FARMVILLE

The farm vacation….

MISSION: To create awareness among urban masses about village & farm life while being able to
offer a relaxing environment for a stress free vacation.

THE CONCEPT: Tourism is now well recognised as an engine

of growth in the various economies in the world. Several
countries have transformed their economies by developing
their tourism potential. Tourism has great capacity to
generate large-scale employment and additional income
sources to the skilled and unskilled. Today the concept of
traditional tourism has been changed. Some new areas of
the tourism have been emerged like Agro-Tourism.
Promotion of tourism would bring many direct and indirect
benefits to the people. Agro-tourism is a way of sustainable tourist development and multi-activity
in rural areas through which the visitor has the opportunity to get aware with agricultural areas,
agricultural occupations, local products, traditional food and the daily life of the rural people, as well
as the cultural elements and traditions. Moreover, this activity brings visitors closer to nature and
rural activities in which they can participate, be entertained and feel the pleasure of touring.

SCOPE FOR AGRI-TOURISM: Agri-Tourism has great scope in the present context for the following
reasons. 
(1). An inexpensive gateway: The cost of food, accommodation, recreation and travel is minimum in
Agri-Tourism. This widens the tourist base. Present concept of travel and tourism is limited to urban
and rich class which constitute only small portion of the population. However, the concept of Agri-
tourism takes travel and tourism to the larger population, widening the scope of tourism due to its
cost effectiveness. 

(2). Curiosity about the farming

industry and life style: The urban
population basically which has roots in
villages always has curiosity about
sources of food, plants, animals, raw
materials like wood, handicrafts,
languages, culture, tradition, dresses
and lifestyle. Agri-tourism which
revolves around the farmers, villages and agriculture has the capacity to satisfy the curiosity of this
segment of population. Agri-tourism provides scope for rediscovering the rural life which is rich in
diversity. 

(3). Strong demand for wholesome family oriented recreational activities: Villages provide
recreational opportunities to all age groups i.e. children young, middle and old age, male, female, in
total to the whole family at cheaper cost. Rural games, festivals, food, dress and the nature provides
variety of entertainment to the whole family. 

(4). Health consciousness of urban population and finding solace with nature friendly means:
Modern lifestyle has made the life stressful and average life span has
comedown. Hence, people are in constant search of pro-nature means to
make life more peaceful. Ayurveda which is pro-nature medical approach has
roots in villages. Indigenous medical knowledge of villagers is respected.
Organic foods are in greater demand in urban areas and foreign countries. In
total, health conscious urban population is looking towards pro-nature
villages for solutions. 

(5). Desire for peace and tranquility: Modern

life is the product of diversified thinking and
diversified activities. Every individual
attempts to work more, in different directions to earn more money
to enjoy modern comforts. Hence, peace is always out of his system.
Tourism is the means for searching peaceful location. Peace and
tranquility are inbuilt in Agri-tourism as it is away from urban areas
and close to nature. 

(6). Interest in natural environment - Busy urban population is

leaning towards nature because natural environment is always away
from busy life. Birds, animals, crops, mountains, water bodies,
villages provide totally different atmosphere to urban population in which they can forget their busy
urban life. 

(7). Disillusionment with over crowded resorts and cities: In resorts and cities, over crowded peace
seekers disturb each others peace. Hence, peace is beyond cities and resorts. Even though efforts
are made to create village atmosphere in the sub urban areas through resorts, farm houses, it looks
like a donkey painted with tiger colour. Artificiality is highlighted and not satisfying. 

(8). Nostalgia for their roots on the farm: Cities are growing at the cost of villages. Villagers are
migrating to cities in search of jobs and seeking comforts of
modern life. Hence, yesterday’s villagers are today’s
urbanites. Deep in the heart of urbanites lies the love and
respect for their ancestors and villages. Hence, visit to
villages satisfies their desire. This is also expressed through
the hatred of urbanites to flat culture and love for
farmhouses located in the outskirts of cities. Any
opportunity to visit villages and spend time with family is
dream of any urbanite. But, minimum decent facilities are always problem. Agri-tourism attempts to
overcome this problem. 

(9). Rural recreation: Villages provide varieties of recreation to urbanites through festivals and
handicrafts. Villagers’ (farmers) lifestyle, dress, languages, culture / traditions have always added
value to the entertainment. Agriculture environment around farmers and the entire production
process could create curiosity among urban taught. Places of agriculture importance like highest
crop yielding farm, highest animal yielding farm, processing units, farms where innovations tried add
attraction to the tourists. Agriculture products like farm gate fresh market, processed foods, organic
food could lure the urban tourists. As result of this Agri-atmosphere in the villages, there is scope to
develop Agri-tourism products like Agri-shopping, culinary tourism, pick and own your tree / plot,
bed and breakfast, pick and pay, bullock cart riding, camel riding, boating, fishing, herbal walk, rural
games and health (Ayurvedic) tourism.

