Agriculture first: Assessing European policies and scientific typologies to define authentic agritourism and differentiate it from countryside tourism

The regulations of public and private policies for agritourism generally require that a working farm with agricultural activities be predominant over touristic ones. Specific criteria, e.g. an unaltered agricultural setting, and offers closely linked to farming, distinguish authentic agritourism from other types of rural tourism not necessarily linked to effective agricultural production activities, here called countryside tourism. Based on analyses of binding and non-binding regulations, this article provides evidence of inconsistencies in the typologies of agritourism, which were recently devised in the literature to improve practical knowledge about authentic agritourism and promote it unambiguously. Criteria related to workload, accommodation, income, and the modes through which farmers and guests interact, are decisive factors in determining the complementarity of agricultural and touristic activities. This study advances the understanding of the meaning of authentic agritourism by presenting key provider and demand characteristics.