This document outlines an agritourism course focused on helping operators plan their online presence and customer experiences. It defines agritourism as organizing profitable farm or ranch visits where customers can enjoy, learn, and purchase products. The course covers being online and the experience economy, getting found online, being customer-focused, and telling others through storytelling. It discusses the merging of agriculture and tourism industries and what rural travelers like to do, such as dining, shopping, and visiting farms/orchards. The document emphasizes that operators cannot rely solely on building attractions but must effectively market using websites, social media, and other online methods.

1. NDSU Extension
Glenn Muske - glenn.muske@ndsu.edu
UNL - Extension
Connie Hancock – chancock1@unl.edu
Jenny Nixon – jnixon1@unl.edu
Jay Jenkins – jjenkins2@unl.edu

2. Objective
• Self-directed course focused on helping
agritourism operators plan for:
– Being online – Understanding the online
experience and the “experience economy”
– Getting found – Being online just isn’t enough
– Being customer focused – Provide what the
customer wants and needs
– Telling others – Having customers tell your story

4. AgriTourism defined
• Organize a profitable enterprise that brings
consumers to a farm or ranch
– Goal: Provide an opportunity for the customer to:
• Enjoy & relax,
• Be involved
• Purchase products
• Learn

5. AgriTourism
Merging 2 industries

6. What Rural Travelers Like To Do
• Dining-70%
• Shopping- 58%
• Water Activities- 44%
• Visit Historical Sites-41%
• Fish/Hunt/Boat- 32%
• Attend Festival/Fair-29%
• Bike Riding/Hiking- 24%
• Religious Service- 23%
• Camping – 21%
• Sporting Events – 18%
• Visit Winery/ Visit
Farm/Orchard - 15%
Source: TIAA, 2001 Rural Tourism Travel Poll

8. Endless Possibilities
Overnight Stays:
Special Holiday/Seasonal
Events:
¤ Corn maze
¤ Pumpkin patch
¤ Harvest festivals
Hospitality Services
Retail Sales: Local Produce
and Farm Products Sold at
the Farm Gate
Recreational Activities and
Tours:
¤ Wineries and vineyards
¤ Cattle drives
¤ Horseback riding
¤ Bird watching/Wildlife
watching
Youth and/or Adult
Education
¤ Nature education programs:
wildlife, trees, plants, etc.
¤ Demonstrations: cheese making,
wine making, etc.

10. AgriTourism
• It’s not new
• Shorter, closer to home vacations more
common
• Getting back to nature and rural roots growing
– 66,000,000 wildlife watching participants in US
• Want to know our farmer and where our food
is grown

12. Build it and they will come
It’s a myth!

14. Getting the Word Out
Online with
websites and
social networking
is changing the
look of marketing.

16. Do you need a website?
Yes!
And more!!!!!

18. NDSU Extension
Glenn Muske - Glenn.Muske@ndsu.edu
UNL - Extension
Connie Hancock – chancock1@unl.edu
Jenny Nixon – jnixon1@unl.edu
Jay Jenkins – jjenkins2@unl.edu
Marketing AgriTourism Online
http://go.unl.edu/agritourism