Agritourism
Agritourism is a growing commercial industry that integrates tourism with agricultural activities, drawing visitors to farms and rural areas through various events, markets, and experiences. This sector not only serves as a source of supplemental income for farmers but also preserves agricultural land and traditions. Though definitions of agritourism vary by country, it often includes activities such as farm tours, petting zoos, and the opportunity to engage in outdoor experiences like fishing and horseback riding.
Historically, agritourism in the United States gained popularity in the 19th century, with a significant boost from the automobile's rise in the 20th century. Countries like Italy pioneered the concept of agriturismo, where tourists can stay on working farms, influencing other nations to develop similar models. As of 2022, the U.S. had nearly 29,000 agritourism businesses, generating significant revenue and prompting educational institutions to offer agritourism management programs.
Economically, agritourism revitalizes rural communities by creating jobs and supporting local economies, particularly as traditional farming faces challenges from large agricultural operations. The movement also aligns with a growing consumer preference for localized food sources, allowing visitors to engage directly with their food origins. However, as agritourism evolves, some locations are exploring luxury experiences, sparking discussions about the balance between traditional farming values and modern tourism demands. Overall, agritourism provides unique opportunities for farmers, communities, and visitors alike, fostering a deeper connection to agricultural heritage.
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Agritourism
Agritourism is a commercial industry that uses activities, events, grocery and handmade markets, and special occasions to draw visitors to farms and other privately owned agricultural areas. For many involved in the industry, agritourism provides a supplemental income that enables landowners to continue using the land for farming. Although different countries define agritourism differently, in general agritourism serves as a commercial enterprise that connects tourism with agricultural production. Agritourism is also called rural tourism, agritainment, and agricultural tourism.
Background
People in the United States have enjoyed agritourism since the nineteenth century when those who lived in cities began visiting country farms to escape the hot summer heat. The introduction of the automobile in the early twentieth century offered even more opportunities for people from cities to visit agricultural areas, and as the automobile became more popular during the 1920s, so did agritourism. During the Great Depression and World War II, people escaped real-life stressors by traveling to the countryside. In the 1960s and 1970s, agritourist features such as petting zoos and horseback riding tours became popular. In the late twentieth century and early twenty-first century, bed and breakfasts and other rural lodgings became popular, especially when they included activities such as apple-picking, wine tours, and pumpkin patches.
Meanwhile, in European countries, Australia, and New Zealand, the Industrial Revolution led to people leaving rural communities to seek work in cities. As a result, farms and ranches began losing workers. Soon agricultural land that had been in families for generations was in danger of being sold because no one was left to work the land and the farms were no longer profitable. This resulted in many countries seeking ways to bring tourists to their rural areas. For example, people in Italy enjoyed staying on farms while on vacation. This type of lodging is called agriturismo and is the main type of agritourism in Italy. In 1985, the Italian government passed laws to oversee farm-stay establishments. In the twenty-first century, experts estimate that the country has as many as twenty thousand agriturismo destinations. Many other European countries followed Italy’s example. Ranches in Australia and New Zealand began offering ranch experiences to give urban residents a glimpse of country life.
Overview
Agritourism draws people to farmlands. Some groups participate in agritourism for educational reasons while many individuals see the farms in the industry as a means of entertainment. Agritourism can include outdoor activities such as fishing and horseback riding, educational services such as school tours and farming seminars, and the chance to shop at roadside fruit and vegetable stands, pumpkin patches, or orchards. Agricultural businesses also participate in the agritourism industry when they offer land space for events such as carnivals, concerts, and festivals. Bed and breakfasts, ranch hostels, and other types of accommodations located on farms are also considered part of agritourism.
According to the Census of Agriculture, the United States has seen an increase in agritourism since the start of the twenty-first century. The 2022 census counted 28,617 agritourism businesses nationwide and a total of $4.5 billion in sales, with argitourist farms earning, on average, $44,000 in gross revenue from their ventures. This increase has led to many states adding curricula focused toward the agritourism industry at their public universities. For example, Colorado State University offers an online graduate certificate in agritourism management, and the University of California-Davis offers cooperative education to small farming operations throughout California to help them with agritourism.
Economic Impact
Economists state that tourism is a rapidly growing industry, particularly in the United States. In fact, in 2023, tourism produced $2.8 trillion in economic output, according to the US Travel Association. Unfortunately, many rural communities do not necessarily have the resources to attract visitors. However, when private landowners develop farms and other agricultural spaces to attract visitors, they can create an economy of agritourism in their community. This helps revitalize communities that previously relied heavily on agriculture for their economic growth.
Agritourism benefits both the community and the private farmers who offer their lands for tourism. Experts say that as family agricultural establishments face heavy competition from factory farms and large food corporations, rural communities find themselves in economic trouble. For many of these communities throughout the world, agritourism offers generational farmers the chance to maintain their family business and keep their heritage and traditions. As a result, agritourism helps bring visitors to these communities, provides employment for those who live in the communities, and allows landowners the chance to diversify their income.
Additionally, agritourism helps keep the agricultural background of these communities alive by showing the public the importance of their traditions. The public also benefits because of the growing popularity of farm-to-table food production. Researchers state that consumers prefer more localized food sources. Farmer’s markets, pick-and-eat patches, and orchards allow consumers to go right to the source for their food supplies. Furthermore, agritourism offers consumers a look at the farming heritage which many people may have come from but have left behind several generations ago or can expose visitors to nature in a way they have not experienced before. In some places, agritourism is shifting to offer more luxurious accommodations and amenities, including wellness, fitness, and relaxation retreats. These offerings, geared toward the wealthy, allow farmers to curate experiences for visitors. Though some are critical of the dichotomy of turning a farm, a place of hard work and dirty hands, into a luxury experience, these opportunities have the potential to positively impact both the farming and food systems in the United States by introducing more people to local farmers.
Overall, researchers say that while it remains to be seen if agritourism will solve rural economic or food industry issues, evidence shows that agritourism provides farmers, communities, and consumers with opportunities they would not have otherwise had without taking part in the agricultural tourism industry.
Bibliography
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