Professional Documents
Culture Documents
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................. 1 AGRITOURISM CHARACTERISTICS............................................................................................... 2 FIXED ATTRACTIONS ............................................................................................................................ 3 EVENTS ............................................................................................................................................... 3 SERVICES ............................................................................................................................................ 3 THE AGRITOURISM RESOURCE CENTRE BUSINESS CASE ...................................................... 5 AGRITOURISM BENEFITS ...................................................................................................................... 5 Benefits for Communities ................................................................................................................. 6 Benefits for Tourism Operators........................................................................................................ 6 AGRITOURISM RESOURCE SUPPORT ................................................................................................... 6 AGRITOURISM RESOURCE CENTRE MODELS ............................................................................ 7 THE UNIVERSITY EXTENSION SERVICE MODEL .................................................................................... 7 THE GOVERNMENT AGENCY SERVICE MODEL ..................................................................................... 8 THE SELF-REGULATING SERVICE MODEL ............................................................................................ 8 SERVICES PROVIDED ........................................................................................................................... 9 INFORMATION RESOURCES .......................................................................................................... 11 AGRITOURISM MARKETS CASE EXAMPLE ........................................................................................... 12 North American Agritourism Markets ............................................................................................ 12 Market Potential............................................................................................................................ 14 Specialty Agritourism Markets ....................................................................................................... 15 Translating Market Trends into Revenue Opportunities.................................................................. 16 Web-based Agritourism Market Resources ..................................................................................... 17 Print-Based Agritourism Market Resources ................................................................................... 18 OTHER AGRITOURISM RESOURCE CENTRE W EB RESOURCES........................................................... 18 Agritourism Diversification ........................................................................................................... 19 Assessing the Fit: Agritourism and the Farmer .............................................................................. 19 Working with Government Policies ................................................................................................ 21 Building Financial Support through Business Planning.................................................................. 22 Marketing Agritourism Businesses ................................................................................................. 24 Strengthening the Human Touch .................................................................................................... 25 Managing Risk and Liability: Insurance Considerations ................................................................ 27 Ensuring Product and Service Quality ........................................................................................... 28 Creating Productive Partnerships .................................................................................................. 29 Hosting School Tours .................................................................................................................... 30 Managing Farmers Markets ......................................................................................................... 31 Organizing Agritourism Festivals .................................................................................................. 32 OTHER AGRITOURISM RESOURCE CENTRE PRINT RESOURCES......................................................... 33 Agritourism: A Route to Diversification ......................................................................................... 33 Assessing the Fit: Agritourism and the Farmer .............................................................................. 36 Working with Government Policies ................................................................................................ 37 Building Financial Support through Business Planning.................................................................. 37 Marketing Agritourism Businesses ................................................................................................. 37 Managing Risk and Liability: Insurance Considerations ................................................................ 38 Ensuring Product and Service Quality ........................................................................................... 38 Creating Productive Partnerships .................................................................................................. 39 Managing Farmers Markets ......................................................................................................... 39 Organizing Agritourism Festivals .................................................................................................. 39
Introduction
The following report identifies and describes critical components of an Agritourism Resource Centre conceptualized to help promote such initiatives in the Caribbean and to improve the quality of their implementation. It is expected that farmers and rural stakeholders, as well as participating hotels, restaurants, and buyers in the tourism and foodservice sector will be the primary beneficiaries.
The reports information is based on a review of best practice components associated with versions of such centres existing in North America in general and Canada in particular. The report suggests that relevant aspects of these best practices be incorporated into a customized Agritourism Resource Centre model suited to specific Caribbean region and country needs. The Centre(s) eventually developed will need to take into account local business practices, cultural influences, the legal and policy framework that exists in the Caribbean, as well as current plans for agritourism development in the region.
The information presented in the document begins by identifying key dimensions of the concept of agritourism that require management and potential institutional support. This is followed by a section which makes an advocacy-based business case for developing a formal mechanism (e.g. Agritourism Resource Centre) for nurturing the development of agritourism. The third section describes the structure of three institutional models that might be suited to the delivery of Agritourism Resource Centre services. Section four outlines various types of services (some of which can be revenue producing) that might be offered by such institutions. Finally the fifth section identifies a range of priority information sources related to agritourism management challenges typically associated with this emerging sector. stakeholders. Such managerial and technical resources provide the foundational intelligence needed to support the delivery of relevant services to industry
Agritourism Characteristics
Agritourism Concept
Many terms have been used to convey the idea of agritourism. These include agricultural tourism, agro tourism, farm tourism, farm vacation tourism, wine tourism, and agrientertainment. Generally, these terms refer to small-scale farm enterprises and community events that showcase the activities and produce of rural families and the agricultural heritage of farming regions to travelers.
