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A new era for agritourism - Gen Z and Millennial preferences

What was once centered on a simple farm visit, such as a u-pick experience or a fall pumpkin patch, is rapidly evolving into immersive, high-value experiences that blend agriculture with wellness, technology, education, and hospitality. This change is primarily driven by the tastes of Millennials and, increasingly, Gen Z young adults.

The majority of agritourism spending comes from households with young adults aged 18-44. This age group makes up the vast majority of families with young children and also includes young adults searching for entertainment options. As Gen Z continues to age into this primary target market for many entertainment and agritourism venues (they currently represent about 43% of adults 18-44, with the oldest being age 29), our company is spending significant time analyzing this evolving market demographic and how to entice them to agritourism venues. Let's take a look at the shifting dynamics of potential agritourism guests.

Gen Z adults prioritize authentic, hands-on experiences, sustainability, and shareable moments over price alone, and that preference shows in their spending habits. According to Kampgrounds of America's 2025 report on camping and outdoor hospitality, Gen Z is spending $266/day on outdoor trips. Millennials are not far behind at $242/day, both much more than older generations.

Young adults are spending more than other generations because of their preference for elevated food and beverage, luxurious glamping campsites, and authentic outdoor experiences. From farm-to-table dining and chef-led harvest dinners to wellness retreats featuring yoga, sound healing, and herbal workshops, young adults are seeking to actively participate in agriculture, not merely observe it. The result is deeper engagement, stronger storytelling, and new premium revenue streams for agritourism operators. 

To attract these young adults to your agritourism venue, it is necessary to offer experiences that align with their tastes and values. Fortunately, several aspects of an agritourism venue correspond well with young adults' ideals.

Experiential (prioritized over price)

Gen Z and Millennials prefer experiences over goods and will pay a premium for immersive, authentic experiences that match their values. U-pick, especially when it includes educational or transformative elements, animal encounters, and workshops such as fermentation, gardening, or cooking, exemplify experiential and transformative activities that appeals to young adults.

Sustainability

Environmental and sustainability concerns are primary drivers for these generational cohorts. They are often willing to pay more for products or experiences they perceive as green or environmentally friendly. By promoting your farm's sustainable practices, especially on your social media, you will help young adults feel confident that they are giving their hard-earned dollars to an environmentally responsible local business. You can increase your perceived sustainability by offering tours or classes with a sustainable component, such as composting classes or tours of your regenerative farming.

Authenticity

These young adults are seeking authentic experiences, not a Disney-fied facsimile. By offering your guests hands-on opportunities to experience a working farm, you allow them to unplug from their daily world and, at least for a moment, imagine another way of living. This could range from a simple u-pick experience to participation in daily farm chores, such as feeding animals or collecting eggs.

Food-centric activities

Young adults are the consummate food adventurers, with over two-thirds exhibiting foodie behaviors of adventure and discovery. Fresh, local, and unique food and beverage offerings are an ideal way to draw them to your farm or ranch. From farm-to- table dinners to seasonal crop festivals to cooking and gardening classes, young adults will gravitate toward food-centric events.

Wellness-focused.

Young adults' view of wellness is more nuanced than that of prior generations, focusing not only on physical health but also on mental health and stress-related issues. Activities such as yoga, guided meditation, retreats, sound bathing, and other experiences that emphasize the farm as a healing space will attract these young guests.

Many farm activities, some of which you may already offer, not only align with young adults' sensibilities but also often possess several of the qualities young adults seek. For instance, a farm-to-table dinner with a tour of the farm could include experiential, sustainable, authentic, food-centric, and wellness-focused.

Young adults have enormous, largely untapped revenue potential for agritourism venues. By programming events that incorporate the characteristics that appeal to them and by emphasizing those characteristics in your marketing, especially on social media, your agritourism venue can tap into this market, keep your farm relevant in a time of shifting priorities and values and increase your bottom line.

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