The Economic Impact of Cinnamon Agritourism; With special reference to Traditional Farming Families in Galle, Matara, and Hambantota, Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka provides 85-90% of the global Ceylon cinnamon market, yet the industry faces a crisis due to low productivity, price volatility, and youth out-migration. While agritourism has emerged as a global strategy for rural income diversification, its specific impact on the Sri Lankan cinnamon sector remains empirically unexamined. This research addresses this gap by investigating how agritourism integration affects the economic sustainability of traditional farming families. This study employed an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Quantitative data was collected via structured surveys from 150 households (75 agritourism-participating and 75 traditional farming) in the Galle, Matara, and Hambantota districts. Statistical significance was assessed using independent samples t-tests and chi-square analyses. Subsequently, 18 semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to provide qualitative depth to the statistical findings. The study compares total annual household income, income stability across seasons, and labour utilization patterns between the two groups. It further evaluates differences in investment capacity and perceived quality of life, using qualitative data to explain the mechanisms behind observed economic outcomes and identify specific adoption challenges. Agritourism represents a viable complementary strategy for Sri Lankan cinnamon farmers to mitigate price volatility and enhance rural livelihoods. The findings provide a baseline for evidence-based policy to support sustainable agritourism integration, potentially reversing youth disassociation from agriculture and preserving cultural heritage.