Agritourism is a growing part of Tasmania’s visitor economy, offering farmers new ways to diversify income by delivering authentic, place-based experiences. Era was engaged by the Department of State Growth to map and review the regulatory environment governing agritourism, with a focus on improving clarity, consistency and accessibility for operators and regulators alike.

The project examined the end-to-end approvals process for establishing agritourism businesses across Tasmania, drawing on detailed regulatory mapping and extensive engagement with small-scale operators, councils, state agencies and industry bodies. The review covered the full scope of requirements across planning, building, health and licensing regimes. Era identified key barriers to entry, including regulatory complexity, inconsistent interpretation and limited access to plain-English guidance, and developed a practical, evidence-based suite of recommendations.

The review directly informed the Tasmanian Agritourism Toolkit and guidance materials for regulators, supporting more efficient approvals, better regulatory outcomes and a more enabling environment for agritourism to grow across regional Tasmania. Recommendations are now being implemented by the Tasmanian Government.

Project Highlights

• Delivered a whole-of-system review of agritourism regulation, mapping approvals pathways with clear, evidence-based recommendations.

• Led in-depth engagement with a wide range of stakeholders to capture the full scope of experiences.

• Helped reduce barriers to entry by designing accessible guidance materials to improve clarity and facilitate processes for both operators and regulators.