TOURISM IN A PERIPHERAL SETTING: A CASE STUDY OF FARM TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN LIKA, CROATIA

Considering the multi-layered issues of rural peripheries and tourism development, we explore actors' views regarding farm tourism development in the historical/geographical region of Lika. In spite of the fact that important flows of goods and services pass through Lika, it is largely regarded as a peripheral area. Via semi-structured interviews with tourist farm owners and institutional actors involved with farm and rural tourism, we examine how their views relate to characteristics associated with peripherality. In a setting with very few family farms that have developed a farm tourism product, the regional actors see both potential and limitations in characteristics linked to peripherality, general development trends, and local specificities.

Automated summary

This study examines the development of farm tourism in the historical/geographical region of Lika by exploring the views of actors involved in tourism and farm institutions. Despite being a peripheral area, Lika has the potential for farm tourism development, although there are limitations due to its characteristics and local specificities.