FARM-BASED TOURISM AS AN ALTERNATIVE FARM ENTERPRISE - A CASE-STUDY FROM THE NORTHERN PENNINES, ENGLAND

This paper examines the development of, farm-based tourism in the less favoured area of the northern Pennines. Farm tourism is conceptualize d as an alternative farm enterprise (AFE) comprising one of seven poss ible 'pathways of farm business development'. As such, the development of farm-based tourism (FBT) is influenced by a range of factors both external and internal to :he farm. Lower levels of family labour disti nguish tourist AFE farms from non-tourist AFE farms, while different t ypes of FBT are associated with particular farm and household characte ristics. Nevertheless, the reasons for adopting tourist enterprises ar e diverse and often very individualistic. Institutional involvement in FBT in the study area is increasing, but it is reactive rather than p roactive and tends to constrain as well as enable the development of f arm tourism. Few farmers have contacted institutions about new or exis ting farm tourism enterprises. However, levels of inter-agency network ing are increasing and a core of eight institutions is now dominating institutional behaviour towards AFEs and FBT in the northern Pennines, especially in Northumberland. More research is needed on the interact ions between farm households and institutions in the development of FB T.