Learn about Farm Tourism

• Diversify on farm income
• Manage tourism facilities and services in rural area

Course Content

This course is broken into eight lessons as follows:

1. Scope and Nature of Rural and Agricultural Tourism 
2. Creating an Agritourism Setting
3. Managing an Agritourism Business
4. Agricultural Tourism Accommodation  
5. Designing and Conducting Tours and Activities
6. Agritourism Events
7. Marketing and Promoting an Agritourism Business
8. Special Project - PBL – Design a farm tour activity problem-based learning project 

WHAT ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES?

There is an opportunity for many different scales of agritourism to diversify from what their focus is within that setting which means that the costs and levels of investment needed don’t have to be extreme. This makes is an accessible form of adding value to the land and buildings unlike some other forms of tourism. 

Many farmers will also be concerned about the impact on the land, however with many agritourism attractions being small-scale, it is very similar to ecotourism (the marketing of natural habitats to tourists who are interested in the ecology of an area) in this way. Therefore, the volume of visitors is likely to be manageable and means the land is not going to suffer from overuse. 

It is additionally an attractive proposition for some farmers, that they can contribute to the education of others. This can be about their lifestyle and the job of a farmer/landowner, but also about the background and heritage of agriculture which in some areas is fast being lost to urban development. 

• Factory – especially one that develops agricultural products, for example cheese or leather factories or a smokehouse (for smoking fish or meats).
• Railway
• Farm equipment supplies
• Purpose built attractions such theme parks 
• Farm themed events, restaurants, shows, museums, historic village