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Opening an agritourism farm is the goal of many aspiring entrepreneurs with a passion for nature, and can also be a great way to maximise the income of a farm of any type and size.
If you love nature and meeting new people then opening a farmhouse could be one of the best business ideas for you!
To put this business idea into practice you will need to make a certain investment or find suitable regional and/or national grants to support the project.
If you don‘t already have one, you will have to find a suitable structure, renovate it to accommodate guests and accommodate them during their stay, but the rewards and returns can be very high. To obtain your first customers, place your structure on suitable and highly visible territorial platforms on the web, showing everything your agritourism and the Oltrepò pavese can offer: from typical local products to breathtaking views. Later, as your business grows, you can expand your brand with a customised website and offer additional experiences to help your customers discover the area.
To open and run an agritourism business, you must be an agricultural entrepreneur. What does this mean? The Civil Code clarifies:
‘An agricultural entrepreneur is a person who carries out an activity directed to the cultivation of the land, forestry, livestock farming and related activities‘.
Specifically, the agricultural entrepreneur must have specific knowledge and skills in the field of agriculture, devote at least 50 per cent of his working time to agricultural activity, and derive at least 50 per cent of his overall income from the same activity.
The agricultural activity can be carried out directly by the entrepreneur, but also by an employee, the important thing being that the land provides agricultural income. The entrepreneur does not necessarily have to own the land he cultivates, but it is sufficient to have the availability of the land (rented, for example). Obviously it is necessary for the entrepreneur to have technical and administrative knowledge of the agritourism discipline.
Being an agricultural entrepreneur is therefore the subjective requirement for opening an agritourism business. Having (physically) the availability of a farm where to cultivate, breed or start any agricultural activity is the objective requirement. The agritourism must be located in a rural area, it must have hectares of land to cultivate and it must produce what it will offer its guests.
All these characteristics are perfect for the Oltrepò pavese: opening an agritourism in the green expanses surrounding the villages of the Oltrepò, offering guests the typical products of this territory.
