Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal

Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal

Challenges and Solutions of Smart Agricultural Tourism: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Maryam Ghiyasvand
Enayat Abbasi
Department of Agricultural Extension and Education, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
10.22034/iaeej.2025.226359
Abstract
Smart agricultural tourism is an innovative approach in the tourism industry that combines personal experiences with smart technologies, providing a unique platform for sustainable development and economic growth. The main objective of this study is to identify the challenges and solutions for the development of smart agricultural tourism. This research is qualitative in nature and applied in purpose, conducted using a systematic review approach and analysis of relevant scientific evidence based on the Silva framework (2015). The study sample consisted of 95 articles from the Scopus database, selected through a multi-stage screening process and analyzed in detail. The results indicate that the major challenges facing smart agricultural tourism include privacy and data security concerns, lack of adequate infrastructure, and low acceptance of this type of tourism. Proposed solutions mainly focus on stakeholder education and empowerment, technical measures to ensure data privacy and security, infrastructure investment, and emphasis on providing authentic and interactive experiences. Network analysis using VOSviewer revealed that while emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things have high potential to advance smart agricultural tourism, challenges related to technology adoption, the scarcity of studies on virtual smart tourism, and the absence of global standards represent existing knowledge gaps. Based on the findings, a comprehensive conceptual model for developing smart agricultural tourism is proposed, which can serve as a roadmap for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners in this field.
Keywords
Smart agricultural tourism Data privacy
Artificial intelligence
Internet of things
Virtual reality
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Iranian Agricultural Extension and Education Journal
Volume 20, Special Issue
July 2025
Pages 225-249