Research & Reports

UC ANR researchers have studied California agritourism operators and agritourism visitors, have mapped California agritourism, and have participated with other researchers on multi-state studies of agritourism operations and visitors.

• California's agritourism operations expand despite facing regulatory challenges. This article, published in California Agriculture Volume 74, No. 3, on October 20, 2020, presents findings from a collection of surveys, showing that agritourism operators in California need increased support from their local governments and the state regarding regulatory requirements.

• Mapping California Agritourism 2015 - maps created from multiple lists of agritourism operations and on-vineyard wineries.

• Influences Affecting Agritourism Success in the Western U.S. This presentation shares some results of a survey of agritourism operators conducted in early 2015 in both California and Colorado.
  
  • The presentation is part of a multi-state research project led by researchers at Colorado State University: Place Based Innovation: An Integrated Look at Agritourism in the Western U.S.

• California agritourism operations and their economic potential are growing. This peer-reviewed research article was published in California Agriculture Volume 65, No.2, April-June 2011, reporting final results of California's first statewide economic survey of agritourism operators, conducted in 2009 by researchers from UC Cooperative Extension and the UC Small Farm Program.
  • First statewide agritourism survey yields early results. This article is an overview of preliminary findings from the 2009 survey, from Small Farm News 2, 2009.
  • Survey of California agritourism operators, 2009. This presentation shares additional data and graphs, and was first presented at the 2009 National Extension Tourism Conference.

• Information Channels Reaching Agricultural and On-Farm Nature Tourism Visitors(2007)
• Consumer Demand for Agricultural and On-Farm Nature Tourism (2005)
• Obstacles in the Agritourism Regulatory Process(2003). Brief (PDF) from the UC Agricultural Issues Center examines perspectives of agritourism operators and officials in 10 California counties.

Other related resources

• Website: Visit California Industry - research reports, state and county level statistics and trends in California tourism
• Summary of different state agritourism legislation benefitting agritourism from the National Agricultural Law Center

Regional agritourism studies
Articles and presentations by University of California researchers

• Unique Niches: Agritourism in Britain and New England
  by Ellie Rilla, Director, Marin and Sonoma Counties UC Cooperative Extension, 1999
• Agritourism Benefits Agriculture in San Diego County
  by Ramiro Lobo et al, 1999
• El Dorado - From Gold Rush to Agritourism: The Search for Sustainable Development in California
  by Desmond Jolly and Mario Moratorio, 2000