Agritourism presents a growing opportunity for farms and rural businesses to diversify income streams, create memorable visitor experiences and strengthen regional communities. Building on the momentum of Tourism Midwest Victoria’s previous agritourism initiatives, expressions of interest are now open for the Midwest Agritourism Accelerator Program.
Designed for farmers, producers and emerging agritourism operators across the region, the program will help participants transform ideas into viable visitor experiences through expert mentoring, practical workshops and tailored business support.
What is the Agritourism Accelerator Program?
The Midwest Agritourism Accelerator Program is a targeted business development initiative that supports landowners and agricultural businesses looking to expand or enhance their agritourism offering. Participants will gain practical insights into product development, visitor experience design, marketing, business planning and working within relevant tourism frameworks.
Whether you’re considering farm tours, on-farm dining, accommodation, pick-your-own experiences, educational activities or other visitor offerings, the program is designed to help you take the next step with confidence.
Program highlights
Participants will benefit from:
- Expert-led agritourism workshops
- One-on-one business mentoring and coaching
- Practical tools and resources to support product development
- Networking opportunities with industry peers
- Guidance on building visitor-ready experiences
- Support to strengthen business resilience and diversify revenue streams
Who should apply?
The program is suited to:
- Farmers interested in diversifying their business through tourism
- Existing agritourism operators looking to grow or refine their offering
- Agricultural producers exploring new visitor experiences
- Rural businesses seeking to attract more visitors and increase on-farm revenue
To be eligible, your business or property address must be located in our catchment, including the City of Ballarat and the shires of Pyrenees, Moorabool, Golden Plains (south of Ballarat to Rokewood), and Hepburn (Creswick and Clunes).
Key dates
Expressions of Interest are now open.
Places are limited and interested businesses are encouraged to submit an application as soon as possible. Full program dates, eligibility requirements and participation details are available via the Humanitix event page.
EOIs close 6th September 2026.
Ready to take the next step?
If you’ve been thinking about opening your farm gate, creating a new visitor experience or growing an existing agritourism offering, this program is an opportunity to access expert support and connect with like-minded businesses.
Want more info? Click here to register for an Online information session: 24th August 2026 @12:30pm: Webinar Registration – Zoom
The online information session above will provide more details about the program, directly from Dana Thomson, which may help with your Expression of Interest (EOI) form.
Submit your Expression of Interest today…