Agritourism Rural /Natural Environments + Agricultural Products/Services + Tourism Products/Services + Farm Commodities, Processing, Packaging
Agritourism provides rural experiences to travelers with the goal of generating revenues for farmers and surrounding communities. These experiences typically include a wide range of attractions and activities that take place in agricultural areas. Important ingredients of agritourisms rural experiences include open spaces, low levels of urban or industrial development, and opportunities for visitors to directly experience agricultural, pastoral, and natural environments. In its purest sense, agritourism refers to travel which combines rural settings with products of agricultural operations all within a tourism experience that is paid for by visitors. Examples of these experiences include: visiting farmers markets to purchase farm fresh products, taking part in orchard and floral garden tours, using farm bed and breakfast accommodation, and participating in harvest festivals. The full range of agritourism product and service development options can be categorized within three broad themes fixed attractions, events, and services (Table 1). All require careful
management and supporting development resources some of which can be provided via a well organized Agritourism Resource Centre.
Fixed Attractions
Fixed attractions are current or potential generators of tourism. They range from historic farms whose primary purpose is to attract visitors, to existing agricultural buildings and natural features that are appealing sites for agritourism activities. The five primary types of fixed attractions are historic farms, living farms, museums, food processing facilities, and natural features such as ponds and wooded areas.
Events
Based on an agricultural or seasonal theme, events are often highly appealing products that farm operators can create. They differ from fixed attractions because of their limited period of operation (e.g. a single day to a few weeks). Different types of events include conferences/conventions, rodeos, agricultural fairs, historic events, and festivals.
Services
Tourists typically require a range of services to fill out their agritourism experiences. These services can be divided into four primary categories: Accommodations such as bed and breakfasts and vacation farms. Tours associated with production or processing facilities (e.g. food processing operations), or scenic environments (e.g. botanical gardens, herbal and floricultural, plantation heritage sites). These tours may be delivered by outside agencies (e.g. school teachers) or on-farm staff. Retailing services selling local produce and farm-processed products (e.g. jams, spices; u-pick fields and orchards; gifts, crafts and baked goods). Leisure/recreation activities centred on events or attractions such as indigenous cuisine, wellness pursuits, biking, hiking etc.
Table 1
Fixed Attractions
Historic Buildings Working Farm Structures: Barns, Farm Equipment Agricultural Museums / Displays Food Processing Facilities: Spice, Sugar, Chocolate, Jam, Jelly, Herb, Livestock Operations Natural Areas: Water Bodies, Geological Features Recreation Facilities: Archery Range, Sugar Cane Mazes, Skeet Shooting Areas, Camping / Picnicking Areas
Recreational Services
Water-based Activity: Boating / Canoeing, Swimming, Tubing & Rafting, Fishing Clinics Trail based Activities: Hiking, Off-Road Motorcycling, ATV, Mountain Biking, Cycling Nature Appreciation Activities: Photography / Painting, Petting Zoo, Bird / Wildlife Viewing Outdoor Hard Adventure Activities: Rock Climbing, Hiking / Cave Exploring Outdoor Soft Adventure Activities: Fossil / Rock Collecting, Farm wagon rides Hunting and Fishing Activities: Trap / Skeet Shooting, Hunting Dog Training Habitat Improvement
Other Services
Accommodation: Bed & Breakfast, Elder Hostels, Camping Tour Operations: Crop, Technical and School Tours, Outfitting, Organic Farm Management Systems Retailing: Gift/Craft/Antique, Floral Arrangements, Gardens and Nurseries: (Flowers, Greenery, Herbs, Dried Flowers), Roadside Stands / Markets, U-Pick Operations, Specialty Food and Craft Products
Agritourism Benefits
The potential benefits of agritourism development extend to farmers, rural communities, and tourism operators.
expanding farm operations; using farm based products in new and innovative ways; improving farm revenue streams;
developing new consumer market niches; increasing awareness of local agricultural products; increasing appreciation of the importance of maintaining agricultural land; channeling additional on-farm revenues directly to family members; improving farm living conditions, working areas and farm recreation opportunities;
developing managerial skill and entrepreneurial spirit; and increasing the long term sustainability for farm businesses.
