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many of the hosts, it is a way of profi ting from tourism without the investment and commitment needed
to build and run a hotel or lodge. For the visitor, experiences vary from just staying in a spare room,
sometimes even with a separate entrance, to really feeling like part of the family, eating dinner with them,
playing with the kids, even helping out around the house and garden. In some places (such as Wenhai
in China or Ban Talae Nok in Thailand - see p.285 and p.294) villages have banded together to form a
homestay co-operative, thus offering travellers more options and allowing villages to benefi t from shared
marketing.
AGRITURISMI OR FARMSTAYS
Farmers are increasingly supplementing their incomes by inviting guests to come and stay on their
properties. In some cases it's possible to help out on the farm for a reduction in or instead of costs;
organizations such as WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) run volunteer
programmes that allow you to do just that. As you'd expect, the food on offer is usually fresh and organic.
Some farmstays in the US and Australia are on ranches - a great chance to release your inner cowboy.
WWOOFing in Spain
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