A new study of the state's agritourism industry estimates that its economic impact in Tennessee more than doubled between 2006 and 2012.
Researchers with the University of Tennessee Institute of Agriculture estimate visitors to Tennessee agritourism operations in 2012 spent more than $34.4 million directly and more than $54.2 million total.
Those estimates are based on survey responses from 171 Tennessee agritourism farms. The 110 agritourism operators who reported visitor numbers on the survey estimated they hosted more than 1.75 million people on their farms in 2012. The most common types of activities and attractions were on-farm retail markets, school field trips, event hosting, pick-your-own product operations, wagon rides and farm tours.
More information is available on the website of the UT Center for Profitable Agriculture website at http://ag.tennessee.edu/cpa .