Agritourism or agrotourism, as it is defined most broadly, involves any agriculturally based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch. Agritourism has different definitions in different parts of the world, and sometimes refers specifically to farm stays, as in Italy. Elsewhere, agritourism includes a wide variety of activities, including buying produce direct from a farm stand, navigating a corn maze, slopping hogs, picking fruit, feeding animals, or staying at a bed and breakfast (B&B) on a farm.
Agritourism is a form of niche tourism that is considered a growth industry in many parts of the world, including Australia, Canada, the United States, and the Philippines. Other terms associated with agritourism are “agritainment”, “value added products”, “farm direct marketing” and “sustainable agriculture”.
Meaning
The word agriturismo is composed of the two Italian words agriculture (agriculture) and turismo (tourism) and has been defined by Italian law since 1985. Until then, more and more Italian farmers had a financial problem, which forced many farmers to look for other work. This was at the expense of Italian culture where much value is attached to the production of food on a small scale. This new form of rural tourism is an important source of additional income for Italian farmers, which means that the farmer can keep his farm business.
Features
Agriturismo is available in many forms. In the small, simple agriturismi, for example, only a bedroom is available for tourists, while the tourists can eat at the table with the owners in the evening. There are also very luxurious agriturismi where the tourists get their own house at the farm, often complete with their own swimming pool and air conditioning, where in the evening à la carte can be dined. In the kitchen, mostly ingredients are used from their own country. Examples are fruit, wine, grain, olive oil and vegetables. With some agriturismi it is possible for the tourists to help with the production on the farm.
According to Feyera’s classification, agrarian tourism occupies second place after rural tourism. The author envisages that the guests should be accommodated in the conditions of agriculture, namely:
separate room in a rural house;
house to the holding (the owner);
holiday villages;
campsites and more.
with shelter facilities being leased directly by the farmers themselves. In addition, shelters can be located either close to the farm or remote from it. In this form contact with the farmers, including those for which agriculture is not the main source of income. Number three in Feyera’s classification is the term “holiday in a rural yard.” According to the author, this holiday lasts for at least 5 days, a relatively long stay is necessary due to the fact that it takes time to get to know the owner and the guest and the inclusion of the guest is a typical farmer and is the main occupation and source of income.The holiday can be realized in a separate home or camping,
It can be summed up that the term agrarian tourism is often used as a synonym for rural tourism but has a narrower meaning. It refers to a variety of activities which are directly related to agricultural work (fruit growing, vegetable growing, livestock breeding, etc.), as well as to the building stock needed to carry out the relevant activity. For this reason, it is offered in many countries by farmers, for whom tourism is a second source of income after the main agricultural activity they carry out.
In this sense, agrarian tourism means: trip to and residence in a rural area, where accommodation (farm, guest house or separate rooms in the house of the host, camping, etc.) belongs to a farmer for whom agricultural production is source of income. During the stay, tourists can take part in various agricultural activities and make close contact with the family of the farmer. Stay includes using all the possibilities of the environment with its peculiarities (culture, lifestyle, nature), ie. the full potential of the region.
An important element inherent in agrarian tourism is the focus on the production element (the active agricultural activity of the host owner), which is the source and the main part of its income. For him, tourism is a way to diversify his activity and earn extra income (as opposed to rural tourism, which in many places has become an activity that provides a predominant share of sources of income for entrepreneurs). This does not exclude the visit of working farms and the participation of tourists in the production and rural tourism, but they are only one element of the rural tourism product, which in areas unfavorable to the development of agricultural production (high mountain and other areas) may not be available. Summarizing statistics for agri-tourism practitioners in Europe show that they account for about 35% of the rural tourism product consumed, with Western Europe accounting for a relatively higher share of 38%, while in eastern Europe it is lower by 10%.
Enlightenment
People are interested in the food they produce. They want to meet with the farmer and talk about the production of these foods. All the people visiting the farms, especially children, have seen the source of food for the first time.
Peasants and farmers are interested in the quality of their produce on their farm.
Public awareness
People have become more interested in how their food is produced. They want to meet farmers and processors and talk with them about what goes into food production. For many people who visit farms, especially children, the visit marks the first time they see the source of their food, be it a dairy cow, an ear of corn growing in a field, or an apple they can pick right off a tree.
Farmers and ranchers use this interest to develop traffic at their farm or ranch, and interest in the quality of their products, as well as awareness of their products.
Safety
While revenue and education are often primary drivers for farmers to diversify their operations and invite guests onto their property, safety isn’t always a top priority. Accidents involving tractors, wagon rides, trips, falls, and traffic occur at agritourism operations on a regular basis.
Data and specific cases of agritourism-related injuries are tracked and stored by researchers and scientists. Some of this data is available at publicly accessible sites such as AgInjuryNews.org.
