Highlands County cattle ranch hosts agrotourism: Girl's Getaway

SEBRING, Fla. ­— Florida’s top two industries, tourism and agriculture, can sometimes find themselves at odds. However, one Central Florida ranch recently hosted a group of tourists in one of the leisure travel component’s most rapidly growing categories: Girlfriend Getaways. The concept of agrotourism is a direct expansion of ecotourism, which encourages visitors to experience agricultural life first hand.. During a weekend stay at Rafter T Ranch in Sebring, about a dozen women arrived from various locations in Florida and Atlanta to enjoy some much needed R&R in the country. The women enjoyed a swamp buggy tour of the 5,200-acre ranch while co-owner Jimmy Wohl provided an overview on ranch management and the Florida cattle industry. They also enjoyed practicing their aim during target practice, an evening buggy ride to find wildlife, massages, photography, a wine tasting and educational class by Barefoot Wines, a hot air balloon ride courtesy of Balloons And Beyond, and an overall peaceful vacation in Florida’s pristine habitat. Host Casey Wohl, who grew up on this ranch, is the author of the Girls Getaway Guide series, which are city-specific travel guides for women. Known as The Getaway Girl®, Wohl says the Girlfriend Getaway market represents more than $200 million (about 4% of U.S. travel) and is growing in popularity. “Given today’s economy, women are more interested in vacations that allow them to relax and rejuvenate versus trips that focus on shopping and indulgence, which makes a Girls Ranch Getaway a wonderful trip, especially for urban dwellers,” Wohl said. For more information, visit www.GirlsGetawayGuide.net