Demand for agritourism as a factor in the development of Suwałki region
Demand for agritourism as a factor in the development of Suwałki region

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to analyse the demand for agritourism services with special attention paid to the preferences of tourists taking a rest on agritourism farms in Suwałki region. In order to fully and objectively identify these factors, the empirical material was collected with the use of a survey method and its adequate research technique (a questionnaire). The research was conducted in 2014. The questionnaire was addressed to 36 tourists relaxing on agritourism farms in the communes of the Podlaskie Voivodeship: Jeleniewo, Suwałki, Szypliszki and Raczki. The basic motive for buying services offered by agritourism farms was a wish to stay in a peaceful and quiet place where the pace of life is much slower. The research shows that the choice of place by people whose level of education was lower was influenced by reasonable prices. People with higher level of educationlooked for places providing peace and quiet, located in regions with attractive nature and culture. The inhabitants of Podlasie and the neighbouring voivodeships as well as foreigners visited agritourism farms. Almost 40% of tourists were there occasionally and only 11.5% were permanent inhabitants of the Podlaskie Voivodeship. The empirical research focused on an important issue – the frequency of choosing an agritourism farm for taking a rest. Half of the respondents stayed on an agritourism farm once a year, others came there two, three and even four times a year. The tourists were also asked how long their stay on a farm was. Most of them (65.4%) stayed on agritourism farms for 3-7 days and 11.5% of the respondents stayed there for 8-14 days. There were also tourists (19.2%) who stayed for only 1-2 days and some (3.8%) who stayed for over two weeks. Most of them (76.9%) came to a farm by car. Most often, they were with other persons in company, usually deciding to take a rest on an agritourism farm with friends (57.7%). Others stayed with their family.

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