Why Agritourism is important for Australia
Why Agritourism is important for Australia
Australian food and agribusiness could reach $250B by 2030, according to a new CSIRO report highlighting the importance of agritourism in regional areas.
According to Regionality general manager, Rose Wright, agritourism is already a billion dollar business in Australia. Recent CSIRO analysis predicts the specialist sector is set to boom, with figures set to double over the next 10 years.
“The Australian food and agribusiness industry is already contributing 7.6 per cent or $138B towards GDP,” she said.
“Agri-food and tourism have been identified as two of five key growth sectors over the next decade. Agri-food opportunities identified to grow at around 3.6 per cent annually by 2030 and tourism expected to continue to grow faster than the national economy. When you consider that 43 cents in every tourism dollar is spent in regional Australia and the export market alignment of the agri-food and tourism sectors, you can see why agri-tourism has such an important role to play—not only in the economy but especially in maintaining the viability of Australian farms,” she said.
Agritourism refers to experiences attracting visitors to regional Australia where they get to interact with a variety food and agribusiness elements. The CSIRO report has revealed agritourism opportunities alone will reach around $18.6B by the end of the next decade.
Regionality’s agri-focused Business Development Program is Australia’s most successful and longest running capacity building and business-mentoring project, specifically designed to support farmers to innovate their farm through multi enterprise activities and connect them to the growing tourism market.
For more than a decade, Regionality has engaged with hundreds of farmers across Australia, tapping into new opportunities to value-add to their product and/or diversify their farm to ensure sustainability.
“The potential for agritourism is obviously significant if it’s done properly but, like anything, planning and preparation is vital to ensure a good outcome,” she said.
“Agritourism is an important way to make a farm viable, creating jobs through establishing a direct connection with the consumer. It’s about building a brand and creating a value proposition connected to your property, your produce and your story.”
Regionality is an independent consultancy providing a comprehensive range of regional development services supporting farmers, individuals, organisations and communities throughout regional Australia. If you need to solve a problem or maximize an opportunity within your farm, community or organization call Regionality today 0266 741 056.