Brit Thompson, a farmer in Wisconsin, has capitalized on the growing trend of agritourism by transforming her vintage Airstream trailer into an Airbnb rental. Her guests, seeking rural escapes, provide a steady income stream amidst declining crop prices and volatile agricultural markets. Thompson's story highlights the increasing reliance of farmers on alternative revenue streams to survive in challenging economic times.
Farmer Brit Thompson's vintage Airstream camper, being used as an Airbnb rental to capitalize on an explosion of city dwellers and suburbanites flocking to rural areas for vacations, is seen on Thompson's Pink River Ranch in Blanchardville, Wisconsin, May 2024. — Honest Mom Photography handout via Reutersas a first-time user .
Revenue from Thompson’s Airbnb has helped her endure volatile commodities markets and far outpaced what she made from selling beef and lamb to restaurants and directly to consumers, she said. Free-roaming tabby cats on her property are now accustomed to the sound of guests’ tires crunching on the gravel driveway and come running toward those bringing in the extra income - and the extra affection.
“Now that we’re back to normal, people are still remembering those experiences and they’ve brought those activities into their family traditions,” said Suzi Spahr, director of the International Agritourism Association. Nationally, about 7 per cent of farms offer agritourism opportunities, which also includes sales of farm products to visitors, said Lisa Chase, an extension professor at the University of Vermont.
“We’re able to weather some of these tighter or negative margin years because we’ve diversified the way we earn money,” said Kaylee Heap, 35, co-manager of Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm, a sprawling corn and soybean farm in Illinois. Not all farms are suited for tourism. Some have inaccessible locations or owners who are unwilling to open their property to strangers. Insurance and compliance with government regulations can also be costly.
The desire to raise children in a rural setting and share their agricultural lifestyle with visitors also motivates farmers to open their property to the public, farmers said.
Agritourism Airbnb Farm Income Rural Tourism Sustainability
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