Successful farm holidays: Over 2 million visitors to South Tyrol!

Successful farm holidays: Over 2 million visitors to South Tyrol!

On October 14, 2025, the 25th specialist conference for farm holidays took place in the Congress Center of the Bolzano Trade Fair. This event reflects the remarkable success story of the agritourism sector in South Tyrol. With a record number of over 2.1 million visits to the website www.roterhahn.it and a daily number of visitors of around 6,500 in the last three months shows the growing interest in authentic farm experiences.

A total of over 111,000 inquiries from those interested in the South Tyrolean farms were registered by September. These numbers illustrate the fascination that life on the farm and the connection with nature holds. Authenticity, personal contacts and integration into life on the farm are among the key success factors. Almost half of the farms offer breakfast, and around 650 farms have a farm shop or produce corner offering local specialties.

The role of digitalization

However, there are still major challenges in the digitalization of companies. Online booking in particular is lagging behind. An improved digital infrastructure could not only increase utilization, but also relieve the burden on farming families. Artificial intelligence is seen as a key technology to increase productivity and respond more fully to guests' wishes. Despite these technologies, personal contact with guests remains a central aspect.

Practical examples from the field support these findings. Otto Pomella offers farm tours, while Elisabeth Kaser organizes dumpling evenings and Eva Götsch invites guests to work in the stables. To support farmers' stress resistance, there is advice from sports psychologist Hans-Dieter Hermann, who emphasizes the importance of social bonds, teamwork and passion for work to manage stress.

Insights into the future of agriculture

In a broader context, it can be seen that advances in agriculture are also leading to upheaval in other regions, such as Switzerland. Some farms there manage to be controlled almost entirely remotely. Robots take on tasks such as feeding or manure removal, giving farmers more free time and the opportunity to take vacations. Fabian Pellaux, a former computer scientist, has largely automated his farm and can monitor his cows via cameras that provide him with live images on a tablet. This automation has not only made his everyday work easier, but also improved his personal quality of life.

Although robots take on many labor-intensive tasks, human presence remains essential. One employee is still required to work 100 percent in the company, while another takes on observation tasks during vacation times. Balancing technology and traditional agriculture remains a key challenge.

The specialist conference in South Tyrol illustrates how important it is to further promote and modernize the agritourism sector. State chairman Daniel Gasser emphasizes the economic importance of holidays on the farm, while state councilor Luis Walcher emphasizes the relevance of proximity and personality for the guests. The future of farm holidays in South Tyrol looks promising and could at the same time serve as a model for agriculture in other regions.