Regional Mountain Conference

Demand for accessible farm services is increasing due to demographic change (Wydler & Picard, 2010). Accessible tourism appeals to the growing senior segment interested in farm vacations, enabling farm diversification and supporting regional development (Plaikner et al., 2024; Ferrara et al., 2023). The project conceptualises accessible agritourism as a socially responsible consumer choice contributing to socially sustainable mountain destinations (Wieser & Hemetsberger, 2024).
Activities such as herbalism or participative field walks should be accessible to all and accommodate diverse groups via digital platforms (e.g., interplay of UaB ProviderApp and myZillertal-App), reducing information barriers and supporting inclusive planning (Buhalis & Darcy, 2011; Sempik et al., 2010). Farmers should consider these groups’ needs to offer inclusive activities and assume social responsibility. This reaseach aims to create accessible agriculture for people with disabilities or older people and their families, enabling responsible tourism.
A completed mixed-methods study (49 interviews, 5 focus groups, n = 103 survey) of older adults’ views on agritourism in Tyrol/Vorarlberg (2022–23) identified digital platform barriers and explored business model innovations for farm continuity. Key barriers include infrastructural limitations, fragmented service chains, and provider knowledge gaps, reflecting broader “responsibility gaps” between intentions and practices (Falcão & Roseira, 2022; Wieser & Hemetsberger, 2024), while confirming accessible agritourism’s role in regional development, farm continuity, and rural preservation (Barbieri & Streifeneder, 2019).
The follow-up study addresses challenges in ageing societies (Eurostat, 2023; Patterson & Balderas-Cejudo, 2023), explores perceptions and preferences of older adults (65+), investigates agritourism business model innovations, and develops universal design principles for service redesign (Klaus et al., 2024; Persson et al., 2015). Mixed methods assess market potential, barriers, and strategies for inclusive services. Universal design emphasises equitable and flexible use to overcome physical and digital barriers in remote farms. The researcher propose an integrated framework linking community consideration, responsibility, and accessibility as core dimensions of socially sustainable destination transformation. This will offer strategies for policymakers, destination managers, and farm enterprises to strengthen regional resilience, prevent farm abandonment, and position accessible agritourism as a driver of sustainable Alpine development (Otoo & Kim, 2020; Wieser & Hemetsberger, 2024).