Agritourism by country
Latvia
Agrotourism in Latvia is a popular international tourist destination with many farming tours available such as grain, vegetable, fruit, dairy, and livestock. The farms display the lifestyles and work of active farmers, farming processes, farm products, and the opportunities and positive aspects of a life in the countryside. Tourists can learn how food is made from the field to the final product whilst also engaging in harvesting if possible. Some tours focus on traditional local Latvian cuisine such as cottage cheese, buckwheat, seaberry buckthorn, caraway cheese, dark rye bread and cured meats. Brewing beer is also widely popular with plenty of breweries producing a wide array of beer types. In addition, farms are gaining popularity that promote and teaches the way Latvian’s traditionally used to live and farm their produce.
Italy
The country-hotel scene has come on apace since 1960, when the Michelin guide to Italy listed not a single establishment in the Chianti area. But even after the boom in rural accommodation in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, the choice was still limited, by and large, to basic agroturismo farm-holiday places or rather stuffy country-house hotels. The past few years have seen the arrival of a handful of stylish luxury spa resorts, and some mid-range options where guests benefit from a hands-on, personal approach.
Since 1985 agritourism in Italy is formally regulated by a state law, emended in 2006. The law states basic requirements to claim the title of “agriturismo”, and delegates single regions to further regulate the matter.
Italian agritourism attract visitors from all around the globe. In particular, given the luxury nature of rural tourism, international flows are demand-driven.
India
Since 2004 Agriculture Tourism is operational, it started in Baramati Agri Tourism Center under the guidance of Pandurang Taware. He received the National Tourism Award from the President Of India, for the most innovative Tourism Product. Agri Tourism India (ATDC) is pioneer in the development and marketing of agri tourism concept in India. ATDC, as of 2014, has 218 affiliated farmers and operates agri tourism center in their respective villages in the state of Maharashtra.
Turkey
In the province of Hatay, The village of Vakifli has a small eco and cultural tourism industry, as it is often touted as the last rural village in Turkey where Armenians live. The small village has a guest house where visitors can buy organic products and see the life of the village. There is potential for ecotourism in the Aegean area of Western Turkey as well, and is a growing industry there.
Switzerland
Jucker Farm in Seegräben, a canton of Zürich
United States
Agritourism is widespread in the United States. Agritourists can choose from a wide range of activities that include picking fruits and vegetables, riding horses, tasting honey, learning about wine and cheesemaking, or shopping in farm gift shops and farm stands for local and regional produce or hand-crafted gifts.
According to the USDA Cooperative State, Education and Extension Service, “Tourism is becoming increasingly important to the U.S. economy. A conservative estimate from the Federal Reserve Board in Kansas, based on 2000 data, shows that basic travel and tourism industries accounted for 3.6 percent of all U.S. employment. Even more telling, data from the Travel Industry Association of America indicate that 1 out of every 18 people in the U.S. has a job directly resulting from travel expenditures”.
Through the Small Farm Center at the University of California, “Agricultural tourism or agritourism, is one alternative for improving the incomes and potential economic viability of small farms and rural communities. Some forms of agritourism enterprises are well developed in California, including fairs and festivals. Other possibilities still offer potential for development”. The UC Small Farm Center has developed a California Agritourism Database that “provides visitors and potential entrepreneurs with information about existing agritourism locations throughout the state”.
The publication Promoting Tourism in Rural America explains the need for planning and marketing a rural community and weighing the pros and cons of tourism. According to the publication, local citizen participation is helpful and should be included in starting any kind of a tourism program. Citizen participation in planning tourism can contribute to building a successful program that enhances the community. Additional websites that promote and publicize agritourism in the United States include Rural Bounty, founded by agritourism consultant Jane Eckert, Farm Stay U.S., a nationwide directory of farm stays, and The Farm Stay Project, a blog that profiles farm stays and tracks agritourism news.
Pakistan
The Agri-Tourism Development Corporation of Pakistan (ATDCP) is a non-government, not-for-profit organization, aiming to connect people through food, farms and education, working to promote Agritourism idea in Pakistan. ATDCP educates consumers about an organic, healthy life style, raises awareness about food from “farm to dining table”, and introduces agri-tourism & entertainment farming to explore the beauty of agri fields and farm-fresh feelings.
ATDCP also works as a training institute for Agripreneurs, where the latter are trained in consumer organic style needs. ATDCP introduces a new breed of Agripreneurs to the business of agri-tourism & entertainment farming for agricultural students and the farming community. It organises agricultural events, agri-themed festivals, agri-field trips and field activities, agri-field picnic parties for school kids and for the community to explore agritourism ideas in Pakistan. Tariq Tanveer is the CEO & founder.
Cornwall, England
In the county of Cornwall there are many Agritourism attractions including the petting zoo at Land’s End, Dairyworld in Newquay and Healey’s Cornish Cyder Farm near the capital Truro.
Dude ranches
Dude (or guest) ranches offer tourists the chance to work on cattle ranches, and sometimes participate in cattle drives.
The fact sheet, Promoting the Farm and Ranch Recreation Business, gives farmers and ranchers information on marketing and developing strategies to win tourism dollars. Dude ranches are common in the United States and Australian Outback.
Source from Wikipedia