Perception of Farmers for Agritourism in Bikaner District of Rajasthan

Agritourism, as a sustainable rural development strategy, has gained global attention for its potential to augment farm incomes, preserve local culture, and enhance tourism experiences. The perception of farmland owners in the Bikaner district of Rajasthan toward agritourism, evaluating its potential, perceived benefits and challenges, and identifying necessary steps for its development is studied. The study reveals a moderate level of awareness of agritourism among farmers, with 56.94% having prior knowledge and 47.22% having hosted guests on their farms. The most recognized benefit was "additional income" (75%), while major challenges identified included infrastructure deficits and visitor-related risks. Activities such as farm tours, farmers' markets, and pick-your-own produce experiences were perceived as the most popular agrotourism offerings. A significant proportion of farmers expressed willingness to participate. Bikaner has considerable potential for agritourism development, contingent upon targeted infrastructure development, farmer capacity-building, strategic marketing, and policy support.