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South Africans with a tight holiday budget might want to consider that some of the most affordable holidays are found in rural areas, according to Jacqui Taylor, founder and CEO of Agritourism Africa.
She says in a statement that agri-camping and pet-friendly farmstays rank among budget-beating agritourism options as scores of South Africans tighten their purse strings this festive season, in the face of a challenging economy.
"Our team has noticed a distinct trend towards budget-beating options among South Africans seeking to include rural areas in their holiday plans," says Taylor.
More than a third of some farmers' incomes come from Agritourism accommodation or activities.
"We have noticed an increase in the number of members adding on to their existing offerings by thinking 'out of the box' and coming up with ingenious luxurious tented camps, glamorous camping ('glamping') experiences, as well as DIY camping offerings," says Taylor.
Furthermore, she says an increasing number of South Africans do not want to leave their pets in kennels and catteries. They, therefore, look for pet-friendly accommodation.
As for challenges, Taylor says access to farmers in terms of distances and infrastructural considerations are among key challenges impeding growth of the Agritourism sector.
Therefore, one needs to consider the proximity of farms to transport infrastructure as this tends to affect how long it will take a visitor to drive to an Agritourism destination when planning a travel itinerary.
"Language barriers, issues around safety and security, the impact of climate change, lack of signage, mobile device connectivity and available currency, rank equally among challenges faced by existing and prospective stakeholders in the Agritourism sector", explains Taylor.
She says that all too often roads are not tarred in rural areas and many Agritourism destinations are not mapped on the likes of Google Maps as there is a lack of mapping of Agritourism facilities.
In her view, Agritourism-facilitated socio-economic development in rural areas of South Africa could improve the use of natural and built rural resources; enhance conservation; promote rural products; support rural traditions and cultural activities; develop agricultural areas; develop youth and social tourism; and enhance the relationship between urban and rural areas.
"Africa is one of the fastest growing tourism destinations, with significant opportunities in particularly Agritourism. The availability of Agritourism data is scarce and an opportunity exists in this regard for cross-country collaborations," says Taylor.
In her view, what is needed to establish an Agritourism business in Africa, includes market research; a business plan; raising capital; product development; skills development; facilities; transport accessibility; community development; and marketing.
