Challenges and Coping Strategies of Agritourism Operators in South Dakota

Authors

• Xu Li, South Dakota State UniversityFollow
• Peggy Schlechter, South Dakota State University ExtensionFollow

Volume

64

Issue

2

Abstract

This study explored the challenges faced by agritourism operators in South Dakota and examined their coping strategies. Through in-depth interviews with 17 agritourism operators, four major challenges were identified: lack of business knowledge and skills, government regulations, time constraints, and financial concerns. The coping strategies adopted by operators demonstrated their adaptability and resilience. The findings suggest that Extension can play a vital role as an educator, facilitator, and advocate in supporting agritourism development. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of agritourism growth in South Dakota and provides valuable insights for Extension and other organizations involved in supporting agritourism.

Authors’ Contribution Statement

Both authors contributed to developing research ideas, conceptualizing the study, data collection, and data analysis. Xu Li wrote the original draft of the manuscript. Peggy Schlechter reviewed and revised the manuscript and provided intellectual input throughout the study. Both authors reviewed and approved the final manuscript.

Data Availability

The data are not publicly available due to privacy/ethical restrictions, as they contain information that could compromise the privacy of research participants.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Li, X., & Schlechter, P. (2026). Challenges and Coping Strategies of Agritourism Operators in South Dakota. Journal of Extension, 64(2), Article 30. https://doi.org/10.66752/1077-5315.8558