Starting an agritourism business can be a daunting process at the beginning due to the nuances of the business. However, as the world is moving towards more sustainable actions so does tourism. Therefore, agritourism is a niche type within the sector of travel and hospitality that is gaining momentum and is set to be a leader in the sustainable tourism sector within the few decades to come.
A Brief History of Agritourism
Italy is the leader in agritursim or “agriturismo” with many laws that have been drafted and updated. Most notably is the Law no. 730/1985 which regulated the sector. Also, it is worth mentioning that the country has regional laws in addition to the national ones to coordinate the right execution of agritourism. A more recent law was established in 2006, the Law no. 96/2006 which further regulates the sector and imposes restriction on who can and cannot initiate the activity.
Italy stresses the importance of the agricultural aspect to be present in the agritourism business. There is a reason it is called agritourism and not tourismagri! Nonetheless the tourism aspect is a prominent one and is a particular type of sustainable tourism as mentioned previously.
Also the USA is another leader in the agritourism sector. The national agricultural library defines agritourism as per the follwing: “Agritourism links agricultural production with tourism to attract visitors to a farm or other agricultural business to generate income”.
Nowadays, many other countries are investing heavily in the sector, including the UAE and the famous eco agritourism project of Agri Hub-URB. South Africa is another emerging economy that is taking huge steps to promote and expand the sector, most notably the initiative of Agritourism Africa.
Now Let's Get Started with Agritoursim Business
These are the steps needed to have a successful agritourism venture regardless of your geographical region:
- Be a farmer with a specific kind of farm business. Examples include fruit trees, livestock farming, vegetable growing, etc…
- Choose the type of touristic activity you are willing to provide. However keep in mind that agriculture has to be a significant part of the offerings
- Depending on your national and regional laws, the commonly practiced touristic activities include:
- Accommodation and lodging in the farms premises
- Direct selling of farm products, while taking into consideration the prevailing rules and regulations
- Meals and drinks administration after properly following the hygiene standards
- Excursions and nature related treats among many other activities
Operational Aspects of Agritourism
An agritourism owner has to have an entrepreneurial spirit just like any other business owner. The acumen needed spans from understanding agricultural and tourism practices to running the day to day administrative, financial, marketing, legal and all other activities.
It is easier said than done, however if you have a dream of running a sustainable touristic farm that will leave a legacy in this world, then why postpone realizing this dream?
CarbonCraft is here to help you with your journey. We curate effective research and consultancy solutions for sustainable tourism ventures. Our core activity is agritourism in addition to gastronomy and culinary tourism. We work with public and private clients and offer unbiased and pragmatic consultancies.
Send your inquiries to info@carboncraftgroup.com and book your 45 minutes initial free consultation.
