Developing Agritourism Business-model Archetypes: A Multiple-case Study from Western Tamil Nadu, India

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.