The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Agritourism firms using lockdown to gear up
Firms praise network as sector predicts spike in post-Covid visitors
The agritourism sector has used the Covid-19 lockdown period to increase their offering and prepare for a predicted sharp increase in visitor numbers when restrictions begin to ease.
A briefing event held to mark the first year of the Scottish Enterprise Agritourism Monitor Farm Programme highlighted the progress the sector has made as it plays an increasingly important role in boosting farm income and contributing to the local and national economy.
The programme has established a network across Scotland, with people attending online meetings from the Borders to the Isle of Mull, on topics including branding, websites, recruitment and staff training.
Julian Pace from Scottish Enterprise said the three-year programme is about “providing expert and peer group support, exchanging knowledge and helping agritourism businesses develop their skills and build their confidence”.
Project facilitator Caroline Millar said the project had attracted a wide number of applications to be the monitor farmers, with recruitment starting in January 2019.
Jo and Stuart McNicoll, who run Drift on Castleton Farm near North Berwick, said their experience over the first year “has been incredibly positive and very successful” adding that research is
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Incredibly positive and very successful. JO AND STUART MCNICOLL
vital to find out not only what aspects of agritourism business owners want to follow, but also what customers want.
The Lennox family, who run two agritourism businesses on the banks of Loch Lomond, said the ability to pick up the phone and chat to someone and get answers to questions was “tremendous”, and having a fresh perspective from other farmers had been very useful, adding the group had been forthcoming and friendly.
Ms Millar said that while the sector has been hit hard, people are desperate to come to the countryside and, postpandemic, there may be a huge domestic demand for tourism including overnight stays and days out.