TEHRAN –Agritourism permits have been issued to three farms in the northern Mazandaran province, the provincial tourism chief has said. 

Out of seven applications, three farms were granted agritourism permits, Mehdi Izadi said on Saturday. 

Such permits are given to eligible farm owners in the country to launch their agritourism businesses, aiming to set certain standards in a move to ensure the quality of such services in the country.

There are a variety of activities associated with farm tourism, including agriculture, horticulture, animal husbandry, poultry breeding, as well as other activities that tourists find interesting, the official added. 

Agritourism is one of the newest forms of tourism with a direct and strong link to rural life, and by using these activities a region can witness sustainable development, he noted. 

Agritourism is a relatively new branch of the travel industry in which tourists stay with local people in rural areas. Farm/ranch recreation refers to activities conducted on private agricultural lands, which might include fee-hunting and fishing, overnight stays, educational activities, etc.

Experts believe that in addition to the customer services jobs, agritourism pays special attention to the production sector, saying agricultural tourism is much more important and practical than other branches of tourism because it creates a new chain and diversity in the field of production and services.

Agritourism and nature-tourism enterprises might include outdoor recreation (fishing, hunting, wildlife study, horseback riding), educational experiences (cannery tours, cooking classes, or tea or coffee tasting), entertainment (harvest festivals or barn dances), hospitality services (farm stays, guided tours, or outfitter services), and on-farm direct sales (u-pick operations or roadside stands).

Agritourism is a subset of a larger industry called rural tourism that includes resorts, off-site farmers' markets, non-profit agricultural tours, and other leisure and hospitality businesses that attract visitors to the countryside.

ABU/AFM