To be held August 12-13, the summit is expecting 200 or more delegates and will explore the opportunities agritourism presents for rural communities to make them more resilient to challenges like drought. The event will include farmer-led panels and farm tours.
“Orange is quickly establishing itself as one of Australia’s top agritourism destinations, making it the perfect location to explore how we can further develop this sector nationally and help farmers diversify their offerings,” said AgriTourism Summit organiser, Gary FitzRoy.
“In Australia, where farmers face the daily challenges of climate extremes, agritourism presents a drought-proofing strategy and a sustainable solution for the future.
“However, developing and scaling the sector will require supportive government policy and a roadmap for growth.
“This year, we want to delve into how we can unlock agritourism’s potential, break through some of the barriers which exist and come up with a sector-led action plan to present to policy makers.”
The summit has support from both Orange City Council and Destination NSW. The state government has flagged agritourism as an opportunity for the state’s visitor economy in the latest review of the NSW tourism strategy.
“The NSW Government is proud to support the 2025 AgriTourism Summit and its focus on future-proofing regional visitor economies,” said the state’s new tourism minister, Steve Kamper.
“NSW has so much to offer. It is one of the most seasonally diverse agricultural regions in Australia and we are seeing an increasing number of domestic and international visitors immersing themselves in authentic experiences across the state.
“From booking unique farm stays to sampling wines at our world-class vineyards, foraging for truffles in our cool-climate regions, shucking oysters in our waterways and picking fruit in our orchards, agritourism plays a vital role in our visitor economy strategy.”
The state’s agriculture minister, Tara Moriarty, added: “Diversifying revenue streams for farmers through agritourism is an emerging activity and can grow to securing year-round income that balances seasonal income.
“Bringing together potential practitioners and experts at this summit is a smart idea and eventually we know from overseas experiences if agritourism grows it can boost the brands of location-based foods, wines and fibres into national and international markets.”
Agritourism offerings could also offer new opportunities for business events groups outside of Australia’s major cities and make regional areas more attractive for corporate retreats and conferences.