Benefits for Communities From a community perspective, agritourism can be a vehicle for:
generating additional revenue for local businesses and services from tourists; upgrading / revitalizing community facilities for residents and visitors; increasing protection of rural landscapes and natural environments for tourists and residents; helping preserve and revitalize local traditions, art and craft; promoting inter-regional, inter-cultural communication and understanding; increasing awareness of agricultural issues and values among the public; promoting the on-going use of local agricultural products and services; helping to diversify and strengthen the rural economy via job and income creation; and
providing a more energetic business environment for attracting other businesses and small industries.
Benefits for Tourism Operators From a tourism industry viewpoint, agritourism can be a means of:
diversifying the mix of tourism products and services available to visitors; increasing tourism flows into attractive rural regions; increasing season length during traditionally off-peak business periods; uniquely positioning rural regions in key tourism markets; and bringing more non-local currency to local businesses.
provide various forms of one stop shopping support for nascent and well established agritourism operators.
The following sections of this report provide information concerning the development and character of such Agritourism Resource Centre(s). In particular it offers insights into North American operating models for such a support institution.
agricultural organizations. Beyond core staffing, additional human resource requirements are met on a limited-term, project by project basis.
assisting in the development and distribution of information concerning products and services which help increase the competitiveness of agritourism businesses.
Typically, such resource support models are guided by a steering committee of industry leaders, and run by an executive director and administrative assistance who contract out services on a project by project basis. As opposed to the preceding models, these centres tend to have a distinctly business orientation. They focus much of their attention on providing revenue generating services to supplement their base funding. It is not unusal for such centres to require on-going infusions of soft money in the form of government and/or industry contract funds to sustain their operation.
Services Provided
Agritourism Resource Centres provide an ever-evolving and customized set of services to their stakeholders. These services and resources reflect a combination of the capacities of the organization to develop and deliver them, as well as the industry and government issues and priorities that require attention. While it is not unusual for many of these services to be promoted as being part of a centralized one stop shopping office, in many cases such support products are delivered by specialized suppliers (e.g. specific government agencies, commercial consultancies, non-government organizations,
universities, etc.). In many ways such centres act more as knowledge management vehicles, than formal information delivery mechanisms. Those services most frequently associated with model Agritourism Resource Centres include:
Reference Centres collecting, classifying and distributing print and/or digital book, periodical, report, audio-visual materials on issues related to various agritourism management issues;
Information Retrieval providing customized (often contract based) contacts, references, background information, and supporting documentation in hard copy and /or digital formats;
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Technical Summaries preparing tailored (often contract based) agritourism policy, planning, development, and management reports on specific issues in hard copy and/or digital formats;
Newsletters - periodic digital and/or hard copy newsletters concerning agritourism business topics such as new products and services, market trends, management strategies, legislation changes, upcoming conferences, etc.;
Conferences and Workshops - periodic regional and national workshops on agritourism issues, business management, partnership development, leadership and management strategies, emerging legislation interpretations, etc.;
Product Quality Assurance Programs - development and delivery of quality assurance programs for approved agritourism products and services;
Marketing and Promotion Programs - development and management of webbased agritourism business directories, destinations, products and services. Development and distribution of agritourism, advertising and public relations information with tourism industry, agricultural and community partners, etc;
Risk Management Programs - development and management of agritourism risk management insurance programs in conjunction with insurance companies;
Human Resource Recruitment development, management, and delivery of agritourism labour force recruitment, training, and retention programs;
Advocacy - providing advocacy positions and lobbying support for initiatives requiring the approval of governments and other stakeholder organizations (e.g. facilitating legislation, funding and technical support, etc.).
