December 22, 2004
A Snapshot of Tennessee Agritourism
SPRING HILL, Tenn.) - Approximately 3.5 million people visited Tennessee agritourism enterprises
recently published by the University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture.
The study found that agritourism has a significant impact on the economy, with 42 percent
of the enterprises surveyed reporting earnings of $25,000 or more in annual gross sales.
Some enterprises reported earnings exceeding $1 million.
“The study identified characteristics of the agritourism industry in
Tennessee and obstacles faced by those enterprises that may be addressed through research, teaching and
outreach,” says Megan Bruch, CPA marketing specialist. “Results will be useful to agritourism
business operators and to those who serve them by providing a snapshot of the industry.”
Thirty percent of survey respondents reported earning between $1 and $10 on average per customer visit,
while some reported up to $400 per customer visit. The enterprises accounted for a significant number
of full and part-time jobs both year-round and seasonally, and approximately 63 percent of respondents
had plans to expand their operation in the next three years.
The study also provided information about typical agritourism customers. Respondents
reported that 85 percent of total visitors to their enterprises were from in-state. Half of visitors were
one-time visitors, and 10 percent of total visitors in 2002 were visiting with an organized group.
The operators identified advertising, marketing and promotions as the most
important factors for their success. They have the most difficulty promoting their enterprises and
finding and hiring qualified employees, but they also reported some difficulty with liability insurance,
identifying markets, signage, preparing business plans and financing issues.
The study was conducted as part of the Tennessee Agritourism Initiative, which is a
partnership of the Tennessee Departments of Agriculture, Tourist Development and Economic and Community Development,
the University of Tennessee Extension and the Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation. Funding was provided in part by
USDA Rural Development.
For more information, see “A Snapshot of Tennessee Agritourism:
Results from the 2003 Enterprise Inventory” at
http://utextension.tennessee.edu/publications/pbfiles/PB1747.pdf or contact the University of Tennessee Center for Profitable Agriculture
at 931-486-2777.
Contact: Megan Bruch
Center for Profitable Agriculture
The University of Tennessee Agricultural Extension Service
931-486-2777
mbruch@utk.edu
http://cpa.utk.edu
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