Farm tourism growth could be worth £250m to Scottish economy by 2030

Rising costs in food production and decreasing subsidies for the farming industry saw some farms look at new ways to bring in an income and from offering farm tours, to accommodation and experiences, it is an area with potential to grow.

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And now for the first time the value of agritourism to Scotland’s economy has been measured as new research has revealed the benefits of agritourism to Scotland.

Findings from the Scottish Agritourism tracker suggest the combined value of agritourism and farm retail in 2030 would be around £250million and support almost 10,000 full time jobs.

The Scottish Agritourism Growth Tracker 2021, undertaken by VisitScotland on behalf of Scottish Agritourism, found that as well as the opportunity for strong economic growth, the industry played an important role in sustaining and creating rural jobs, supporting vital family employment and providing equal and inclusive roles for men and woman across various ages and skill levels.

Katie and Ellen Younger are with sheepdog Bee

Highlights also suggested agritourism provided an opportunity for multi-generational income, retaining on-farm careers and employment.

It also found that agritourism farm retail businesses have more female directors and business partners than farm only businesses.

An increasing number of farms, crofts and estates have developed their operations to attract visitors.

Alison Younger, of Old Leckie Farm near Stirling, and her husband Fergus recognised several years ago that to secure their future they had to diversify.

The traditional mixed livestock farm has been in her husband’s family since 1906 and their daughters would be the fourth generation of female farmers. The farmhouse itself dates back to 1530 and the builder was said to have been a body guard for Mary Queen of Scots when she was at Stirling Castle and Bonnie Prince Charlie is said to have eaten there.

Mrs Younger said: “Several years ago we looked a different ways we could bring in additional income streams into the farm whilst remaining at our core a food producing set up.

“We started off with self-catering accommodation and renovated an old steading on the farm and started lets through that. We started showing people around the farm and doing school visits. With the confidence of doing those things, we then started having demand from people who wanted to come and experience what a farm was about and we began farm tours on a more commercial basis.

“We get a lot of interest from North America and French market and we can bring different size groups on to the farm and take them through the history and cultural heritage as well as focusing on the food produced.”

Alison Younger and her family have diversified the farm business

Mrs Younger said they are looking to build connections with travel and tour operators to reach the overseas market and develop farm tourism further.

She added: “We offer high end value tours for overseas tourists looking for that authentic experience with people who live and work on the land as well as running the farm day to day.

“Agritourism has given us better stability in terms of the future. The growth that we are seeing is encouraging not just from a financial point of view but because it is that connection between people and their food.”

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The study also found farm tourism businesses have more female directors and partners than traditionally run farms.

Mrs Younger added: “I think females have always been involved with farms whether its is on a practical day to day level or inside doing some of the support work. I think women are recognising there is more opportunity to generate income from on the farms themselves and perhaps women are the more natural outward communicators and outward looking.”

The inaugural Scottish Agritourism Tracker was undertaken to gain a better understanding of the sector’s value and potential. It identified potential growth areas within the sector around accommodation, food and drink and event spaces.

Farm tourism has seen a growth in the sector

A new industry strategy designed to galvanise the country’s agriculture and tourism sectors was launched by Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, Mairi Gougeon at the Scottish Agritourism Conference in November last year.

Scottish Agritourism 2030 - The Strategy for Sustainable Growth aims to sustainably develop the rural economy, protect family farms for future generations, build consumer awareness and loyalty towards local produce and celebrate the history and heritage of these important Scottish communities.

Rural Affairs Secretary Mairi Gougeon said: “The agritourism sector provides a quality, unique experience as well as an economic boost to the wider rural community by attracting people to rural Scotland. The sector helps people to understand the important role of farming and food production, and has an increasing part to play in our vision of Scotland as a Good Food Nation – helping ensure that reliable access to nutritious, locally sourced, locally produced, good quality food is a practical everyday reality for everyone in Scotland."

She added the development of the Growth Tracker highlights that agritourism can play an important part in building resilience within rural Scotland.

Rob Dickson, VisitScotland Director of Industry and Destination Development, said: “The attraction of agritourism for visitors has always been abundantly clear and it is pleasing to see this research confirm the benefits this exciting sector brings to our society. Agritourism is helping address important societal issues such as inclusivity, rural employment and depopulation. Its future growth and development offers huge potential for both the agriculture and tourism sectors by creating jobs, helping communities thrive, demonstrating the best in environmental management and contributing to the wider economy.

“From fruit picking to farm stays, adventure sports to lambing experiences, we know that agritourism is a trend that is here to stay. VisitScotland is committed to working with the sector to showcase its exciting offering to audiences across the globe and position Scotland as a leading destination for agritourism.”

Caroline Millar, Sector Lead, Scottish Agritourism, said: “Being able to track the growth and impact of agritourism in Scotland over coming years is essential as we all work to double the number of farms and crofts in the sector and with a focus on increasing food and drink experiences on farms. This baseline study is really important data covering a range of metrics and we hope that even more businesses will take part in the 2022 survey by sharing data and building an even more detailed picture on the impact of this key growth sector for Scottish tourism. We appreciate the support of VisitScotland’s insights team for their support with this essential work and thank all of those who took part.”