As multimillion-dollar resorts market curated “farm life” experiences in places like Tennessee’s Smoky Mountains, residents and labor advocates are questioning who truly benefits from the rural revival—and who is being left behind.
Across the U.S. and abroad, a new wave of high-end agritourism destinations is redefining what it means to live off the land. From the 4,200-acre Blackberry Farm in Tennessee to the $12 million residences planned at Puerto Rico’s Moncayo resort, these luxury retreats offer a pastoral aesthetic without the manual labor. While tourists sip turmeric lattes and tour boutique vineyards, locals see a different reality unfolding.
A Lifestyle Curated for the Wealthy
At Moncayo, a sprawling 1,100-acre development backed by Juniper Capital, future guests and homeowners will have access to golf courses, organic farms, and island-hopping adventures. “But I would be surprised if most days don’t start or finish with the trip to the farm,” said Carter Redd, president of the project, during a video interview.
Similar luxury experiences are offered at Flora Farms in Mexico and São Lourenço do Barrocal in Portugal, where amenities include olive groves, horseback riding, and curated culinary programs. Nightly rates range from $1,000 to $3,000, pricing out most working families and locals alike.
“The romanticization of farm life through social media creates a version of agriculture detached from its economic and physical demands,” said Allyson Rees, a senior strategist at trend forecasting firm WGSN. Speaking to CNN, Rees noted that influencers and celebrities—like Ballerina Farm’s Hannah Neeleman or actress Shailene Woodley—have shaped public perception of farming as aspirational wellness.
Community Voices Push Back
But in Blount County, Tennessee—home to Blackberry Farm—some residents are raising concerns about the real-world impacts of agritourism’s expansion.
“I’ve lived here my whole life,” said Lillian Forrester, 61, a retired teacher and third-generation Appalachian. “I’m not against tourism, but when land values rise and locals can’t afford to stay, that’s not revitalization. That’s gentrification.”
Data from Zillow shows that rural property values in high-tourism pockets of Tennessee have jumped by more than 40% since 2020, far outpacing local income growth.
“There’s also a labor imbalance,” added Marcos Rivera, a farmworker rights organizer based in Asheville. “Visitors are paying top dollar to pick vegetables in staged gardens while the people harvesting those same crops full-time still make minimum wage and often lack benefits.”
According to the Department of Labor, the median hourly wage for farmworkers in Tennessee was $13.79 in 2024. In contrast, nightly rates at Blackberry Farm often exceed $2,000.
National Trend with Global Implications
The rise of influencer-led farm aesthetics has paralleled real economic shifts in rural economies. According to AirDNA, U.S. farm-stay listings jumped 71% from August 2019 to August 2024. Airbnb reported over one million farm stay searches in Q1 2025—a 20% year-over-year increase.
Globally, the agritourism market is projected to nearly triple from $69.2 billion in 2019 to $197.4 billion by 2032, per Fortune Business Insights.
But experts warn that if unchecked, this boom may further entrench wealth divides and erode agricultural authenticity. “We’re looking at a future where the idea of ‘farm life’ is sold as a luxury retreat while real farmers disappear,” said Professor Nadine Whitlock, who studies rural development at the University of Kentucky.
Legal and Civic Considerat2ions
Under local zoning codes, many of these developments receive agricultural tax breaks while marketing themselves as hospitality enterprises—a practice some policy advocates argue constitutes a loophole.
“The lines between farm and resort are getting increasingly blurred,” said Erica Daniels, a land use attorney in Knoxville. “Counties must revisit how these properties are classified. If they’re operating like hotels, they should be taxed and regulated as such.”
There’s also the question of cultural appropriation. For some rural families—particularly those in historically Black or Indigenous farming communities—the glamorized version of agrarian living is seen as an erasure of their struggle and history.
What Happens Next?
Some counties have begun reviewing zoning language to address the rapid growth in agritourism developments. Still, community input remains essential to ensure that rural revitalization includes—not displaces—the people rooted there.
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