Jahan, 2013). It can be exemplified that a concept has been developed by Agri-tourism Development Corporation that is directing the way towards better livelihoods which will be sustainable for many farmers along with their families (Gantait et al., 2018). It also demonstrates that while the agriculture sector is becoming a more challenging and less advantageous industry for the majority population in India, agri-tourism brought out the quality outcome. On the other hand, the practical knowledge of improving socio-economic status can be the best example to Bangladesh by advancing agri-tourism.

Cultural

It is emphasized on the importance of cultural factors that the role of service providers (tourism suppliers) is also important in shaping the rural tourism experience (Ayazlar & Ayazlar, 2015; Kastenholz et al., 2012; Cawley, 2009). They design the physical environment and determine other service features which are more intangible, such as responsiveness and reliability. There is a range of accommodation alternatives for rural tourism, such as guesthouses, private homes, caravan and camping sites, small hotels, and vernacular buildings. Like the French Belief, social norms & values are plenty of valuable indicators in local communities. Those four stages are acceptable when it blooms in investment and planning because it is a right to be enormous beneficial agri-farm (Fig. 15.3).

Fig. 15.3
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Stages in cultural rural tourism development. (Source: Ayazlar & Ayazlar, 2015)

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 To create job opportunities, poverty reduction strategies combined with agricultural assets and cultural motivation to the domestic and international tourists in a community can work. Also, both local people and tourists feel comfortable exchanging the cultural nature, and domestic citizens learn exclusive new cultural aspects. Ahmed and Jahan (2013) and other researchers’ opinions. Rural people usually earn less from agriculture than the income from tourism which means tourism will be more profitable for them. For that, tourism contributes to many rural areas’ education, health, and culture. They will break out of their traditional beliefs and values. With the development of cultural understanding through fairs and festivals will be great attractions for tourists. Moreover, rural tourism will most significantly minimize rural people’s migration to urban areas (Ayazlar & Ayazlar, 2015). Village can be tactically situated along the equator which can be very enticing for most of the tourists, both locally and internationally. Moreover, rustic people absorb wondering life, and transformation occurs in cultural elements.

Community Advancement Through Poverty Alleviation

In the twenty-first century, this whole world aims to be a modern society through swift technological advancement from globalization. Still, poverty has not fallen down in South Asia such as Bangladesh, whereas the sun shining in progress will have provided that excellence by tourism into agri-tourism in Bangladesh attain SDGs Goals: zero hunger; no poverty; economic growth and decent work; sustainable cities and communities, innovation, industry and infrastructure; and climate action (Table 15.2).

Table 15.2 Domestic development through community participants
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The maximum level of participation is possible when communities gain the capacity of self-mobilization, which gives community members the opportunity to operate their own form of activities without getting any assistance or help from other ventures, especially foreign business bodies or government (Kamarudin et al., 2016). Job opportunities, especially for the underdeveloped people in terms of economic status of rural communities such as few skilled local residents, can immediately work as retail clerks, food servers, and hospitality workers. Garcia and Michel (2017) opine from different contexts and relate to the tourism enterprise, which in most time is conceiving, is a way to ensure the activity’s beneficial results, especially in countries where the economic condition is in an emerging situation. This action is studied in many developed countries where social, economic, and environmental factors are not inadequate for the activities of tourism practice and its connection with the destination's social enrichment. In the destination model’s the social prosperity was advanced as a dimension of the competitiveness of the destination tourism that connected with these variables.The tourism industy’s traditional economic benefit can be a significant outcome from discovering this study on the agri-tourism conducted by local communities. Agri-tourism is more innovative to increase the number of green jobs, scaling-up salaries; booming local business opportunities, leading to the advent of tourism services (food, culture etc.), and selling to tourists (craftsmen, artists, guides etc.), growing the collective sources of income (through profit, taxes, dividends, donations, etc.) (Marin, 2015).

