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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.

Problem statement: Demographic changes have increased the social and cultural diversity of tourist areas with historical heritage and natural beauty in Greece, causing an expansion in the cultural and economic horizons of local people and producing at the same time conflicts in their interests, values and lifestyles. This research was focused in the concept of sustainable development in three areas in south Greece, in order to examine if tourist development can cause a danger for human values and natural environment. Approach: Three municipalities of southern Peloponnese in Greece namely Koroni, Methoni and Pilos were selected for the study. These three municipalities were selected because they constitute regions of common historical heritage, big natural beauty and high environmental importance. By using empirical social research methods, sample data of 120 questionnaires were collected on the characteristics of residents and local enterprises and land use changes in these areas. Results: The main employment is farming (24%), even though that residential land had increased at the expense of farmland. Local residents in the public or private sector supplement their low income with agricultural or tourist activities (67%). Therefore, new enterprises were found through private investments, which increase the local entrepreneurship (42%). In addition, the analysis of the multiple regression models showed that local development increases in places with more chances for employment. Also, among areas with the same cultural development those with better infrastructure were expected to have more sustainable development (6 units of difference) than those areas with worse infrastructure. Conclusion: Development of soft tourism, organic farming and better infrastructure could enhance sustainable development in tourist areas with historical heritage, big natural beauty and high environmental importance.

This research aims at examining how an agritourism cooperative and its activities promote endogenous development using local human, natural and technological resources in a sustainable way with other local production activities. Technology allows the agritourism cooperative to effectively use local resources and simultaneously to increase its competitiveness in marketing of products. So, the cooperative becomes more competitive in regional and national markets and its economy is connected more closely with the national and international economy.