Agritourism

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A form of travel centered around visiting farms and rural settings for leisure, educational purposes, and support of local agriculture
2. This type of tourism involves experiencing farming life while participating in recreational activities that benefit rural economies
3. A niche form of tourism that focuses on engaging with rural communities through farm visits, educational experiences, and recreational activities that promote local agriculture and economies

Etymology: Agritourism is a plain compound: "agri-", from Latin "ager" meaning field or land, joined to "tourism," which itself comes from the French "tour" (a journey around a place). Put together, the word describes travel built around the countryside, though the pieces tell only part of the story. The more interesting thread runs through Italy. Italian "agriturismo" describes holiday stays on working farms, and English speakers may have borrowed the idea or the term from that Romance usage. The two words look nearly identical, which suggests a shared model, but the exact route from Italian to English is not settled. Agritourism has become the common English label for the trend of farm stays, pick-your-own orchards, and rural education visits. Its meaning rests on the same two roots as its parts: the land and the journey.

Synonyms: farm tourism, agricultural tourism