RICHMOND—Agritourism operations are in vogue right now and if you want to start one or improve an existing business, plan to attend the 2017 Virginia Agritourism Conference.

The conference will be held April 18-20 at the Hilton Richmond Hotel & Spa. Dubbed “Agritourism in Virginia’s New Economy,” it will feature presentations on social media, event planning, marketing strategies and labor and legal issues.

The second day will feature visits to local businesses to see first-hand how they operate. The third day will include a presentation by Secretary of Agriculture and Forestry Dr. Basil Gooden and a session on findings of Virginia’s 2016 agritourism economic impact study.

Participants also will have the opportunity to learn from Jon Schallert, an internationally-recognized business consultant who specializes in teaching businesses and communities how to become consumer destinations.

“Every session is bursting with engaging speakers and tools for Virginia’s agritourism industry,” noted Dr. Martha Walker, Virginia Cooperative Extension community viability specialist.

The conference is partially sponsored by Extension, Virginia Farm Bureau Federation and the Virginia Foundation for Agriculture, Innovation and Rural Sustainability.

To register by the April 7 deadline, visit vafb.swoogo.com/agritourism2017.