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Information Resources
An effective Agritourism Resource Centre provides leadership in the development and distribution needed to support the development of competitive agritourism products and services. This information should relate to specific planning, development, and management issues deemed to be particularly important to key stakeholders. An
important role of the Centre(s) should be to actively work with its partners to establish these priorities. Research in a North American context suggests that such information needs relate to several recurring themes. These include:
understanding agritourist markets and their behaviours; assessing agritourisms fit with current farming operations; dealing with government policies; addressing financial considerations; establishing effective marketing programs; developing customer friendly service programs; creating responsive risk management programs; establishing credible product and service quality standards; building strategic partnerships; and managing niche agritourism product development opportunities.
The following section presents information resources linked to these themes. They are organized according to those strategically important issues identified above. The section begins by using a best practice case study to illustrate the information product that might be developed as part of an Agritourism Resource Centre service program. The case concerns the ongoing challenge of understanding agritourist markets and their behaviours. The case study profile is then followed by a listing of web and print resources useful in addressing the other agritourism management challenges identified. Depending on the scope and scale of the centre(s), providing access to these kinds of information resources and products may be critical to the long term success of such an institution.
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Canadian Travelers Characteristics of these travelers that are especially important for agritourism include their: relatively mature status: By 2026, the proportion of them over 55 years of age will have increased from 28% to 43% of the Canadian population. This translates into over 12 million Canadians, 64% of whom will be over 65 years of age); tendency to travel in adult-only groups; interest in rural, authentic, and near-by travel experiences; search for experiences that provide good value for money; and interest in outdoor and/or cultural experiences that involve learning and discovery.
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About a third of Canadians (34%) participate in at least one agritourism activity per year. Those travelers with high interest in agritourism experiences were most likely to prefer travel products with: soft outdoor adventure themes (e.g. hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing); natural themes (e.g. wildlife viewing areas, garden attractions); and learning and discovery activities (e.g. heritage interpretation, cuisine, crafts).
United States Travelers The United States is North Americas largest international tourism market. Features of this market relevant to agritourism operators include their: mature status: by 2005, the 55+ age segment is forecasted to increase from 55 million to 93 million, with most of them (65%) being over 65 years old; tendency to travel in adult-only groups; focus on safety factors (both personal and environmental) when selecting travel destinations; interest in natural and culturally authentic destinations; and interest in outdoor experiences such as kayaking, canoeing, fresh water fishing, backpacking or hiking, and horseback riding.
American travelers with a high interest in agritourism tend to have travel product preferences and behaviors that are similar to those of Canadians. However, there is a growing Affluent Mature Singles vacations. niche market suited to novel and unique farm
Other International Agritourists Other international markets for Caribbean destinations differ somewhat from those in North America. However, there is some overlap with respect to Europe and to a lesser extent with Central and South American regions.
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Market Potential Specific market information concerning these other international travelers with respect to their interest in pursuing agritourism is limited. However, considerable information about broader rural tourist markets that likely include travelers interested in agritourism activities exists-especially with respect to countries such as the United Kingdom, Germany, and Japan.
Table 2 describes some overriding traits of potential visitors from a few of the major travel generating countries that may be interested in agritourism travel experiences. More specific discussions with tour operators from these regions would help to confirm the affinity of such markets for specific Caribbean agritourism products.
Variety of things to see and do Opportunity to increase one's knowledge about places, people and things Opportunity to increase one's Personal safety, even when knowledge traveling alone Historical or archaeological Interesting and friendly local buildings and places people Environmental quality of air, Nice weather water and soil Just relaxing Standards of hygiene and cleanliness Destinations that provide Destination that provides value value for my holiday money for my holiday money Nice weather Inexpensive travel within the country Having fun, being entertained Outstanding scenery Standards of hygiene and Inexpensive travel to the country cleanliness
Source: Canadian Tourism Commission Pleasure Travel Market Studies
Outstanding scenery Personal safety, even when traveling alone Interesting and friendly local people Destination that provides value for my holiday money Environmental quality of area Historical or archaeological buildings and places Nice weather Chances to see wildlife, birds and flowers not normally seen
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Specialty Agritourism Markets Tied to the preceding geographic travel markets, several specialty markets exist that have significant potential for agritourism operators. These are as follows: Agritourism Garden Markets Travelers interested in visiting gardens and nurseries are a rapidly growing agritourism specialty market. Several farm businesses have developed impressive attractions catering to this trend. They focus on not only displaying outstanding floral gardens, but also providing agri-tainment in the form of music festivals, lighting displays, dining, and shopping opportunities.
