Drivers of agritourism participation and willingness to pay for local foods

Abstract

This study examines the determinants of agritourism participation and willingness to pay (WTP) for locally produced food. Using survey data from 374 residents in Georgia, U.S.A., the study employed a binary logit model to identify participation drivers, structural equation modeling (SEM) to test attitudinal relationships, and a multinomial logit (MNL) model to profile WTP segments. Findings of the study suggest that environmental concern, health awareness, and personal image positively influence attitudes toward agritourism, which in turn predict WTP for local food. The MNL analysis segments consumers, showing that younger, educated, married, and employed individuals are more likely to belong to higher WTP categories, while household income is not a significant predictor. The study advances theoretical understanding of agritourism participation and WTP for local food while offering strategic marketing guidance for practitioners.