Agritourism Around the World Two leaders in agritourism from South Africa and India describe how inviting citizens onto farms can transform the lives of farmers and tourists alike. edited by Sigrid Hechensteiner
South Africa
FARMER KNOWS BEST Inviting tourists onto farms is not just about the money—it is about a family’s love for sharing what they do with others. This is what Founder and Managing Director of Agritourism South Africa, Jacqui Taylor, thinks. And it is why for Taylor, agritourism should be about letting farmers do what farmers do best.
My entire life has been dedicated to farming. My parents grew apples, pears and hops on their farm. About three years ago I began my career as the first managing director of Agritourism South Africa.At the time, my technical knowledge of the field was based solely on my passionate agricultural and tourism experience.As a working farmer’s daughter, I started welcoming guests onto our farm some years ago. I quickly realized that the people who came to our farm were not expecting a fancy hotel or a theme park.They were looking for the “real deal”—to spend time with the farm staff and the family. In this sense, agritourism on a working farm cannot be separated from the farmer. We are part of the farm’s marketing brand. Even though my schedule is much busier since I became an ambassador for agritourism in Africa, I have always tried to welcome visitors before placing them in the hands of my experienced farming co-workers.
Beauty and the Scientist
Jänner/gennaio 2019 8 Academia #79 11