Agri-Education The agri-education travel market is comprised of travelers specifically interested in learning about various aspects of agriculture. It includes travelers associated with school education programs, agricultural exchanges, and farming organizations. There are several agricultural organizations that conduct student exchange programs around the world. For instance, the 4H organization has been active in arranging exchanges for many years. Similarly, farm school tour programs are emerging in several regions.
Attracting agri-education markets involves developing customized programs for specific student groups and directly promoting them to school decision-makers. In recent years, British Columbias Agriculture in the Classroom program has developed a valuable Tips for Tours program that focuses on developing and managing agri-education tours for students visiting dairy and vegetable farms, and cattle ranches. Created as a guideline for farmers interested in serving the agri-education market, Tips for Tours covers such topics as communicating with teachers, farms and food safety, as well as learning activities that can be conducted during and after the farm visit. These activities are linked to relevant curriculum at various levels in British Columbias public school system. Developing a regionalized version of such a program might be a useful initiative for Caribbean schools and an innovative project for an Agritourism Resource Centre.
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Festivals and Markets There are also specialty market segments interested in visiting agricultural farmers markets and agricultural festivals. These themed agritourism attractions provide terrific opportunities for farmers to promote their products and services to travelers that might not normally be interested in visiting farms. They also are a means of increasing awareness of agricultural issues and the importance of farming to society.
Translating Market Trends into Revenue Opportunities While each agritourism market will have its own specific preferences and expectations, there are some common revenue opportunities related to them all. The overriding goal of all agritourism operations should be to meet the expectations of all visitors, and to generate enough revenues to justify all of the effort. The following are revenue-producing opportunities related to the specific needs of these travel markets. Recreation Activities Visitors seeking opportunities for outdoor adventure pursuits on farmland can be charged activity fees. The fees can be for: access to water bodies, natural areas, and scenic sites (e.g. bird-watching areas, mountain biking courses, crop picking areas, etc); and activity equipment rentals (e.g. binoculars, camping gear, mountain bikes, rafts etc.). Education Programs Visitors wanting cultural and heritage learning opportunities can be charged education program tuitions. These tuitions can be levied for: Lessons and demonstrations on how to do traditional crafts and rural activities (e.g. quilt making, gardening, canning, horsemanship, nature photography, woodworking etc.); and Exhibits and Lectures on farm management practices (e.g. animal husbandry, local community history, soil conservation technologies, native plans etc.).
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Hands-On Farm Activities Visitors wanting to participate in hands-on activities can be charged for participation fees. Sample activity fees include taking part in such events as animal birthing, pickyour-own produce events, cooking, and food processing programs. Agri-Entertainment Activities Tourists wanting to be entertained during their farm visits can be charged for: packaged farm tours (e.g. flower and herbal tours, food processing plant tours, nature walks, etc.); events (e.g. bonfires, hay rides, mystery theatres, gourd painting, mystery tours, and harvest celebrations etc.); and festivals (e.g. harvest festivals, fruit festivals, Christmas season festivals, family reunions, business retreats, etc.). Facility and Hospitality Services For visitors seeking the use of on-site facilities and space, fees can be charged for: facility rentals (e.g. lodging, banquet facilities, horse livery stables, pet boarding, youth camps, teaching classrooms, picnicking, roadside produce selling, farmers markets, etc.); alternative crop activities (e.g. land areas for herbs and spices growing, nursery products, ground cover production, community support agriculture, etc.); and event organization activities (e.g. weddings, music festivals, theatrical productions, etc.).
Web-based Agritourism Market Resources http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/agritourism/agritourism_market_product_development_2001.ht m This website contains an agritourism study: Agritourism Market and Product Development Status Report 2001.
http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Pages/AgrTourismPR052202.htm This website contains Cornell University's Farming Alternatives Programs analysis of agritourism markets (2002).
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http://infobasket.gov.bc.ca/portal/server.pt BCs Ministry of Agriculture website provides a link to statistics and market data.
