The growth of agritourism in rural New Zealand - who can benefit from this ever-increasing trend?

(Article by PGG Wrightson Real Estate - January 2025)

​From off-grid Airbnbs, to experiencing ‘life on the farm’ and access to remote and private locations, the move to agritourism in rural New Zealand is on the up - providing numerous opportunities for property owners to benefit from multiple income streams.
And now we’ve got a bunch of exciting new ventures for property owners and visitors alike. But what exactly is agritourism, who can benefit from what it has to offer and what are some of the challenges operators may face? 

At its core, agritourism is about property owners diversifying their income. Agritourism NZ, the industry body for agritourism in New Zealand, describes it as ‘a combination between agriculture and tourism, to promote sustainable tourism, support local agriculture and provide economic benefits to primary producers and rural communities’. 

You also don’t have to look far to find many different real-life examples of agritourism ventures. In recent years, glamping escapes have become an extremely popular option for rural and semi-rural properties. These are typically off-grid accommodations, with all the modern comforts and ‘rustic’ elements - such as open fires and bathtubs under starlit skies. Providing visitors with unique lodgings, day-to-day farming operations can remain largely undisturbed while also allowing for another way to profit off the property. 

Other agritourism businesses include farm tours, mountain bike and hiking trails on farms, horse treks, a creamery with cheesemaking tours and even simply making a picnic area available for tourists to enjoy lunch while sunflowers bloom around them.

Opening up properties for hunting is another favourable venture for many farmers. A large Horowhenua rural property sold in early September, marketed as an impressive recreational hunting block, along with well maintained all-terrain and four-wheel drive vehicle tracks - and it was noted that opportunities for future development include tourism hunting (as a deer park), horse trekking, mountain biking or bird watching. 

Click here to read the full article on the PGG Wrightson's website