State’s Agritourism Industry Continues Steady Growth

Researchers at the University of Tennessee released new findings this week that show Tennessee’s agritourism industry — which includes any agriculturally-based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch — has more than doubled between 2006 and 2012, bringing in hundreds of millions of tourism dollars for farmers across the state.

In 2012 alone, the study cites, Tennessee agritourism visitors spent more than $54 million in farm visits and agriculture purchases from farmers in all areas of the state. In addition, the study estimates approximately 200 agritourism operators hosted in excess of 1.75 million people on their farms in 2012.

The most common types of activities and attractions that drew people to Tennessee farms, according to the study, were school field trips, pick-your-own product events, wagon rides, farm tours, and retail farm markets.

To view the complete UT agritourism report, please visit http://tiny.utk.edu/ATStudy.