Agroturystyka jako dodatkowa forma gospodarowania na obszarach chronionych

The purpose of the paper was to present the possibilities for and barriers to the development of agritourism in legally protected areas of Poland according to varying restrictions imposed on their management. Attractive, natural landscape represents a fundamental factor determining the development of all tourism forms in protected areas. Nonetheless, any form of recreation that can cause negative effects on natural habitats should not be practised there. One of alternative activities leading to exploration of countryside values is farm tourism. Its development depends on many factors including promotion and support by local authorities as well as self-sustaining private and community-based initiatives in the field of a tourism offer creation. An additional incentive for rural tourism development is fact that in the future it could represent the significant source of income both in small sized and economically weak farms.