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SA: Multi-billion dollar potential in tourism and agriculture merger
South Australia’s tourism industry is well positioned to target the nation’s $17.4 billion Agricultural Tourism market – leveraging its reputation for premium produce to attract more visitors.
Agricultural Tourism – or agritourism as it is commonly known – is a type of experiential travel which connects people to product or produce, delivered on farming land through an ‘on farm’ experience.
Wine tourism is a form of agritourism and currently accounts for $894 million of the $994 million spent on agritourism in South Australia.
The State Government through the South Australian Tourism Commission is today launching the South Australian Agritourism Sector Plan 2025 which sets a bold vision to grow the state’s agritourism visitor spend to $295 million (not including wine tourism) by December 2025.
The Plan aims to take the knowledge and learnings developed through the state’s world-leading wine tourism reputation and apply it to other types of ‘on farm’ visitor experiences to help realise the potential in the broader agritourism market.
A number of demand-driving agritourism experiences already exist in South Australia, including pick-your-own experiences at Beerenberg Farm and @Lenswood in the Adelaide Hills, farm-to-fork cooking classes at The Farm Eatery in the Barossa, farm tours at Jurlique Farm in the Adelaide Hills and Smoky Bay Oyster Farm in the Eyre Peninsula, behind-the-scenes tours at Emu Ridge Distillery and KI Living Honey on Kangaroo Island, and experiential farm stays such as at Rawnsley Park Station in the Flinders Ranges and Outback.
Consumer research conducted by Tourism Australia shows agritourism has a strong appeal among South Australia’s key international markets, including the United Kingdom, United States, New Zealand, Germany, France, and Italy.
The Plan will be launched today by Minister for Tourism Zoe Bettison at the South Australian Tourism Conference – the state’s annual tourism networking and professional development event, hosted by the Tourism Industry Council SA (TiCSA).
Following the launch of the Plan, an agritourism working group will be established to undertake consultation with industry and develop an action plan to achieve the 2025 target.
Minister for Tourism, Zoe Bettison said there is huge opportunity in agritourism in South Australia.
“It is a growing sector in our nation and attractive to our top priority international market,” Minister Bettison said.
“Our state has an extraordinary advantage to leverage the success built in wine tourism to create new on-farm products and experiences which help realise the potential in this multi-billion-dollar market.
“I’m thrilled to be taking this important step to launch the Agritourism Sector Plan 2025 today, and I look forward to working with the SATC and consulting with industry as we define the actions which will get us to our $295 million target.
“Growing the value of agritourism in South Australia will not only grow our overall tourism dollar, but it will help strengthen regional economies and provide sustainable environmental and social benefits for rural communities for years to come.”
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