Agritourism is a type of agricultural business where agriculture and tourism meet.

Whether it’s a working farm where someone can experience farm life or finding creative ways to connect tourists with agriculture operations, agritourism is an industry that’s quickly gaining a lot of attention.

In this article, we’ll walk you through what agritourism is, and different ideas you can use to connect businesses with agriculture.

What is Agritourism and Why is It Important?

Agritourism is a unique blend of agriculture and tourism, offering an immersive experience for visitors by connecting them directly with farming life.

It’s not just about enjoying the picturesque beauty of the countryside; agritourism plays a pivotal role in bridging the gap between producers and consumers, enhancing understanding, and boosting local economies by attracting visitors.

Here are five key aspects of agritourism:

Direct Marketing and Revenue Boost: Agritourism provides agriculture businesses with an avenue to expand their reach. This direct interaction allows them to market their products straight to the visitors, enhancing profitability.
Educational Experiences: Farms can offer tours and hands-on activities, allowing tourists to gain a deeper understanding of farming operations. This educative facet not only enlightens visitors about farming processes but also helps them appreciate the origins of their food.
Unique Offerings for Tourists: Through agritourism, farms can craft distinctive experiences, ranging from farm stays to harvest festivals, giving visitors a break from conventional tourism and a taste of authentic rural life.
Land Preservation: Engaging in agritourism can provide farms with additional income, enabling them to maintain and preserve their lands. This preservation ensures that farming traditions can continue and the scenic beauty of farmlands remains unspoiled.
Local Economic Development: By attracting tourists, agritourism can significantly bolster local economies. The influx of visitors often leads to increased demand for local products, accommodations, and other services, fostering community growth and development while generating income.

The Agritourism Business in the United States

It’s safe to say that the agritourism industry is doing very well, especially when it comes to growing farm income. According to research, the agritourism market is set to reach 11.7.37 billion dollars by 2027. As it grows, there are plans for increased government initiatives, benefiting the business owner who integrates tourism with agriculture.

States like California have embraced agritourism, holding many festivals throughout the year to celebrate different crops and bring in tourists.

For example, California hosts the Gilroy Garlic Festival every year and the California Strawberry Festival, bringing in thousands of people and income annually.

Agritourism Ideas to Connect Communities with Agriculture

With agritourism, a farm can create an experience for visitors and tourists by integrating agricultural production into their activities. You can create activity-based experiences on your land and/or interactive events and tours. Here are some tourism tips you can use to bring in more visitors.

Offer Outdoor Recreation Agritourism Activities

Outdoor recreation is one of the most popular agri-tourism business ideas, and it can also be a significant part of other agricultural business ventures. It’s a great way for guests to have fun with their loved ones, and it can work across seasons. This could include:

Farm activities
Fishing
Corn maze
Pumpkin patches
Harvest festivals
Farm dinners
Horseback riding
Wildlife photography
Outdoor farm stays
Wagon or sleigh rides

Provide Education

Educational awareness and agritourism go well together since it blends recreation and learning.

You can create educational experiences around farming operations, crops, and living on a farm. Other ideas for educational experiences could be:

Animal exhibits
Sheep shearing or fishing
Facts about crops on the farm
Cooking classes using crops from the farm
Guided animal tours
Farm work experience days
Food festivals
Storytelling days
Historical re-enactments
Plant a garden days

Offer Hospitality

Hospitality is another great addition to farm income and there are a lot of benefits to adding it to your agritourism business. Guests can experience farm activities and there has been increasing demand for more farm-to-table dining experiences, which also significantly benefits surrounding communities by stimulating local economies and creating jobs.

Especially for a small farm, there is a lot of opportunity to create a unique experience for guests by serving farm food on-site and home-cooked meals.

Hospitality ideas could include:

On-site restaurants
‘U pick’ experiences and cooking with what guests find
Winemaking and tasting
Outdoor dining
Seasonal ingredient showcases
Farm stand with fresh produce
Pop-up restaurant with seasonal menus
Home-cooked meals
Food truck
Wineries

Offer Accommodations like Farm Stays and More

Another avenue to boost your agritourism is to invite people to stay on your farm.

