Question 1

Why Agritourism?

Accepted Answer

Around the country, many farm/ranches are diversifying their product base and including value-added endeavors like agritourism to enhance profitability. According to the American Farm Bureau, agritourism is “an enterprise at a working farm, ranch or agriculture plant conducted for the enjoyment of visitors that generates income for the owner.”

Agritourism has benefits for both the farmer/rancher and the consumer. In addition to serving as an additional source of income, agritourism can benefit farmers/ranchers by:

Helping create name recognition for your agricultural products
Helping educate consumers about farming/ranching and America’s rural heritage
Generating financial incentives for the protection and enhancement of your farm/ranch’s natural resources and natural amenities

Generating “spillover” economic development opportunities in your community by bringing tourists into town who may then shop, eat, and lodge locally. For more information on the benefits of agritourism see the introduction to The Opportunity for Agritourism Development in New Jersey.

Question 2

Is Agritourism For Me?

Accepted Answer

Agritourism is not for all farms/ranches, and many farmers/ranchers who embark upon agritourism projects don’t achieve the level of success they anticipated. Others have thrived as tourism operators. Many interviewees in a study conducted by Rutgers University described negative aspects as well as positive ones. Part of running an agritourism business is putting yourself, your family, and your farm “on display.” Successful farmers/ranchers must occasionally deal with difficult and demanding customers. Before you decide to embark on an agritourism venture, ask yourself:

Am I comfortable putting my family and myself “on display”?

Do I enjoy interacting with all types of people?

Who is My Customer?

The people that choose to visit farms are often seeking “authentic” experiences. Many times these people are not directly involved in farming/ranching, but are interested in learning about it. Your customer could be:

A tourist with an interest in preserving farms and the rural way of life
Someone interested in establishing a deeper connection with his or her food than what shopping at the supermarket allows
Someone interested in exploring rural landscapes and seeking rural wildlife
Someone who probably lives in the same state or region of the country as you do since most agritourism customers travel only regionally for their experiences
Someone who is likely to be middle-aged or younger and physically fit
A group such as an extended family or school or church group.

What Is My Product?

There are many types of agritourism. The most popular agritourism activities include:

Bed and breakfasts
Meals featuring farm products
Hayrides
Farm/ranch tours
Direct sales (e.g. roadside vegetable stands and pick-your-own produce). Agritourism entrepreneurs are constantly redefining their products.

Your product needs to address a demand in the tourism industry that is not satisfied elsewhere. There are many things you can do to make your product stand out from the pack. These include making sure your product is:

Clearly different from the other stuff out there
Very high quality
Seasonal in nature
Original and innovative (Dunn, 1995: 169). Focus on freshness of produce and quality customer service.

Question 3

How Can I Evaluate My Potential Agritourism Site?

Accepted Answer

Agritourism is a way to add value to your farm/ranch without adding acreage. Not all properties have the right mix of natural and physical amenities to take advantage of the benefits of agritourism. Your product and what you do with it will depend in part on the landscape and natural resource endowment of your farm/ranch. Evaluate factors such as:

Land use
Characteristics of the landscape
How close your farm/ranch is to population centers
The types of buildings you have
Your human resource assets

How Do I Market My Agritourism Enterprise?

You may want to consider the following issues when designing your marketing strategy:

Does your marketing approach emphasize the uniqueness of your product
Do you know your customers and have you directed your appeals to the specific types of people that you are targeting

Have you selected an appropriate name? The Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Handbook reminds potential agritourism operators to “avoid creative names that may serve to confuse your customer” and suggests using the owner’s name in the business name to create “a more intimate and sincere relationship with the consumer.”

Have you identified advertising strategies? Most studies show that word of mouth is the most effective way to promote agritourism ventures. Luckily, this is the least expensive way to promote your product as well. But remember, successful word of mouth depends entirely on customer satisfaction. Other effective, low-cost methods include brochures and websites.

References

The Opportunity of Agritourism Development in New Jersey, 2007; from Rutgers New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station Food Policy Research Publications

Agritourism in Pennsylvania, 2006; from The Center for Rural Pennsylvania

Taking the First Step; from USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service

Oklahoma Agritourism Resource Manaul; from Oklahoma Agritourism

Agricultural Diversification and Agritourism: Critical Success Factors (draft PDF); from University of Vermont

Direct Farm Marketing & Tourism Handbook (complete); from University of Arizona, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Agricultural & Resource Economics

Nature Tourism: A Guidebook for Evaluating Enterprise Opportunities; from Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Bookstore

Content from OSU Tourism & Outdoor Recreation

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