Female Entrepreneurship and Agritourism Cooperatives in the Greeκ Periphery: An Overview

Abstract

This study investigates the status of female entrepreneurs in the Greek countryside as formed in the recent years owed to the emergence of agritourism. Agritourism has provided opportunities for additional income in localities through the utilization of knowledge of traditional customs, recipes, folk art. Women entrepreneurs in the sector often function within a context of adverse circumstances, pertaining to their multiple responsibilities at home and at work. Organization of women in producers’ cooperatives has facilitated their endeavor with regard to commitment, mutual support and pooling knowledge. On the other hand, major obstacles include lack of management education and insufficient marketing of local products. Even though status of women has been upgraded to an extent due to their additional contribution to the family income, conservative stereotypes about their role remain still intact in the countryside.