It’s one of the best ways to diversify income because it makes guests feel like they are truly part of the farm and creates a more authentic feel for families and general tourism. This can include:

Short-term stays
Long-term stays
Work experience holidays
Activity-based stays for fishing, hunting, etc.
Seasonal stays for events such as harvest festivals, corn mazes and a pumpkin patch
Guided tours around different lands and areas nearby
Bed and breakfast
Wedding accommodations
Corporate retreats
Honeymoon destination

Add Direct Agricultural Sales – Farmers Market Anyone?

Direct agricultural tourism sales add another layer of income for farms, and show off the hard work of farmers. Direct sales can help with publicity, and is a key marketing initiative that brings more visitors to the farm. And direct sales can also be a method to introduce the public to the agriculture industry on a broader level, and generate interest through:

U Pick
Harvest festivals
Farm stands
Farmers markets
Wine tasting
Fresh produce sales
Herbs and heirloom plants
Seeds
Cut flowers
Dairy

Introduce Entertainment

Farms can also increase revenue by introducing entertainment. This could include hosting events at a farm, inviting others to host events, or a mixture of the two.

Entertainment events could include:

Music nights
Plays
Stargazing nights
Petting zoos
Sports events
Scavenger hunts
Games night
Cooking contests
Haunted barns
Pumpkin patch visits and pumpkin carving contests

Give Visitors Tours

If you’re looking to start agritourism activities immediately, consider starting with visitor tours.

It’s an interesting way for people to learn more about the farm itself, the farmers involved, and participate in activities and tours such as:

Ranch tours
General farm tours
Animal tours
Tours of nearby lands and areas
Wine tasting tours
Farmers market tours
Historical tours
Heritage trail tours
Food tours
Activity tours such as birdwatching, fishing, hunting, etc.

Offer Unique Experiences

Ultimately, great tourism is about offering people something unique. Every farm is different and can offer something distinct based on its resources.

Think about what your unique selling point is. Whether it’s the types of crops grown, the land around the farm, or even the activities you can market around.

Experiences could include:

Wine tasting
Dining
Farm tours
Farm stays
Harvest festivals
Pumpkin patch
Corn mazes
Farmers markets
Tours around the ranch
Educational experiences

Agritourism Ideas Summary

Idea CategoryExamples

Outdoor RecreationFarm activities, fishing, corn maze, harvest festivals, horseback riding, wildlife photography, farm stays, wagon rides

Provide EducationAnimal exhibits, facts about crops, cooking classes, guided animal tours, storytelling days, plant a garden days

Offer HospitalityOn-site restaurants, winemaking, outdoor dining, farm stand, pop-up restaurant, food truck

AccommodationsShort-term stays, work experience holidays, bed and breakfast, wedding accommodations, honeymoon destination

Direct SalesU Pick, farm stands, farmers markets, fresh produce sales, seeds, dairy

Introduce EntertainmentMusic nights, stargazing, petting zoos, sports events, haunted barns, pumpkin carving contests

Visitor ToursRanch tours, general farm tours, animal tours, wine tasting tours, heritage trail tours, food tours

Unique ExperiencesWine tasting, dining, farm tours, farm stays, harvest festivals, pumpkin patch, corn mazes

The Evolution of Agritourism

Agritourism’s roots can be traced back to traditional agrarian societies where visitors often engaged with local farming activities. Historically, this was more about necessity than leisure, as travelers would stay and work on farms in exchange for lodging and food.

However, the modern transition of agritourism has morphed into a blend of leisure, education, and cultural immersion. Today, it’s a way for farmers to diversify income, preserve agricultural lands, and share their way of life with others, thereby revitalizing rural communities.

The evolution has been marked by a growing public interest in food sourcing, sustainability, and a desire to connect with nature, leading to agritourism’s current form that combines rural aesthetics with educational and recreational activities.

The Global Impact of Agritourism

Agritourism has become a global phenomenon, extending its reach far beyond its traditional Western origins.

