Australia's food and drink experiences
Australian cuisine is all about quality ingredients, the people who produce them and the incredible landscapes in which they’re shared.
Sectors
Agritourism
Wilga Station, Evans Plains, Bathurst, New South Wales. © Tourism Australia
Tourism Australia is working to raise the profile of Australian agritourism-aligned experiences to drive regional dispersal and showcase the best of our country's agricultural heartlands.
Agritourism connects visitors with authentic regional food, fibre, and farm experiences, leveraging Australia’s reputation for innovative, modern, and sustainable agriculture. By inviting travellers behind the farm gate, the sector opens up thriving regional destinations while providing vital economic support directly to rural communities.
For our target audience of High Value Travellers, food and farm experiences hold immense appeal. Research highlights that food and drink offerings are a central consideration for international holidaymakers, acting as a key driver when both researching potential destinations and booking their final travel itineraries.
To support the growth of the sector, Tourism Australia worked with State and Territory Tourism Organisations, Regional Tourism Organisations, and the National Farmers’ Federation to release the National Agritourism Strategic Framework. This initiative provides industry stakeholders with strategic toolkits and actionable plans to help build sector capability and unlock the full potential of Australian agritourism.
Our commitment
Tourism Australia is committed to championing 'Food Bowl' destinations as compelling, world-class agritourism regions. We recognise that supporting regional operators, from farm-stays and farm-gate attractions to local markets, wineries, breweries, distilleries, cooking schools, and food tours, is key to dispersing visitors, enriching local communities, and building a prosperous future for Australia’s visitor economy.
To map the sector, Tourism Australia analysed Australian Tourism Data Warehouse (ATDW) listings, confirming 5,666 agritourism operators nationwide (60% on-farm, 40% off-farm) across 60 Local Councils with at least 20 on-farm operators each. Together, these form 34 distinct regional 'Food Bowls' across the country, highlighting the diverse experiences that position Australia as a premier culinary and agricultural destination.
Resources for tourism operators
Starting your journey
Tourism Australia works closely with State and Territory Tourism Organisations (STOs) and Regional Tourism Organisations (RTOs), many of whom have established dedicated plans and strategies to support the growth of the agritourism sector at the grass-roots level. This includes advocating for crucial planning, regulatory, and capability support from local councils.
To explore regional initiatives, connect directly with your state or territory tourism organisation:
Growing market demand
To drive consumer awareness, Tourism Australia creates campaigns and destination content that encourage travellers to "go where it grows." Discover how we promote regional experiences to international visitors:
- Food & drinks hub: Discover regional culinary and farm-gate experiences.
- Regional place guides: See how agricultural hubs are featured to drive regional dispersal.
Travel trade distribution
Tourism Australia delivers a dedicated distribution development plan designed to extend the reach of agritourism experiences through global trade partners and emerging online platforms. Key initiatives include:
- Australian Tourism Exchange (ATE): Facilitating direct trade connections for agritourism operators with international buyers.
- Food Bowl itineraries: Developing innovative travel itineraries that guide trade partners in packaging multi-day regional culinary journeys.
- Aussie Specialist Program: Offering a specialised agritourism training module to educate international retail travel agents on selling Australian farm and food experiences.
Industry support, research and insights
Tourism Australia collaborates with Austrade and Tourism Research Australia (TRA) to deliver robust data, research, and benchmarking on the economic and social value of agritourism across the country.
Operators and industry partners can access dedicated sector research and insights:
- TRA agritourism fact sheets: Download comprehensive data on visitor expenditure, volume, and regional impact.
- Farm Tourism Survey: Access operator research exploring industry capabilities, regional growth opportunities, and business needs.
- Future of Demand insights: Discover research on evolving traveller preferences, market trends, and emerging agritourism consumer demand.
Curringa Farm, Hamilton, Derwent Valley, Tasmania © Tourism Australia
Grow you good thing: The impact of agritourism
Sharing the real-world impact of agritourism helps showcase how farm-gate experiences enrich local regions and resonate deeply with modern visitors. By highlighting the social, economic, and cultural benefits of agritourism, operators and destinations can tell compelling, authentic stories that captivate global audiences.
Impact on farmers and communities
Agritourism delivers a direct, positive impact on primary producers by providing vital economic diversification, building financial resilience, supporting regional job creation, and preserving local heritage. Tourism Australia tracks and measures these community outcomes, drawing on Agritourism Tracker data and operator case studies, to demonstrate the sector's long-term value to regional Australia.
Impact on travellers
The impact on visitors is profound; connecting travellers directly to the origins of their food and fibre creates meaningful, high-value travel experiences. Sharing these transformational guest stories across social media channels, digital reels, and editorial media features helps inspire future holidaymakers to seek out regional journeys.
