A new approach is born: The slow philosophy via agri-tourism

The expansion of farm-based tourism is a trend affecting many European countries. Taking into account that this new phenomenon is born without claim, responding to the desire of urban people to spend time in rural spaces, and that it has been encouraged by national development policies for the last half-century, what are the motivations behind this recent and exponential development? Our research has three main goals: first, to verify whether there is a link between the increasing attention in agri-tourism and the desire to slow down one's lifestyle. Second, in conjunction with the first goal, we hope to determine whether a new life philosophy has arisen: the slow philosophy. Our third purpose is to determine whether and how this increased attention on agri-tourism may help to increase farm tourists' tendencies toward sustainable behavior. To pursue these goals, we conducted an online survey in the form of a questionnaire sent via e-mail to a number of members of the University of Cagliari community. The data show a link between agri-tourism and the birth of a slow philosophy, as well as significant inclinations toward more responsible and sustainable behavior