Therefore, the administration desires that agri-tourism can prosper through a more varied economy by getting support from the diversification of employment in existing and new businesses. It is also hoped that it can check the matter of out-migration, and also help to sustain rural, agricultural and community tourism. To tackle the economic problems of the country, the Thailand government has taken a policy for tourism which is helpful in creating jobs for people as well as raising the country’s income. All kinds of tourism have been highly emphasized as a strong root for all geographical areas’ economic wealth. As the leading foreign exchange earner, tourism has subsequently surpassed rice of the country and the cornerstone of its economy (Tourism Authority of Thailand, 1997, showed by Srisomyong (2010). Overall, the effect of agri-tourism has changed the mood of the economy by rapidly improving in community peoples’ life from the poverty line, and the nature of the development of that county is getting new face by degrees. However, technical thought must have a sustainable development path to be mature in tourism by agri-tourism, and the government will feel proud to achieve a sustainable goal.

The Environmental Impact

tourism profits can be used for the improvements of the environment such as schemes of traffic regulation and village paving, litter disposal and sewage etc. This help will be fruitful in retaining both the existing population with their businesses and attracting new enterprises with their families. Furthermore, rural people will acknowledge how to ensure a healthy environment for both physical and mental health; and along with it they will learn how to preserve and sustain the natural habitats. Kamarudin, Chong and Razak (2016) stated that participation of local community in non-farm development especially in economic sector: the case of two orang asli communities of Royal Belum State Park, donated information in the Table 15.3.

Table 15.3 Community participation into environmental in agri-tourism project
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In the context of environmental issues of agri-tourism, writers have stated that in terms of Malaysia environment in the villages are still protective and not to be a negative issue due to the deterioration of agri-tourism (Kamarudin, 2013). Furthermore, they have also reported that the villagers tried to enhance the beauty of the village to attract the tourist. Establishing and investing in the agri-tourism model project in Bangladesh would be a great initiative to make the environment sustainable and eco-friendly impacts which are positive and potential for tourism can be to secure water quality highly and protect local nature and natural resources better. In a number of targets, tourism supports securing better protection of nature with higher water quality. It can help to develop additional reinforcement to invest in infrastructures and services which are environmentally friendly. Also an active social dimension has been found in agri-tourism. It also seeks to find a way to provide benefits to the local communities by empowering them with control over how to use their lands and resources in more sustainable ways. The more people produce agricultural products, the more they can be able to reduce carbon emissions, which will ensure environmental balance for our planet’s sustainability. To ensure non-stop electric supply in the tourist zone’s accommodation area, many people install renewable energy initiatives on the farm areas by using the farm land wastages, which helps nature eliminate carbon emissions and balance the total eco-system of the particular locality. There is also scope to build a green building that can be built using non-polluting and energy-efficient construction materials, energy sources, and sewage systems; instead of using concrete that badly affects the environment. Thus, agri-tourism ensures environmental sustainability in its life cycle.

Conclusion and Recommendations

The awesome notice from the UN conference which occurred in Geneva on the 13th–14th March 2013 and the observation is the structural strategy on long-term outcome in a country. Sustainable tourism is related to the policy options where it has a positive impact on sustainable development and economic growth. Particularly, developing countries (low-income) have been benefited by tourism because it has potential for economic growth and poverty reduction. The industry, which is involved with tourism and has the capacity to create employment and income because of its backward and forward connections, makes it very important not only for economic diversification but also for growth. With that it ensures long run opportunities and offers sustainable development.

The aim of this chapter is to analyze the investment and development perspective of agri-tourism in Bangladesh. The tourism industry of Bangladesh is still an infant one. However, in the sector of agri-tourism development, Bangladesh has immense potentiality. Relevant authorities need to think for policies for nursing the industry along with joint venture work among all stakeholders. Tourism can play a vital role in reshaping the economy in many countries along with Bangladesh and complement all of its policies aimed at achieving the tag of a middle-income country by SDGs target goals but governmental interference is compulsory as an investor to achieve success to development perspective. The natural beautify and abundant cultivable land of Bangladesh is awesome and can help the tourism industry to attract more tourists. Still, there are needs for the proper marketing plan and stronger leadership and strategy, which will be a successful plan in sustainable tourism development into agri-tourism, but there is the horrific fact to reach the goals such as public money and aid or grant are a vital part of investing in tourism progress in the development field.

