In appropriate conditions, the success story of agro-tourism in Germany can also lead to success in developing countries. Here, capacity building plays a considerable role, for the cultural differences between poor rural households in developing countries and the frequently demanding tourists from the North are extremely large. However, in addition to agro-tourism, there are numerous other options to benefit from the value-added chain in tourism. For example, according to a survey, the potential to create and maintain employment by investing in the tourism sector is twice as high as with industrial sector investment. Supplying locally produced food, including fishery products, to hotels and restaurants bears a further major development potential. The food producers ought to fulfil the following criteria: good quality, sufficient quantities, reliable deliveries and competitive prices.

Klaus Lengefeld
Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit - GIZ
Eschborn, Germany
Klaus.Lengefeld@giz.de