Print-Based Agritourism Market Resources Blaine, T.W., G. Mohammad, T. Var (1993). Demand for rural tourism: An exploratory study. Annals of Tourism Research. 20(4), 770-773. Canadian Tourism Commission (1995-96). Pleasure Travel Market Studies for Japan, Germany and the United Kingdom. Ottawa: Canadian Tourism Commission and United States Travel and Tourism Administration. Dean Runyan and Associates (1996). Economic Impacts of Farm and Ranch Recreation in Oregon. Salem, Oregon: Oregon Tourism Commission and Oregon Department of Agriculture. Gannon, A. (1994). Rural tourism as a factor in rural community economic development for economies in transition. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 2(1&2), 51-60. Murphy, A., and P.W. Williams (1999). Attracting Japanese tourists into the rural hinterland: implications for rural development and planning. Tourism Management, 20(4), 487-500. Reid, D.G. A.M. Fuller, K.M. Haywood and J. Bryden (1993). The Integration of Tourism Culture and Recreation in Rural Ontario: A Rural Visitation Program. Ontario: Queens Printer. Slee, B., H. Farr and P. Snowdon. (1997). The economic impact of alternative types of rural tourism. Journal of Agricultural Economics. 48(2), 179-192. TAMS (2001). Tourist Activities and Motivation Survey: Interest in Agro-Tourism ProfileReport. Lang Research. Toronto: Ontario
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Agritourism Diversification
More than ever before, farmers are aggressively applying their resourcefulness and determination to meet the demands of a changing marketplace. No longer able to survive solely by producing and selling crops and livestock, many farmers are looking beyond traditional farm enterprises to generate the income needed for survival. The following information resources provide useful approaches to agricultural diversification. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/ The National Resource Conservation Service website provides a link to several excellent articles on agritourism development. http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/pubs/SFNews/news.html This newsletter features farmers and farm advisor profiles, research articles, farm-related print material and website resources. http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/commodity/agritourism/agtourism.htm This website provides information on agritourism development. http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/general/agritour.nsf This website was developed by Albertas Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and deals with agritourism development issues. http://www.nstpc.com/ The Planning and Reports section of this website provides a link to the Nova Scotia Culinary Tourism and Agri-Tourism Sector Study, Economic Planning Group, 2005. (http://www.nstpc.com/images/2006PDdocs/Culinary%20Tourism%20and%20Agri%20 Tourism%20FINAL.pdf) http://ces.uwyo.edu/economic.htm The University Of Wyoming College Of Agriculture includes publications relating to farm and ranch recreation and tourism. www.freshfromthefarm.com This website is a gateway to farm fresh produce and farm entertainment in the USA and Canada. It provides information and links to interesting agritourism activities and programs. Assessing the Fit: Agritourism and the Farmer Agritourism is an opportunity to diversify and/or expand farm business by providing customers with a unique set of farm and rural experiences. These experiences include escaping daily routine, learning about agriculture, and simply having fun doing new and
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different activities. Unlike most other products and services that are agriculturally produced, agritourism experiences are not only made, but also consumed on the farm. As such, there is typically more direct interaction between the farmer and the customers. Consequently, it is important to seriously consider how well the fit is between farmers, their families, and agritourism. The following resources can be of assistance in evaluating this relationship. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/news/thisweek/2004/040512/agrictourismtechtip.html This website provides information on agritourism resources and publications including Alternative Enterprises and Agritourism: Farming for Profit and Sustainability Resource Manual, January 2004 and Taking the First Step: Farm and Ranch Alternative Enterprise and Agritourism Resource Evaluation Guide Keeping the family on the farm and the farm in the family. http://www.ontariofarmfresh.com/ The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association website provides information to farm operators on agritourism development. http://www.aglink.org/agbook/agritourismworkbook.php This website contains an agritourism workbook developed by the Agri-Business Council of Oregon. http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/docs/publications.asp?view=1 This website provides information on ordering Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California, a publication which helps farmers and ranchers determine their tourism potential. http://www.watchablewildlife.org/ The Watchable Wildlife, Inc. website offers strategies for conserving wildlife. It links to other websites with related information on developing quality viewing areas. http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/apa547 Albertas Agriculture, Food and Rural Development website provides planning tools for start-up country vacation enterprise and agritourism operations. http://calagtour.org/ This agricultural tourism website includes information on the range of agritourism business options existing in California. http://www.ag.ndsu.nodak.edu/ced/resources/farmranch/introduction.htm This website contains: Agritainment: Farm and Ranch Recreation Resource Directory with information on travel trends as well as advice on business planning, financing and managing agritourism operations.
