The rural tourism as development opportunity of farms. The case of direct sales in Siciliy

Tourism has an important role modifying rural communities in their environmental, economic, social and cultural structures, processes and dynamics. In this context rural tourism plays a primary role because it is not the rural product that reaches the consumer in the purchase point, but it is the consumer (tourist) that has to move towards tourist destination to enjoy the product. So, the aim of this study is to analyse how the opportunities created by the rural tourism can represent a vector to promote the growth of farms and territory. Specifically, through a telephone survey conducted among the Sicilian entrepreneurs which join to the national network Campagna Amica, it has been analysed how the direct sales in the farm can contribute competitiveness to business and therefore to the permanence of man in the territory. The empirical analysis has shown that direct sales, associated with the conventional sales, can represent a growing opportunity for farms and whole rural community, leading to an improvement of business economic performances, an increase of investments and a creation of new job opportunities. This hightligted that agriculture can play a positive role on many components of the territorial system in which it operates.