One of the key elements for the development of an agro-tourism destination can be specific gastronomy. In this context, research and understanding of the motivation of tourists who visit those destinations can influence the development of the concept of their sustainability, which was the goal of this research. The research was conducted during 2022 on a total sample of 607 respondents who stayed in agro-tourism destinations in the Republic of Serbia. The paper presents motivational factors that potentially influence the frequency of gastronomic tourists to try local gastronomic specialties and food in agro-tourism destinations. The results indicate that the cultural experience dimension, excitement dimension, interpersonal, relation dimension, and sensory appeal dimension show a significant influence on the visitation of agro-tourism destinations by gastronomic tourists, while the health concern dimension factor does not show statistical significance. The results undoubtedly indicate that certain socio-demographic characteristics of gastro-tourists have an impact on the development of an agro-tourism destination, in the direction that the more educated as well as women have more positive attitudes towards the influence of motivational factors on the development of an agro-tourism destination.

Agritourism plays a vital role in promoting sustainable development in rural regions. The application of sustainable practices in agritourism increases its overall sustainability. Through this approach, this type of tourism is positioned as a key strategy for improving rural development, offering a stable and sustainable model for the future. An increasing number of studies focus on this topic, emphasizing rural tourism and agritourism as primary catalysts for the sustainable development of rural areas. In order to examine the state of sustainable practices in the rural areas of the Republic of Serbia, a survey was conducted that included 73 rural tourist households. The research deals with the ecological, social, and economic components of these households, and the results are presented through descriptive statistics. While the findings are predominantly positive, indicating respondent satisfaction with the performance of the identified sustainable components, there is still a need for improvement and promotion of sustainable development within this sector of rural tourism. Greater emphasis must be placed on the ecological component, considering that the social and economic components are more represented in the business of these households. The findings of this study contribute to the existing literature on agritourism by promoting the need for its sustainable growth.

Green innovations represent an important factor in the sustainable development and competitiveness of gastronomic tourism destinations. This study aims to examine the relationship between green innovations and the perceived sustainable competitiveness of gastronomic tourism destinations, while analyzing the mediating role of perceived gastronomic authenticity. The research was conducted on a sample of 245 stakeholders involved in the organization and implementation of five major gastronomic festivals in Serbia. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire, and the proposed conceptual model was tested using the PLS-SEM method. The results indicate that green innovations are positively associated with perceived gastronomic authenticity and the perceived sustainable competitiveness of destinations. Furthermore, perceived gastronomic authenticity is positively associated with perceived sustainable competitiveness and mediates the relationship between green innovations and the perceived sustainable competitiveness of destinations. The findings suggest that the implementation of sustainable practices and the preservation of gastronomic authenticity are associated with stronger long-term sustainability and competitiveness of gastronomic tourism destinations, providing useful guidance for event organizers and tourism policymakers.