Developing Agritourism Business-model Archetypes: A Multiple-case Study from Western Tamil Nadu, India
Balaji Parasuraman *
Department of Agricultural & Rural Management, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India.
M. Prahadeeswaran
Department of Agricultural Economics, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India.
S. K. Rajkishore
Department of Renewable Energy Engineering, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India.
S. Jayasuriya
Department of Agricultural & Rural Management, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Aims: The objectives of this study were (1) to understand the business configurations and operational practices of selected agritourism enterprises in western Tamil Nadu; (2) to identify common business patterns and develop the empirically derived agritourism business-model archetypes; and (3) to assess the indicative financial performance of the identified archetypes.
Study Design: An exploratory multiple-case study design was used for this research.
Study Area and Period: The study was carried out in 10 operational agritourism farms in western Tamil Nadu, India, from May to August 2026.
Methodology: Data were collected through field visits and semi-structured interviews with enterprise owners/operators. Nine business-model components were analysed using the Business Model Canvas and a cross-case comparison was conducted to identify recurring practices and develop five model archetypes. The financial performance was evaluated using Benefit-Cost Ratio, Payback Period, Net Profit Margin and Return on Investment.
Results: Ninety per cent of enterprises reported farm tours and recreational activities, and 80% reported food services, educational programmes and farm-product sales. Around 70% had community partnerships and 60% had accommodation facilities. Five archetypes were created: Community-Integrated Agritourism, Eco-Farm Stay, Educational and Day-Trip, Livestock and Interactive Farm, and Wellness and Nature-Retreat. Under the study assumptions, BCR ranged from 1.25 to 1.73 and ROI ranged from 30.5% to 73.3%.
Conclusion: The results revealed variations in the configurations of agritourism businesses and showed that recurring combinations of agricultural and tourism resources could be identified as business-model archetypes. The BMC-based framework offered a structured foundation for comprehending and designing context-specific agritourism business-model archetypes.
Keywords: Agritourism, business model canvas, business-model archetypes, farm diversification, rural entrepreneurship, cross-case analysis, sustainable rural development, agritourism enterprise, financial performance, Western Tamil Nadu