The webinar “Policy, Advocacy, and Strategy for Supporting Agritourism” discussed various aspects of agritourism, such as its economic impact, challenges in communication with politicians, and the need for legal adjustments to enable the growth of this sector.
The goal of the webinar was to provide participants with insight into the importance of agritourism as a significant part of agriculture and its role in the economic development of rural areas. Through discussions on political and legal barriers, it was highlighted that existing laws often present obstacles for small farms wishing to engage in agritourism. These barriers mostly involve inadequate land laws, development permits, and regulations that are often expensive and complicated to implement.
The webinar also emphasized the importance of educating the public and politicians about the economic benefits of agritourism, such as job creation, and stressed that communication with decision-makers should be based on concrete examples from practice, where it is crucial to demonstrate how agritourism can contribute to the local economy without jeopardizing traditional agricultural activities. It also highlighted the need for reforms to support the development of agritourism.
The webinar provided information on reforms that started a few years ago, with slow progress, but examples from Australia and pilot projects in New South Wales show that collaboration between farmer associations, tourism organizations, and the government is key to success, and it is important to build a clear legal framework that will enable the development of small agritourism businesses while maintaining farm productivity.
Finally, the message of the webinar was that it is essential to continue educating the public and politicians about the importance of agritourism, as well as working to eliminate legal and political barriers that limit the growth of this sector. Only through clear communication and cooperation among various stakeholders can significant progress be made in the development of agritourism, which will contribute to the sustainable development of rural areas and the economy as a whole.
The event was attended by project team member Asst. Prof. Zoran Brljak with the aim of learning from experts’ experiences and research on this topic. This webinar provided him with valuable information and examples of best practices.
Picture 1. Asst.Prof. Zoran Brljak, a member of the project team, greets the participants
Picture 2. Opening of the event
Picture 3. Lisa Chase, University of Vermont, moderator
Picture 4. Lisa Chase, University of Vermont, moderator
Picture 5. Marge Kilkelly, Dragon Fly Cove Farm, Maine, USA, panelist
Picture 6. Marge Kilkelly, Dragon Fly Cove Farm, Maine, USA, panelist and Discussion
Picture 7. Rose Wright, Regionality, New South Wales, Australia, panelist
Picture 8. Rose Wright, Regionality, New South Wales, Australia, panelist and Discussion
