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| Rural Tourism Market Growth |
The global rural tourism market encompasses tours and activities centered
around rural villages, farmlands, indigenous cultures and unique way of life.
Rural tourism provides memorable experiences like farm visits, organic farming,
rural heritage sites, village tours, culinary trails, adventure sports and stay
at rural homestays. It offers travelers a chance to escape from their routine
urban lifestyle and reconnect with nature, traditions and calmness of village
life. The growing desire for unique and meaningful experiences away from
mainstream mass tourism is driving growth in rural and ecotourism.
The rural
tourism market is estimated to be valued at US$ 177.78 billion in 2024 and is
expected to exhibit a CAGR of 7.1% over the forecast period 2024 to 2031.
Key Takeaways
Key players operating in the Rural
Tourism Market Growth are The Greener Pastures, Culture Aangan,
Grassroutes, Muddy Boots, Navadarshanam, CENTRAL NODAL AGENCY, Incredible Rural
India, Trippin Traveller, Travel and Transport, Altour, Direct Travel, World
Travel Inc, Omega World Travel, Frosch, JTB Americas Group, Ovation Travel
Group. The growing interest of urban dwellers to learn rural traditions and
reconnect with nature is boosting demand for rural tourism packages and
activities. Technological advancements like virtual tours, apps for booking
rural stays and activities and digital marketing are helping rural tourism
operators expand their business.
Market Trends
Sustainable and responsible tourism is gaining prominence in the rural tourism
industry. Several destinations and operators are focusing on community-based
tourism that benefits local communities. Authentic experiences showing the real
rural way of life while conserving local culture and environment are in high
demand. Another trend is experiential rural tourism integrated with activities
like agriculture workshops, craft lessons, culinary experiences, heritage walks
etc. to offer an immersive experience to travelers.
Market Opportunities
One of the major opportunities for rural tourism market is attracting young
adventures seekers. curated rural recreation packages involving rural games,
adventure sports, camping, trekking are appealing to millennials and Gen Z.
Secondly, with rising health & wellness tourism, there are opportunities to
promote rural locations for their clean environment, organic & farm-fresh
foods as well as traditional medicinal & healing practices.
Impact of COVID-19 on Global Rural Tourism Market Growth
The COVID-19 pandemic has severely impacted the global rural tourism market.
During the peak of the pandemic in 2020 and 2021, travel restrictions and
lockdowns were imposed worldwide to curb the spread of the virus. This led to
rural tourism facilities like homestays, farms, agri-tourism centers witnessing
minimal or zero footfalls. The revenue of rural tourism operators declined
sharply during this period.
However, with vaccination drives gaining momentum globally, restrictions are
gradually being lifted. Rural areas witnessed higher tourist inflows post
lockdowns as people preferred opennatural destinations over crowded cities and
towns. The secluded ambiance of villages aided social distancing. To revive the
sector, several rural tourism bodies and local administrations launched
promotional campaigns highlighting safety protocols. Schemes supporting rural
tourism businesses helped many stays to restart operations. While international
travel is yet to recover fully, domestic rural tourism is seeing reasonable
growth. Adoption of digital technologies for bookings and payments also aided
contactless travel experiences.
For long term prospects, diversifying experiential offerings, wellness packages
and focus on sustainable tourism will be crucial. Collaboration with local
artisans, farmers and communities can boost rural economies. Targeting niche
interest groups through customized itineraries and activities will aid demand
recovery. With right strategies, rural tourism is set to bounce back stronger
in the coming years.
United States remains a key region for the global rural tourism market in terms
of value. Presence of large tracts of scenic rural lands and prominence of
agri-tourism have supported market growth. States like California, Texas, New
York witness high footfalls to their farms, ranches, national parks and small
towns annually. However, Asia Pacific is emerging as the fastest growing
regional market for rural tourism. Countries like India, China, Thailand are
actively promoting rural experiences to supplement their overall tourism
offerings. Growing popularity of experiential travels and unique cultural
exposure are aiding rural tourism growth across Asia Pacific. Rural destination
development backed by government incentives also boost the regional market.
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