Around half a million Italians are expected to visit the farm over the Easter weekend, joined on Monday by agritourists who have already booked lunch or a picnic in the green structure to reach more than a million visitors. These are the predictions of the AgrieTour observatory, the national agritourism exhibition that will return from October 25 to 27 at the Arezzo Fiere in 2024 and which follows the flows of holidaymakers in the countryside even in this particular period when many buildings are in use. reopening year. Of the more than 12 million Italians who are sure to go, at least 600 thousand tourists have chosen a solution in the countryside, as noted by the AgrieTour observatory, both for Easter lunch and for the activities associated with Easter Monday. Among the most common reasons are the rediscovery of the folk traditions of the time associated with the countryside, but above all the experiential activities offered by agritourism, in addition to the choice of food and wine, which is again one of the first selection criteria. . You are traveling as a family and the goal is still under 50.
Activities on the farm at Easter:
In the first place among the services requested by agriturists, according to a survey carried out by agriturismo.com, the reference portal of the sector, in collaboration with the AgrieTour Observatory, cooking classes, followed by excursions, on foot or by bike, then agricultural activities interactive activities , educational farm and horse riding. All this with a low environmental impact, given that 73% of agritourism structures have adopted technological solutions to save energy, while agritech is struggling to take off, as 81% of the sample still does not use innovative technological solutions in agricultural production. 53% of companies offer catering services and 55% deal with product transformation, which is another element highly sought after by agro-tourists.
Eight elements that farm tourists look for:
There are 8 factors that make you choose a farm holiday. The need to escape to a quiet, safe, but also inhabited place, not deserted and isolated; good food, good cuisine and hospitality, discovering the places and beauties of the area. But also the call for open spaces, the desire for freedom from closed urban spaces and the opportunity to spend time with farmers and their families. Added to this is the discovery of structures by schools thanks to workshops and packages, which are mainly aimed at the cycle of primary and secondary schools, an ideal holiday destination for families with children, interested in the environment and sustainability.
Sector numbers:
Agritourism continues to represent one of the most dynamic and vibrant sectors of Italian agriculture and tourism. In fact, the number of agritourism companies in Italy continued to grow during the pandemic period: +1.3% in 2021 compared to 2020 and +3.3% compared to 2019, reaching 25,390 companies in 2023. Growth also in terms of the value of production, which has returned above one billion euros: that is, 1 billion and 162 million euros + 44.8% in 2020. Agritourism therefore represents, by value, 1.9% of the entire agricultural sector and 22.6% of secondary activity .
The industry’s reference fair is AgrieTour, the national exhibition of agritourism and multifunctional agriculture. The 22nd edition will be held in Arezzo Fiere e Congressi from 25 to 27 October 2024. The strength of the event is the agritourism exchange, unique in Italy, where offers and demands meet, represented by hundreds of tour operators present from all over the world