BROOKINGS, S.D. – South Dakota State University Extension has identified key challenges and opportunities operators face in agritourism, an emerging industry in the state. “Agritourism is so important to rural South Dakota because it strengthens local economies, preserves agricultural heritage and brings new visitors, along with their spending, into small communities,” Peggy Schlechter, SDSU Extension Community Vitality Program Director, said. “It creates additional revenue streams for farmers, supports rural revitalization, and offers authentic experiences that visitors increasingly seek. With agriculture and tourism ranking as South Dakota’s two largest industries, agritourism is a natural fit.” Schlechter and Xu Li, associate professor of Hospitality, Tourism and Event Management in the SDSU College of Education and Human Sciences, collaborated to collect information from 15 South Dakota agritourism operations along S.D. Highway 14. The conversations revealed four key ...