Farm holidays and rural stays have increased by 45 percent over the past three years as the public increasingly take advantage of 'staycations'.
Farm Stay, an organisation which lists farms offering agri-tourism, has reported a 45% surge in bookings since 2018, the biggest increase in its 38-year history.
It found that rural escapes are most popular amongst the 25 - 34 years age bracket, millennial couples and young families.
Glamping has soared in popularity, with almost as many people searching for it as B&B accommodation, up over 3,000 searches from 58,891 in 2018-19 to 62,023 in 2020-21.
However, Farm Stay notes that this may be due to Covid-19 restrictions on B&B accommodation over the past year.
There has also been a 58% increase in those looking for ‘large group’ i.e., sleeping 12 and above accommodation.
Indoor pools and hot tubs are a new ‘must have’, with searches up 45% and 35% respectively in the last three years.
Kay Barriball, Farm Stay chairperson said: "We see this as a trend which will become even more pronounced post-pandemic, both in terms of what our members offer, and what guests look for in a holiday."
Farm Stay was originally founded as the UK’s first not-for-profit farmer owned consortium aimed at promoting the country’s agri-tourism industry.
The organisation has now grown to offer to the public over 420 farm stays and rural holidays.
