In a first moment, rural tourism has been identified with the type of accommodation that was offered. Later, the fact travel to rural areas in order to enjoy the landscape and the environment, although outside passively, became, together with the accommodation, reference and main motivation of rural tourism. The binomio ter accommodation served to retrieve the rural architecture, traditional houses, cisterns, etc. as well as traditional utensils around which are projected local cultural activities, joining the tourist offer of the destination.At any given time, the rural tourism evolves according to the needs of consumers who adopt an active role, i.e., participate in the activities offered by the destination they visit, and even demand new ones. In this way, both characteristics to the environment (accommodation or rural and natural resources), and recreational and sports activities which are proposed, printed to the place a unique attraction and help to configure it as a bid tourist rural.Tourism thus contemplated supposes an important complement of incomes in rural areas, and even in some areas becomes the cambered main activity of the local economy.
Among its important positive effects include: economic impact. The tourist activity in the rural environment causes the diversification of the economy, breaking with the practical exclusivity of agricultural activity, and generating additional revenue. Tourism moved as well as significantly to the rest of the economic sectors: facilitates the permanence of farms and activities, allows in-situ agro production livestock marketing, and contributes significantly to the preservation of craftsmanship autochthonous. environmental impact. The most significant are those that have to do with raising awareness for the protection and conservation of the environment, as well as the recovery of rural natural and architectural heritage. impact social. The main consequences for the local population are the improvement of their standard of living, the decline of the rural exodus and the creation of new jobs.It is important to note that not all are positive effects, also causes negative effects.