(10). Educational value of Agri-Tourism:- Agri-tourism could create awareness about rural life and
knowledge about agriculture science among urban school childrens. It provides a best alternative for
school picnics which are urban based. It provides opportunity for hands on experience for urban
college students in Agriculture. It is a means for providing training to future farmers. It would be
effectively used as educational and training tool to train agriculture and line department officers.
This provides unique opportunity for education through recreation where learning is fun effective
and easy. Seeing is believing, doing is learning and most importantly experiences are USP of Agri-
tourism.

THE BUSINESS CONCEPT: In general, Agri-Tourism is the practice of attracting travellers or visitors to
an area or areas used primarily for agricultural purposes. 

However, Agri-Tourism is small-scale, low-impact, and, in most cases, education-focused. For

instance, farm tours, bed and breakfasts, Tractor /
bullock card rides, grapes, mangoes, and other
horticulture farms, by product farms, birds / animal zoos,
and many other activities may be operated with little
additional investment in labour.

SEGMENT: All working people in Bangalore & Mysore

who are often in need of recreation during long
weekends.

MARKET MIX STRATEGY: The proposed market mix strategy for the promotion of Agri-tourism
concept is as follows. 

1. Product - The product in Agri-tourism is seeing, believing and ultimately experiencing. This
experience is unique and unmatched. The experience of climbing a tree, buffalo riding in the
pond and enjoying the sugarcane juice in the field itself are unique and none of the million
dollar tourist centres can create and offer such experiences. 
2. Price - a). Customer segment pricing: Domestic and foreign tourist could be priced differently
as the capacity to pay is different. For a bullock cart riding, a foreign tourist can pay one
dollar where as a domestic tourist can pay only one fourth. 
 b). Location pricing: Pricing in Agri-tourism depends upon location and importance. Agri-
tourism which just offers agriculture and rural life as attraction can charge normal pricing.
Where as Agri-tourism spots which are very close to established tourism centres like temple
towns, hill stations, around big cities can go far little bit higher charging due to added value.
As the pricing in established tourism places are high, it works out to be cheaper for tourist to
stay and enjoy in Agri-tourism spots. 
c). Time pricing: Agri-tourism units can charge higher in peak season i.e. November to
January and change less during rest of the period. During rural festivals or at the time of
important events Agri-tourism units can charge more, even though it is during off season.
3. Place: The place where tourists are accommodated also influence the pricing. It the tourists
are accommodated in villages itself with the farmer, the charging can be less where as
accommodation in farms cost high. Because, exclusively for tourist purpose infrastructure is
created in farm whereas existing facilities are used in farmers’ house in village. 
4. Promotion: Promotion of Agri-tourism and strategic alliance can takes place at three levels.  
(i) Alliance with airlines, tour operators and foreign embassies: This alliance brings foreign
tourists and upper middle class urban tourists into Agri-tourism fold. It may not be possible
for individual farmers to take up this task. Government can assist the Agri-tourism units
through promotion and co-ordination activities through central and state tourism
departments. 
(ii) Alliance with hotel industry: Large number of domestic tourists can be attracted through
alliance with hotel industry. The hotel industry can be used to promote Agri-tourism
concept. 
(iii) Promotion by Agri-tourism units – Basically the promotion takes place through mouth
to mouth and local publicity given by Agri-tourism units. As the absorption capacity of each
unit is very less, direct marketing with little aggressive mode is enough for a Agri-tourism
units to survive. They can go for combined publicity on cost sharing basis and also publics
the Agri-tourism potential in other part of the country. But, promotion of this group
approach needs initial government interventions. 
5. Positioning: Ultimately Agri-tourism concept has to be positioned in the minds of tourists as
“Come, pluck a fruit, smell a flower, run in the fields, lie on the hay and be lost in rural
India”. 

ENTERTAINMENT AGRI-TOURISM: Agri-tourism involvement in agricultural operations

creates joyful experience to the tourist. Agri-tourist involvement in mulching, harvesting
competitions, tree climbing, edible adventure, bullock cart race, buffalo race in wet fields
namely Kambala in Karnataka, shooting a coconut target, fishing etc could generate
enormous joy. There is enough scope to charge entry fee to farmers, providing feed and
accommodation on payment basis and charging the participation of Agri-tourist during rural
games would also generate income to the farmers. 

TARGET: Employees of MNCs (Engineers & BPO employees).

COMPETITION: The competition includes:

 1. Nearby resorts,
2. Reserve forests,
3. Eco-tourism
4. Picnic spots
5. Other agri-tourism centres

There are very few agri-tourism centres in Karnataka. The ones near Bangalore are not very famous.

RESOURCE REQUIREMENTS:

1. 10 acres of land for lease

2. A farmer family to take care of the farm & to carry on agricultural activities for sustaining the
farm.
3. Chickens, cows & pigs.
4. Farm machinery.
5. Sports utility vehicle to take the visitors around the
farm.
6. Necessary home appliances & furnishings for
comfort of the visitors.