How To Know What Kind Of Agritourism Activity You Have
Hello and Happy New Year!
We’re excited to be welcoming in 2022 with all of you as we continue to support agritourism development. So, let’s get right to it!
Today, let’s dive into the five main categories of agritourism activities. By understanding these five and knowing exactly which one you fall under, you can better see what opportunities exist to grow and develop your offering (and, if you’re interested, expand to some of the other activities).
Recreational Agritourism Activities
What it is: These are one of the most common ways for a farmer to incorporate tourism into their agricultural practice. These activities often take place in rural or farm settings and are designed to offer an authentic agricultural experience to the visitor.
Examples: Farm tours (like coffee tours), petting zoo, harvesting, bird watching, visiting wineries, gardening, photography tours, arranging flowers, and more, like these private pineapple farm tours.
Agritourism Events & Festivals
What it is: Given the seasonal nature of agriculture, there are often events put on to celebrate a specific kind of produce. These can involve more than one farm, more than one community, and even more than one city. Though they require a bigger effort, they can create a consistent tourism draw to the region.
Examples: Harvest festivals, heritage celebrations, and other seasonal events that promote specific agricultural products, like this pumpkin festival in Germany.
Educational Agritourism Services
What it is: Though it’s true that the majority of agritourism activities that involve direct contact with tourists also involve education - through storytelling, sharing about the methods of caring for the crop, and meeting the farmers - there are certain activities that put this education at the forefront.
Examples: Demonstration farms, tours of farm operations, skill-based workshops, lessons and courses, animal care demonstrations and training, farm work experience, volunteer farming, tours focused on history of farm practices, and more, like this agritourism farm project being developed by the governments of Taiwan & Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Direct Marketing & Sales
What it is: These allow tourists and visitors to directly engage with agriculture, be it through hands-on experiences or buying directly from the farmers responsible for the crop.
Examples: This ranges from tourists wandering through a farmers market to buy local produce to heading to farms to enjoy picking their own produce (U-pick), eating meals on-site, cutting their own Christmas trees, and more, like those available at Tait Farms in Pennsylvania.
Overnight Stays
What it is: Because agriculture is normally removed from urban settings, farms can provide an ideal place for tourists to experience the natural landscapes of a given country.Â
Examples: These can be bed & breakfasts, farm stays, or longer visits, often done in coordination with volunteer tourism which can last from a few days to a few months, as offered by programs such as the Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms (WWOOF).
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We’re curious to know where your agritourism project stands heading into 2022.
Do you see yourself in any one of the categories?
More than one?
Or is there a category or offering you’re looking to start this coming year?
Let us know and we’ll do our best to provide you with some information to guide you!
Warmly,
Alex and Joseph