In tourism, sustainability is usually linked to the issue of development and is defined as ‘new tourism’ [31,32], the essence of which is its low environmental impact. Sustainable tourism in rural areas is often reduced to farms hosting tourists, local food and crafts, small-scale businesses, and transport. Almost always in tandem with the development of rural tourism, which emphasizes a sustainable approach, is the need for nature conservation [30]. Its absence can have consequences for the future quality of life of the local community but also for the tourism product offered [33]. Sustainable tourism, including that practiced in the rural environment, focuses on natural and cultural environmental resources in order to protect them, and emphasizes the responsibility of tourists and the need for the local community to participate in these efforts [34]. One of the most salient features of rural tourism today is environmental sustainability, and pro-environmental behavior is recognized as one of the ways to achieve this goal [34,35,36,37,38,39]. Such development is more than just sustainable economic growth. The concept of sustainable development takes into account environmental, economic, cultural, and social factors in rural areas. As Erokhin [40] emphasizes, each element matters, and rural tourism represents a new element of sustainable development in the tourism industry [41,42].

According to Gilbert and Tung [43], rural tourism is a form of tourism in which farmers play an important role, providing tourists with accommodation and the necessary conditions for various leisure activities in a farm environment. It can be seen that rural tourism is multi-faceted, not only because of farming activities but also in terms of the tourist product offered. Bramwell and Lane [44] emphasize other forms such as nature tourism, ecotourism, exploratory tourism, sports tourism, health tourism and other forms of active tourism such as hiking, mountain biking, horse riding, fishing, etc. They also point to forms of tourism related to heritage such as cultural and traditional tourism, folk and ethnic tourism [44,45,46], and educational tourism. Many researchers [47,48] emphasize the link between tourism activities and the rural environment. So far, literature on the subject has emphasized the small scale of the rural tourism market and few have noticed that it is not only seasonal tourism but all year round. This type of tourism has been particularly appreciated since lockdown when the excellent organization of this market was noticed. Two decades ago, Roberts et al. [4] had already emphasized that it is a small-scale but well-managed market, often of great educational value. Thus, proper management and a responsible policy influencing the promotion of rural tourism is crucial. In the EU, the development of rural areas is pivotal. Both Cork declarations 1.0 and 2.0, concerning the future of rural areas, set out the main policy goals to reverse rural migration; fight poverty in the rural environment; stimulate employment; and, finally, meet the demand for quality, health, safety, and personal growth to increase rural environmental quality. Declaration 2.0 goes even further, advocating the promotion of prosperity in rural areas with an emphasis on entrepreneurship, investment, and innovation. It emphasizes the need to invest in their vitality, and this would include the elimination of digital exclusion. An important demand is the protection of the environment, and this should translate into local economic development; the development of ecological forms of tourism; and, more broadly, recreation in rural areas. It is also important to support climate action, especially in the production of sustainable energy from renewable sources, and to increase knowledge and innovation [49]. These postulates have a direct or indirect impact on the development of tourism in rural areas. Sustainable rural tourism is seen in this context as a tool for the development not so much of agriculture (although that too) but as an element stimulating the development of the rural collective economy, which will increase employment opportunities for farmers, promote the marketing of agricultural and other local products, ultimately improve production in rural areas, and improve living conditions by effectively increasing the income received by rural residents [50,51,52]. Non-agricultural activities in the countryside can contribute to the economic growth of a region [14,15,53], and rural tourism provides the opportunity for regional economic, socio-cultural, and environmental sustainability [54,55,56]. This element may also be important in building global food security. Climate change along with the liberalization of trade affect rural agricultural areas and, consequently, the practical survival of small farmers all over the world [57,58,59]. Therefore, the postulate of developing sustainable rural tourism, referring to the principles of social justice and economic profitability, is all the more important [60,61,62].

