The potential of agriculture in the Gotthard Region

The production and marketing of regional speciality foods offers considerable potential for the development of rural areas. This potential was demonstrated by a study which the School of Agricultural, Forest and Food Sciences carried out in the Gotthard Region and was supported by a review of the pertinent literature. Results of the study showed that the quality of the product and a credible regional label were important components for the production and distribution of regional speciality foods. The study identified considerable potential for optimising existing distribution channels and finding new ones in the Gotthard Region and elsewhere. In this context, agritourism services were found to be of great importance. We predict that a well-developed range of agritourism services will promote not only regional speciality foods but also the overall attractiveness of the Gotthard Region to tourists, will add value to the region, and will increase the income of agricultural businesses.