Edmonton, Alta., November 4, 2026 - Agritourism Alberta celebrates today’s release of the Rural Municipalities of Alberta's (RMA) final report, Growing Success: Advancing Agritourism in Alberta, a significant milestone in the advancement of Alberta's agritourism industry.
The report is the culmination of extensive collaboration through RMA's Agritourism Strategy Working Group, which brought together representatives from agriculture, tourism, municipal and provincial governments, and industry associations to identify opportunities and recommendations for supporting the responsible growth of agritourism across Alberta.
Agritourism Alberta President, Tam Andersen, served as a member of the Working Group, representing Alberta's agritourism operators and contributing industry perspectives throughout the development of the report.
"RMA deserves significant credit for recognizing the potential of agritourism and creating a forum where diverse voices could come together to develop practical recommendations," said Tam Andersen. “Agritourism has enormous potential to strengthen public understanding of agriculture, create jobs in rural Alberta, diversify farm income, and enhance rural communities. This report provides a strong roadmap for moving that vision forward.”
Release of this report recognizes that agritourism is an increasingly important contributor to Alberta’s economy. Agritourism Alberta is identified as a key partner in advancing all six recommendations, reflecting the association's important role in supporting the sector's continued development, including enhanced liability protection backed by provincial legislation, more supportive municipal policies, greater public awareness, and the establishment of a centralized agritourism operator hub to support sector access to data, regulatory information, best practices, and other resources.
Agritourism Alberta is the province’s leading industry association representing farms and ranches engaged in agritourism activities and serves as a source of industry expertise in farm diversification, destination development and economic growth in rural Alberta.
"Agritourism Alberta is well-positioned to support the implementation of these recommendations,” Andersen added, and looks forward to continuing to work with RMA, municipalities, industry partners, and the Government of Alberta to build a stronger, more competitive agritourism sector that benefits producers, communities, and visitors alike."
As consumer interest in local food, agricultural experiences, farm stays, educational programming, and rural tourism continues to grow, Alberta needs to be ready to capitalize on emerging opportunities and strengthen the connections between agriculture and tourism to become a national leader in agritourism development.