Agritourism is basically where agriculture and tourism intersect. It is one of the fastest growing sectors in the eco-tourism industry. Typically vacationers will book a room, cottage, or villa on a farm or rural property. In many cases, vacationers are able to assist in chores such as picking fruit, helping in the grape harvest, and working with the farm animals. People have become more interested worldwide in how their food is produced.
There is nothing new about this form of travel, which involves staying on a farm or other agriculture-oriented property and perhaps even sampling the day-to-day lifestyle of the people who tend the crops or livestock there. Agritourism includes visits to working farms, ranches, wineries and agricultural industries. Agri-destinations offer a huge variety of entertainment, education, relaxation, outdoor adventures, shopping and dining experiences.
Agritourism, by its nature, is closely linked to other forms of tourism such asecotourism, nature tourism, heritage tourism, and rural recreation. What separates agritourism from the rest is that farmers or ranchers are using the physical or cultural assets of their farms and ranches.
In Europe, different regions of the continent are known for different kinds of food, and tourism has become synonymous with the production of these particular products. For example, Italy and France have a rich agritourism industry centered around wine production, which welcomes people to stay in working farmhouses and experience the wineries through hands-on exploration. Cheese production in Italy has prompted agritourism to flourish as well. On some farms that welcome tourists, however, the goal is less about providing a unique vacation and more about fostering a deeper understanding of the farming process through education and hands-on experience.
Tourists have been staying at Italian vineyards and Rocky Mountain ranches for decades. The idea of relaxing in a beautiful setting (like the Tuscan farmhouse shown here) or sampling the adventurous Old West lifestyle is certainly still part of the attraction of agritourism.
Many travelers may already participate in agritourism even if they don’t realize it. Taking hay rides, horseback riding, visiting agricultural production facilities such as coffee plantations or dairy farms, supporting community gardens, tapping maple syrup, shopping at farmers’ markets and learning about bee culture are all considered a part of agritourism.
Photo source: wikipedia.org
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