Agriturismo in Italy: Agricultural tourism?

It does work in areas that are already touristic such as the Provence, however it does not work for Farmers that actually farm for a living only for hobby farmers in touristic areas with an nostalgic set up.

Farmer with full time farm opperations running dangerous machines and making noise at 5 o'clock in the morning to get the milking done can not attract tourist what so ever. Nor can does that are in the middle of farm land such as Manitoba where all you see is Farming and round the clock work. We tried this and it attracted only a few that really where into learning about farming, the rest rather goes to a Disney like set up that calls it self a vacation farm. 

Farmers market have only a 2% chair of the total food retail business and can not sustain a farm, it is a nice idea though.

Marketing was done extensively over the past two decades and some great marketing was part of that as well as some bad marketing, yet it failed.

The EU sponsors those set ups and gives them cash to exist why they do. This in part because it does help the tourist industry over all to see nice idilic looking farms rather then real farm operations that may not always smell that good to city folks.

I have seen it work in areas such as Italy and France as well as in some parts of Germany.

However, those operations usually are into Olives, Wine, Fruits and so on, they are not producing Milk, nor into Swine or Grain production. I know of only one Dairy farm that successfully did this in a non tourist area, yet they isolated the operation from the clients and the Cows could be viewed through a bay class with out the smell.

WTO goals are countered with covered subsidies as Denmark did, as well as Italy and France, by subsidizing them with environmental protection plans and buffer zone, still a subsidy, however now no longer an Agricultural one. At least officially.

Austria, Switzerland and Germany promote Organic Farming in spite of WTO rules and fight them rather well so far with covered subsidies. The reality is very different from what is actually been done, or the official version of the Governments.

We looked into it and even promoted eco tourism and Farm tourism, Location matters, Italy is ideal so is Spain and Germany where the history and infrastructures are set up for it, further the Governments there promote it and help finance it with subsidies, tax breaks and so on.

I Canada that does not happen nor does it in Russia, Turkey or Poland. Why Farm tourism does not work there. 

With the economy being in a recession are pollution being at the for front travel will be restricted as well as spending and there for the concept may dye even where it is working now. Hope not though. however it is not some thing to build a generation business on.

In Japan we tried this as well and it works to a point, never the less the investment put into it in order to make it work will never be gained back and it is nor a profitable venture for most. Many would be happy to break even with the idea and in Alsace more and more Farmers that started this tourist idea are now going back out of it because it cost more then it brings in. Those where some of the first to get into it. 

If the Government subsidizes it, sure why not try it, as long as the tax payer pics up the tab. From a dollar and cents point of view no investor would invest into it. It is a love investment not a common sense one.

We have been trying to save farms for decades now and tried it all in several countries organizations have been working on this and exchanged ideas and experiences. 

The bottom line is that expenses went up 200% since 1945 and prises for food went down 60% since 1945, calculated with in the inflation and salary increases as well as the GNP and GPP. If farmers would be paid fairly for their products we would not even have to worry about it. 

The average person today spends only 28% of their revenue for food and water, where as 60 years ago it was 70% going into food and water. Food is so cheep today that it does not add up. The input to produce the food it higher then what the food is sold for. 

If you sale a computer below the cost of production, sooner or latter you go under. That is what is happening to farming over all.

Thank you to all those who contributed photo's to my story.

This is a fabulous idea.  I know throughout North America there are  lots of working cattle ranch vacations.  That is how Billy Crystal's City Slickers got a start.  Thank you for this post.

