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GAME INDUSTRY TRENDS ANALYSIS 2024
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Agritourism On The Rise As Consumers Remain Under Pressure
Agritourism on the rise as consumers remain under pressure
By Sinenhlanhla Mncwango | 23 January 2025 | 9:32 am
South Africa’s agritourism sector saw rising interest from the youth, city dwellers and families over the past festive season, according to Jacqui Taylor, CEO and founder of Agritourism Africa.
Interest in agritourism is seemingly on the rise as South Africans remain under pressure, according to Jacqui Taylor, CEO and founder of Agritourism Africa. Photo: FW Archive
Speaking to Farmer’s Weekly, Taylor said that more people now than before were looking for ‘glamping’ and camping experiences, as these were more affordable than staying in hotels and guesthouses. (‘Glamping’ is a form of camping that involves more luxurious accommodation and facilities than those associated with traditional camping.)
“The figures I have seen indicate an increase in South Africans opting to make use of agritourism services, accommodation and products. There are several reasons, but the local economy definitely is under pressure and going on holiday in cities is simply becoming unaffordable for many South African families,” said Taylor.
She said agritourism was growing significantly, particularly as small- to medium-sized farmers focused on more sustainable sources of income, and not just on generating revenue from primary production. Agritourism is forecast to grow globally at a compound annual rate of 11,5% from 2022 to 2030.
Taylor told Farmer’s Weekly that this past festive season’s trends included a greater interest in wellness tourism, such as retreats, and mindfulness experiences in rural settings, due to tourists’ growing desire for more meaningful travel experiences.
“[There is] increasing interest from younger travellers like Millennials and Generation Z, who seek experiential travel, [to] connect with nature, and [to] learn about food sources. Wealthier
individuals from urban areas are [also] looking to disconnect from technology and [their] hectic urban [lives],” she said.
However, according to Taylor, in some provinces, the condition of roads remained a serious challenge to these tourists, particularly if vehicles are not suited to ‘off-road’ driving. She added that Internet connectivity was also a challenge in some provinces.
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