Therefore, the conditional mindful research and a wonderful political policy as an advancement to the greatest number of exclusive issues markedly change the economic, socio-culture aspect to countryside societies and environmental aspects.

 Accordingly, small accommodation as a business (i.e. agri-tourism boarding houses) represents the core service, in rural destinations a large share of accommodation is provided by the villagers and it plays a central role in tourism development especially in rural areas rural revitalization and poverty relief. Thereupon, their owner-managers are highly inspired to conserve important social, natural and cultural features that are vital to the sustainability of rural landscapes and destination competitiveness. Moreover, it is crucially finding the causes of this industry’s regress, discovering the obstruction of the existing policy measures, and on this policy, suggesting courses of actions which will be effective to undertake by the different industries and other relevant authorities to get the benefits of the opportunities from it. Because of agri-tourism trends to obtain high-quality living standards through communities to domestic development particularly through raising income for rural people who work in the field of agriculture as an example- “Agricultural tourism or Agro-tourism/ Agri-tourism” can have notable outcomes for communities and farmers in the interface of agricultural-urban countries. A visitor study shows that tourism which is related to agriculture has substantial impacts in the context of economy on local economies. Also, agri-tourism delivers economic incentives with diversification for local products, advances social and economic development, and helps guide the public towards the essential inputs of agriculture to the quality of life and country’s economy. Sustainable development emerges from many factors, such as the tourism industry’s remarkable outcome and markedly notice to developed nations. The majority of advanced states create their earning source but poverty is the expression in developing nations by cause of lacking policy and proper strategy. Therefore, the various recommendation may have come from several researchers (i.e. Khan et al., 2020; Ispas et al., 2019; Stanovčić et al., 2018; Ishtiaque, 2014; Ahmed & Jahan, 2013; Zoto et al., 2013; Rasul & Manandhar, 2009, and also from Lobo et al., 1999).

This research offers some recommendations: first, to inspire conjoint partnerships (such as community participation, public-private partnerships, local economic development strategies, and linking value chain). Second, to use up to date innovative technology (such as smartphones, mobile technologies, user-generated content, GPS, reviews and feedback, use of social media, artificial intelligence and big data). Third, to professionally promote intertwined destinations types of tourism, permitting different attractions for the tourist. Fourth, to ensure orientation of the product by understanding the market better and the market demand. Fifth, to organize the professional training on agri-tourism for farmers in rural areas. Non-governmental organizations can carry out the training. Sixth, foreign investors should be invited to invest by the government in this virgin tourism field in Bangladesh. Seventh, for the tourist movements risk-free and safe security measures should be established. Eighth, to ensure the involvement of women in the process of decision making along with development activities in rural tourism. Ninth, to preserve resources of rural areas with the development of authentic attractions and careful planning are compulsory. Tenth, proper actions to preserve from natural destruction of cultural and archaeological sites, the historical relics, monuments, ancient buildings, and sights of natural importance should be taken to conserve. Eleventh, to encourage intra-regional tourism where a strong political commitment and more efforts for coordination is needed towards poverty reduction among the countries located in South Asia to promote a positive environment for promotion of tourism. Twelfth, to establish strategic alliances where needed to be developed at private sector organizations along with different level agencies of governments and may cover different areas such as marketing, product development, human resource development and infrastructure. Finally, the private sector should come forward to invest along with the government in the tourism industry. Activities of these sectors also need to be harmonious with the programs and plans of poverty reduction in the nation. In order to attract more and more investors to meet the increased demand, tourism industry’s investment opportunities need to be liberalized.