Collaboration in Agrotourism Development: The Role of Local Government in Yeongdong County, Chungcheongbuk Province, Korea

Background and objective: There are many theories related to the development of agrotourism, and each stakeholder has its own role and function. If it is based on organizational functions, stakeholders need to be coordinated, and the state plays a major administrative role. But in the successful case of Yeongdong County, Chungcheongbuk province, the Republic of Korea, the government played an important role in the development of tourism, which grants us another perspective on the role of the government in promotion and development agrotourism activities. Methods: This article aims to examine the development of agrotourism through a cooperative approach, by clarifying the role of the local authorities in the Yeongdong region in the management and operation of the local agrotourism activities. The qualitative research method is based on a field survey conducted in Yeongdong County in 2019. Results: The study’s findings show that in situations where conflicts of interest among stakeholders are prone to occur, the development of local tourism has a limited impact on the cooperative culture, and local governments play an important role. Accordingly, the local governments must actively formulate strategies to maintain and develop traditional agricultural industries and at the same time develop agrotourism activities. The government s ability to coordinate, cooperate, and participate reasonably is a key factor for the success of the sustainable development of the tourism industry. Conclusion: Based on coordination between stakeholders and a reasonable strategic direction, Yeongdong s agrotourism is being effectively deployed. The development of Yeongdong s agrotourism industry has achieved impressive results through an effective strategy, highlighting the important role of localgovernment in the consensus of local communities and collaboration with stakeholders. The role of outstanding local governments has been clearly demonstrated, especially in promoting, establishing, and contacting different organizations to effectively deploy agrotourism in the region.