ANALYZING FARM PARTICIPATION DECISIONS IN AGROTOURISM ACTIVITIES IN NORWAY: SOME WELFARE IMPLICATIONS

The aim of this paper is to assess the role played by socio-demographic factors, the financial situation of the farm household, as well as the productive orientation and physical location of the farm on the adoption of agro-tourism activities in Norway. Agro-tourism activities in Norway can be classified mainly into two groups: a) renting of fishing and hunting rights, and b) renting of rooms on the farm, huts, cabin, and provision or direct sell of food to travelers. Results indicate that factors such as the size and the location (rural or semi-rural) of the farm play a statistically significant and more important role on the decision of renting fishing and hunting rights than on the development of other agro-tourism activities on the farm. On the contrary, socio-demographic factors such as the presence of a female partner in the household and the age of the main farm operator play a statistically significant role on the adoption of agro-tourism activities on the farm.