Once, when tourists were looking for a relaxing destination, they booked wellness retreats or an all-in-one beach resort. Nowadays, people are searching for other ways to slow down and agritourism might have filled that void.
For a long time, agritourism was mainly linked to the Italian Agriturismo. Farmers opened (part of) their home to tourists, who got to experience the countryside like locals, in an often simple and affordable way. More often than not, they also had the possibility to dine at the farm in the evening, tasting locally-grown produce and getting acquainted with traditional cuisine.
Since those early days, however, agritourism has changed quite a lot. The term is no longer solely associated with humble abodes spread throughout the Italian countryside. Agritourism is no longer a way for farmers to get some extra income at the end of the month.
In some places, the local produce and isolated locations have stayed, yet they have become far more luxurious in tone. Traditional farms have been extensively renovated, benefitting from all mod-cons and interior-design-worthy décor. And the simple farm meals, served in that traditional no-nonsense way, have been replaced by gastronomic restaurants, some of which are even decorated with their own Michelin star.
“We’re living in a time where life passes us by at lightning speed. Being surrounded by this landscape, waking up to birdsong, seeing wild horses on the horizon—it allows you to be restored in ways that go beyond a traditional spa,” José António Uva, owner of São Lourenço do Barrocal in Alentejo (Portugal) told Vogue.
A rising market
Farm hospitality, as agritourism may also be called, combines the beauty of the countryside with a good dose of luxury and design. And it is, as it seems, the ultimate new trend as far as relaxing vacations are concerned. At the moment, the modern agritourism market is growing by 12% on a yearly base, meaning its market share could reach $14.5 billion by 2029.
The current popularity of the genre should not necessarily come as a surprise. Over the last few years, our society has become increasingly aware of the positive effects nature has on us. Spending time surrounded by nature lowers cortisol levels, lifts the spirits, and lowers blood pressure. Spending a weekend, a week, or even more at a farm – preferably one that practices some kind of regenerative farming – could be the grounding some travellers have been looking for, luxurious or not, depending on their budget.
As part of the experience, some farmstays also offer the possibility for guests to partake in the activities for a few hours, giving them a chance to get their hands dirty and reconnect with nature. While regenerative farming wasn’t necessarily a part of agritourism before, many tourists are now preferring this kind of agriculture when booking a holiday. Simply said, it is an approach to farming that stimulates biodiversity — using principles such as permaculture instead of high-intensity crop farming, as well as natural ways of fighting pests over chemical pesticides — encouraging the land to regenerate itself, alongside the agritourism visitors it welcomes.
