Impacts of Agritourism on Social Capital during the COVID-19 pandemic in Rural Ontario

The development of agritourism has been a successful method used to diversify income and provide more financial sustainability for small scale farms that was used during and prior to the COVID 19 pandemic. The purpose of this research is to examine the current state of agritourism in southwestern Ontario 2 years into the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic safety protocols, defined by the Ministry of Health and local public health units, called for social distancing protocols which meant social events could not be hosted inside. Hosting events outdoors became a mode for safe social gatherings. There have been many opportunities with the development of outdoor social spaces; the future of social gatherings is still very uncertain because we are still in the midst of the pandemic. The research aims to identify the linkages between social experiences with agritourism and the knowledge and appreciation for local agri-food systems throughout the pandemic