Hi Paschen, The reasons that Italy promoted this idea is preciesly because they needed to promote the economy in areas where tourists didn't normally go. They had to increase business for farmers and small towns. The farms where we live are full working farms. Many today also have added business to bring people to the farms such many have a farm breakfast a few times a week during the summer time. Everything made is produced at the farm. They sell farm products directly year round. They are also stabling horses for other people in their stalls and have a day where tourists can come to watch cheese being made for example. Some offer summer camps for kids. This brings people to the farm and develops a better understanding of what a real working farm is all about. It isn't going to pay all the bills but it is a form of education and promotion. I agree farmers markets are a small part of their business, but again it does help to educate people about the farms in their area and the products they can buy directly from farmers. Flower growers are allowing people pick their own flowers and all sorts of groves are allowing people to pick fruits. The farms in New England are doing an amazing business by making their own ice cream and selling their products directly at the farm. My daughter lives in the countryside in New England and her children go to a local working farm every summer for a 2 week summer camp. This give kids an understanding of what farmers do from their youth and they will make great customers later on in life. As subsidies shrink, and maybe very soon disappear, they have to find ways to react to this. Farmers in Europe have been highly subsidized and that is changing. The subsidies are now again under threat and the EU and the WTO are again about to reduce subsidies to farmers. I think that farmers like many other industries must come up with some creative ideas to increase business. It is true that farmers are not usually the type of people that find this kind of promotion easy. But it maybe do or die. The wineries did it and many survive on this type of promotion. It takes time as they found in Italy, it didn't happen overnight. It is a hard and tough business.

The man was cooking some porceddusu (piglets) in a farm near Buddusò (Olbia-Tempio) in Sardinia, Italy.
It is a long cooking method in order to have a perfect result, with hard pigskin and lean meat.
Even though it is an old fireplace, it is perfect for this kind of cooking, better than modern ovens.

netnemo has contributed a photo to this story.

This is what separates the tourist from the traveler.  Someone who looks to live like the locals, shop where they shop, eat where they eat, and enjoy the pleasures of daily life.  Instead of the canned vacation where you see what the tourist host wants you to see.  Good report and good discussions.

It is understandable that people who have only a week or two vacation and might visit a country only once in their life want to see the most famous sites.  But experiencing a country by mingling with its people is a valuable and lasting experience.  There are many ways to do this such as renting a houseboat and slowly traveling down the canals of France. You see the most beautiful landscape and daily life. Maybe a farmer herding his ducks, or the local people gathered along the canal fishing or biking through vineyards and learning a little about wine making.  Maybe renting a apartment here in the mountains of Switzerland or a camper, camping along steel blue lakes and trekking through the Alps. Many small hotels in the Alps are very inexpensive in the summer if camping is not your thing.  But if it is, camping along the beaches of the Adriatic (this is best done off season as the beaches there are packed in the summer) or horseback riding along the beaches of Spain. House swapping is also something that is popular, but it is a little risky also, so people have to beware. A house swap or renting an apartment is also great if you do want to visit a city such as Paris, but just stay there and live in this magical city for 2 weeks.

 I once owned a travel agency and really worked hard to try to convince people not to try to see all of Europe in one week but it was a hard sell.

Thanks for the recommendation and happy traveling.

I am going abroad next fall through my college I will be in Greece and Rome and I was wondering about this whole idea and I really want to visit one... I have been doing some research here in the U.S. but I would love any recommendations or any other basic information anyone can give me, places? how much it would cost? etc...  Thank you so much to anyone willing to help :)

You can check the internet as there are many web sites on Agriturismi in Italy and also in other countries. You can make reservations through these sites and they will also offer prices and direct connections to a variety of Agriturismi.  Enter the country, region and Agristurismo. Many also have a direct link and I have found that if you write them an email they are more then happy to write to you and give you any information that you might want.  If they speak a little English they will find someone that can answer your emails. This is the best way to contact them.  Some have their own web sites.  But first you have to decide where you want to go.  They offer rooms, apartments, some are B&B's and some have restaurants.  Some are vineyards, farms, villa's, country inns etc. There is a wide range of types of places and prices. Some also have programs where you can participate in activities at the farm.  I will be going to the Veneto Region next week and will stay at two Agriturismi. It was very easy to communicate with them and get reservations. The price range varies.