Sustainability in tourism is reflected in three dimensions: economic, social, and environmental. The first refers to income management and the development of institutions and business ventures; the second translates into mutual cooperation, innovation, and creativity; while the third includes environmental awareness, the management of environmental resources in the spirit of rational use, and the management of tourism that occurs in the region [63]. However, other researchers [64,65] point to four dimensions of sustainable activities in the rural environment, which should be coherent at economic, social, environmental, and ecological levels so as to be able to satisfy present needs without harming future generations who will use the same resources. Sustainable development involves appropriate progress simultaneously in all four dimensions [66,67]. This reaches back to the definition proposed in the 1987 Brundtland Report, which defines sustainable development as development that meets the needs of the present without depriving future generations of the opportunity to meet their needs [68]. Three characteristics of sustainable development are mentioned by He [69]. Firstly, both present and future development should be taken into account to avoid harming future generations. Secondly, the development of one aspect should not undermine or restrict the development of others. Thirdly, natural resources—or more broadly, the natural environment—should be protected without abandoning the development of the economy; however, care should be taken to ensure a harmonious relationship between the economy, society, and natural resources. In this view, sustainable tourism development has become widely accepted and is seen as an important and politically appropriate tool for tourism development [70]. It resonates with an approach to tourism as a tool for improving the livelihoods of local communities by identifying tourism as the main remedy to eradicate poverty [71,72]. This is also the case for rural tourism, whose objectives are essentially aligned with those of sustainable development, e.g., eradicating poverty (Objective 1), promoting inclusive and sustainable economic growth as well as full and productive employment and work (Objective 8), and ensuring sustainable consumption and production (Objective 12) [73].

Rural areas are important for tourism development due to the fact that they are ecologically attractive areas offering, in addition to nature, the usually well-preserved traditional culture of the region with its ethno-cultural heritage [74]. Sustainable tourism can, therefore, be an important element of sound socio-economic development. However, nature or traditional folk culture are still not enough for sustainable rural tourism development. A key factor is the local community and its attitude to the functioning of tourism in the region, as its involvement determines possible success in this field [75,76,77]. Without acceptance for various forms of tourism, and products offered in the region expressed in the active involvement of villagers, success cannot be expected [78,79]. By engaging in tourism activities, communities switch from a product-based economy to a service-providing one [80]. Sustainable rural tourism has a better chance of success if all participants in the rural area where tourism activities are to be developed are willing to actively participate in sustainability initiatives [81]. Community-based tourism includes all interactions between local people and external stakeholders [82,83,84].

Community participation in decision-making regarding the tourism product, information exchange, development of knowledge about the tourism industry, and the specifics of its operation can positively influence sustainable rural tourism as well as its social, economic, and environmental characteristics [85,86,87]. Thus, rural tourism appears as another important factor in the development of rural communities [72,88,89]. Studies emphasize the strategic role of rural residents as a group convinced of the need to protect natural resources and aware of their importance [90,91]. Many authors [92,93] focusing on the role of a community in relation to sustainable development have pointed out that a sustainable approach requires a fair distribution of economic benefits among the community when putting forward the need to protect this environment as a fundamental resource both for present and future generations. Therefore, this resource should be skillfully shared with tourists [94].

The local community can also have a significant impact on the tourists using the rural environment and any intention to revisit the region [95]. In order for this to happen, the local community should be properly prepared to act. Thus, stimulation of their creativity, innovation, managerial and social skills, as well as environmental awareness are essential [96]. It is thought that the participatory approach [97] enables the application of sustainable tourism principles by creating more opportunities for local people to gain greater and more sustainable benefits from tourism, leading to the need to protect nature and resources, which stems from this bottom-up belief [98]. Therefore, there is an emerging awareness that it is in their own interest to participate in the decision-making process because all preparatory undertakings affect the life of the community. Participation translates into an opportunity to express hopes, fears, and desires regarding tourism development [99]. The aim of such participation is to protect local residents and the resources available to the region from the impact of tourism planning, and at the same time to be able to benefit from rural tourism development [100]. Community participation is also important because local people are the main stakeholders in rural tourism areas. Stakeholder training should be a top priority, as lack of awareness and participation may lead to failure to implement rural tourism in a sustainable manner. Guo and Huang [101] recognize the interactive relationship between rural community development and rural tourism. Jing-Ming, Du, and Su [102,103] go a step further by arguing that it is even the responsibility of rural communities to support and participate in tourism development. Regardless of their level of involvement, rural community residents are not mere observers of activities undertaken in rural tourism. Their active participation fosters sustainable rural environment development; the rational and subordinate use of both cultural and natural resources; and also an improvement in living standards and the economic situation of farmers, thus increasing employment opportunities. All this can happen provided there is the participation of the rural community in the rural tourism designed for the region.