In Scotland, we define agritourism as "tourism or leisure on a working farm, croft, or estate, which produces food".
This encompasses farm accommodation, tourism activities or events that take place on a farm, or farm shops that sell their own products directly to visitors.
There is growing consumer interest in food provenance and sustainable tourism.
By positioning agritourism at the forefront of visitors’ minds, we'll facilitate ways for visitors to seek ways to enjoy, appreciate, and understand the best of Scotland’s natural larder.
Agritourism has a distinct market offering in the tourism and events sector due to its strong food and drink, and experiential aspect.
By taking in best practice from around the world, the Scottish agritourism sector aims to grow itself, thereby benefitting rural economies and communities in the process.
The local and Scottish urban markets are as important to the sector as the UK and international markets.
Scotland can drive economic impact for the rural economy, using its high-quality / welfare farm produce. But it can also do so by leaning on its history of farm hospitality, authentic people, stunning landscapes, and farming culture.
Building demand for Scottish farm produce, can bring thousands of people on to Scottish farms each year,
This can instill the idea in visitors that Scotland is the “go-to” place to buy farm food and drink, and taste great food.
Scotland wants to lead the way in net zero rural tourism through environmental and biodiversity good practice in farming businesses.
This will help Scotland being the visitor destination for exercise and to access green spaces.
Agritourism can be a vital extra income stream to support and benefit farms, crofts, and estates. This will help to ease the impact of subsidy changes.
There's also a key career opportunity for women to become decision makers / owners in the farming business or connected tourism business of the farm.
Scotland will host the World Agritourism Conference in 2026. This conference will showcase the diversity and growth of the agritourism sector in Scotland.
Find out more about the World Agritourism Conference on scottishagritourism.co.uk.
Scottish Agritourism 2030 is the strategy for sustainable growth for the agricultural sector. It provides a shared vision that aims to:
sustainably develop the rural economy
protect family farms for future generations
build consumer awareness and loyalty towards local produce
celebrate the history and heritage of these important Scottish communities
The Implementation Board of Scottish Agritourism 2023 is co-chaired by:
Vicki Miller, CEO of VisitScotland, also sits on this board.
Published November 2021
The Scottish Agritourism Sector Group was founded in 2021 as a joint undertaking of the public and private sector, both at home and abroad.
Its members have expertise in agritourism, farming, crofting, food and drink, and tourism and help the Scottish Government with policies on these issues. The group gives advice on what type of experiences / activities or capital grant support available to businesses entering the sector or looking to grow.
The Scottish Agritourism Sector Group supports Scottish Agritourism 2030 by:
In 2022, we asked Scotland’s farms, crofts and estates to take part in an annual census. This helped us understand how we could grow the agritourism sector and to establish the size and scale of the industry.
The survey findings showed the value of including a food and drink experience in the Scottish agritourism offering.
Over a third of agritourism businesses were offering food and drink consumption on site. This included farm produce enjoyed as part of a holiday on a farm, in a farm café, or after a farm tour.
More than half of respondents said they sell their produce online (55%), in an on-farm shop (36%), or via an on-farm honesty box (29%).
The tracker was undertaken in July 2022. It based its findings on the responses of 221 farms which is a 23% increase in responses from the previous year.
VisitScotland will undertake a new agritourism tracker in 2025 that is to be published in 2026.
Published December 2022
Download the full Scottish Agritourism Growth Tracker 2022 results PDF
Register for Scotland's Agritourism monitor Farms Programme to get expert and peer group support.
Find out how Solsgirth Home Farm are developing their business, expanding their offering to visitors.
Discover how to potentially improve your farm by running it sustainably and for the benefit of the local community.
Watch our inspirational video of Old Leckie Farm to inspire your own promotional videos.