In countries like Italy, agritourism is synonymous with luxurious stays in rustic vineyards, while in places like Southeast Asia, it offers a glimpse into the lives of rice farmers. These experiences vary significantly across cultures, showcasing the uniqueness of local agricultural practices.

Globally, agritourism not only supports the preservation of traditional farming methods but also contributes to the local economy by promoting regional products and crafts.

It’s a powerful tool for rural development, helping to stabilize agricultural communities and reduce urban migration.

Sustainable Practices in Agritourism

Agritourism presents a unique opportunity to promote and practice sustainability. Many agritourism farms are embracing organic farming methods, renewable energy sources like solar power, and water conservation practices.

This not only makes the farms more environmentally friendly but also adds to the authenticity and appeal for visitors. Agritourism can educate the public about sustainable agriculture and its importance for future food security.

Farms often demonstrate how to grow food sustainably and how these practices benefit the environment, thereby fostering a deeper appreciation for the planet and its resources among visitors.

Technology and Innovation in Agritourism

Technology has significantly impacted agritourism, enhancing both farm operations and visitor experiences. Drones, for instance, are used for aerial tours of vast farmlands, giving visitors a new perspective of agricultural landscapes.

Virtual reality experiences allow people to immerse themselves in farm life without leaving their homes. Social media platforms have become crucial in marketing agritourism destinations, with picturesque farm settings and unique rural experiences being shared widely.

E-commerce platforms enable farms to sell their products directly to consumers, further bridging the gap between farmers and the end-users of their products.

These technological advancements are not only modernizing agritourism but also making it more accessible and appealing to a broader audience.

How Small Businesses Can Participate in Agritourism Operations

Participating in an agritourism operation will depend on each farm and its operation.

The best ideas will differ, but the main goal should be to be unique and add value. How can you make it an enticing experience for a child or a family?

What is exciting about farming, and how does that translate into an experience for someone visiting?

Whether it’s a week staying at a ranch or stargazing nights once a week, you can start with something small and focus on marketing it as much as possible. Once you see what people are interested in, you can optimize the experience.

Agritourism Examples

There are many agritourism operations around the world, each offering something completely different. We’ve selected some of the best examples from the United States.

Tate Farms, Meridianville, AL

A pumpkin patch and fall festival destination, Tate Farms has plenty to offer for families visiting and corporate events.

Purple Haze Lavender, Sequim, WA

A charming lavender farm that makes for a gorgeous spot for families and friends, with unique events planned around lavender and providing resources to learn more about the flower.

Blue Spruce Alpacas, La Porte, IN

A family-owned alpaca farm that invites visitors to get to know the animals learn more about them, and interact with alpacas in a fun (and safe!) manner.

Breisch Pyo Gardens, Solar and Bee School, Sand Springs, OK

It is a small farm that gives visitors opportunities to learn more about bees and pollination and experience beautiful plants.

Papa’s Pumpkin Patch, Bismarck, ND

Known as one of the best pumpkin patches in the United States, this is a great tourism destination that’s known for attracting families and tourists.

What are the Benefits of Agritourism?

There are many benefits of agritourism for a farm, from a recreation and revenue standpoint.

Increased and diverse income streams
More visitors to the farm
Visibility around the farm and its operations
Unique experiences that boost tourism
Getting products into the market through direct sales
Building connections with the community

What are the Problems with Agritourism?

While agritourism can do a lot of good, it also has its downsides and risks.

There can be legal issues, so it is crucial to do research around agritourism statutes in your area to ensure operations can run as planned.
Accidents and issues can occur, so having a risk management plan is important.
You might need to put down significant capital and resources to build or renovate before bringing in customers.
There can be seasonal downturns where business may slow down.

What kinds of agritourism enterprises are there?

There are many agritourism enterprises out there, including farm stays, tours, working experience, and educational experiences.

What is agritourism in its purest form?

In its purest form, agritourism is a form of tourism that connects people with farms.

How does agritourism help the community?

Agritourism helps the community by providing recreational and educational experiences, creating jobs, and bringing in government initiatives to help the community grow. It is part of the American tourism industry with great growth potential.

Image: Depositphotos

This article, “What is Agritourism?” was first published on Small Business Trends