AGRI TOURISM
CONCEPT
Agritourism also has the potential to help revitalize rural economies, educate the public about agriculture, and preserve agricultural heritage. In addition, community-focused farms may find agritourism an attractive option because it provides more labor opportunities for local residents.
Agro-tourism refers to people visiting working farms or other agricultural operations for the purpose of enjoyment, education, or other active involvement. Agro-tourism encompasses a wide variety of activities and provides a means for farmers to diversify and supplement their income.
ABOUT AGRI TOURISM
Simply stated, agritourism could be thought of as the crossroads of tourism and agriculture. Stated more technically, agritourism can be defined as a form of commercial enterprise that links agricultural production and/or processing with tourism to attract visitors onto a farm, ranch, or other agricultural business for the purposes of entertaining and/or educating the visitors while generating income for the farm, ranch, or business owner.
DEFINITION OF AGRITOURISM of agritourism should include the following four factors:
Combines the essential elements of the tourism and agriculture industries.
Attracts members of the public to visit agricultural operations;
is designed to increase farm income.
Provides recreation, entertainment, and/or educational experiences to visitors.
The term “agritourism” is often used interchangeably with “agri-tourism,” “agrotourism,” “farm tourism,” “agricultural tourism,” or “agritainment.”
BENEFITS OF AGRI TOURISM
Agricultural tourism has become a necessary means for many small farms’ survival. By diversifying business operations, farm operators are able to ensure a more stable income. This is because agritourism activities can occur during times of the year that crops may not be in season, and by providing a completely separate stream of income. Some studies have found that agritourism operations often benefit their surrounding communities by drawing tourists to the area. The economic boost by the increase in traffic can be beneficial to rural areas in need of diversified streams of income.
IMPORTANCE OF AGRI TOURISM
Agritourism gives producers an opportunity to generate additional income and an avenue for direct marketing to consumers. It enhances the tourism industry by increasing the volume of visitors to an area and the length of their stay. Agritourism also provides communities with the potential to increase their local tax bases and new employment opportunities. Additionally, agritourism provides educational opportunities to the public, helps to preserve agricultural lands, and allows states to develop business enterprises.
1 Comment