Agritourism Sector Reconvenes to Build on Global Synergy
The International Workshop on Agritourism will be held August 30 – September 1, 2022, in Burlington, Vermont, USA. The first World Congress on Agritourism was held in Bolzano, South Tyrol, Italy in 2018. To build on the success and momentum, the organizer, Eurac Research*, partnered with the University of Vermont Extension, the bid-winner, to host the second edition. The conference was initially planned for 2020 but postponed twice due to the global pandemic.
The conference is expected to welcome 430 participants from 50 countries in North America, Latin America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Oceania. While the nationals of numerous countries couldn’t obtain visas to the U.S., participants from 35 countries will be gathering in Burlington, with 25% of attendees joining online.
The conference is packed with more than 150 speakers, interactive workshops, and poster presentations. A broad spectrum of topics comprises Agritourism Best Practices, agritourism entrepreneurship, food/wine oriented agritourism, marketing strategies in the social media era, sustainability/diversity/inclusivity issues, research reports on multifaceted agritourism aspects, agritourism education, the future of agritourism, etc.
Additional activities include a farm-to-table dinner and pre/post conference study tours to farms and other agricultural enterprises. Attendees will have ample opportunities to explore Vermont-specific agritourism practices and to exchange ideas with counterparts from all over the world.
Vermont has a rich agricultural heritage where the agricultural and agritourism working landscape is central to its identity. Vermont Governor Phil Scott embraced the conference and declared August Agritourism Month. “Agriculture is part of our culture, our brand, and a critical part of our economy,” said Governor Scott. “That’s why it’s so important we find ways to continue supporting this sector, through strategic investments, and also by supporting creative new opportunities, like agritourism.”
Dr. Lisa Chase, Conference Chair and University of Vermont Extension professor, warmly welcomes participants to Vermont. “We are rolling out the red carpet for agritourism leaders traveling from all over the globe and joining us online for this event. We are excited to share our amazing farms and food in the Green Mountain State, and we look forward to learning about agritourism in other parts of the world,” says Chase.