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www.agric.gov.ab.ca/diversify Albertas Agriculture, Food and Rural Development website provides information on agritourism development. http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/financial/agribus/ccf01s01.html This website provides information on agritourism development in Manitoba, Canada (2000).
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http://www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/paal/ This website allows agritourism operators to conduct an on-line search into Nova Scotias agritourism regulations and permits. Municipal permits/licenses typically affecting agritourism development are also listed. http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/C-0.4/ Information on the Canada Agricultural Products Act and its implications for farmers operating agritourism operations are available at this website. http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/food-aliment/friia-raaii/food_drugs-aliments_drogues/actloi/e_index.html This website provides information on Canadas Food and Drug Act. This Act regulates the management and control of agricultural chemical residues, food additives, labeling and processing. These are important considerations for agritourism operations seeking to sell food products to visitors.
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http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insof-sdf.nsf/vwGeneratedInterE/h_so03316e.html The Industry of Canada website gives information on where to search for funding sources in each province/territory. http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/bizstart-bPlanning.php The website contains information on how to write a business plan. http://www.agf.gov.bc.ca/busmgmt/ The Farm Business Management of British Columbia website contains programs and frameworks for developing and integrating financial statements and agritourism budgets. http://www.canadabusiness.ca/gol/cbec/site.nsf The Canadian Business Services for Entrepreneurs website provides an interactive business program that stores and facilitates business plans. It provides some useful components that could be incorporated into agritourism resource centres. http://www.businessplans.org/index.html This Centre for Business Planning website offers dozens of sample business plans and a series of articles to assist when writing a business plan. http://www.smallbusinessbc.ca/ The Small Business BC website provides information to assist entrepreneurs with preparing a 3-year business plan for their new or existing business. http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/agritourism/factsheets/creating.html This website contains the University of California Small Farm Centers, Fact Sheets for Managing Agri- and Nature-Tourism Operations. It provides information on how to create a business plan. http://www.tourism.umn.edu/education/agtourism/ The University of Minnesota website provides access to a range of publications and resources related to agritourism development and management. http://www.nrcs.usda.gov/ The National Resource Conservation Service website provides a link to several excellent articles on agritourism development. http://www.canadabusiness.ca/sask/ The Canada-Saskatchewan Business Service Center website provides an excellent source of information on small start-up businesses (especially, bed and breakfast operations). http://infobasket.gov.bc.ca/portal/server.pt BCs Ministry of Agriculture website provides a link to business management and finance.
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http://www.attra.org/attra-pub/PDF/entertn.pdf ATTRA (National Sustainable Agriculture Information Service) has published Entertainment Farming and Agri-Tourism Business Management Guide (2004). http://www.wecm.ca/index.html The Womens Enterprise Centre of Manitoba website provides information on how to write a business plan.
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http://agebb.missouri.edu/mac/agopp/arc/index.htm The Nov-Dec 2001 issue of Ag Opportunites (v. 12, no. 3), located on University of Missouri website contains a very useful article by B. Wicks , Agri-Tourism: Selling an Experience.
http://www.utextension.utk.edu/publications/pbfiles/pb1648.pdf
Considering an Agritainment Enterprise in Tennessee? The website has excellent information on agritourism development and marketing. http://infobasket.gov.bc.ca/portal/server.pt BCs Ministry of Agriculture and Lands Info-Basket website provides a link to marketing and trade information. www.saundersfarm.com. This website provides practical examples of some of the marketing strategies employed on one of Canadas most successful agritourism operations - Saunders Farm, Ontario.
It is critical that staff have the competency, human touch and interpersonal skills needed to offer the highest quality experience to visiting guests. The following information sources can be used to help build the capacity of agritourism operators to develop lasting relationships with guests. http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex3477 This website offers farmer operators information on the basic concepts and issues associated with running an agritourism business. http://www.entrepreneur.com Entrepreneur.com provides articles on management topics such as hiring, training and retaining employees, operations, leadership, and family businesses.
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http://www.agri-labourpool.com/ This Online Recruitment Services website is an example of how recruitment services can be developed to provide assistance for small businesses. http://www.tourismworkweb.com This site allows employers to post job advertisements by category (e.g. tourism or agriculture) and also gives employers access to resumes. http://www.cooljobscanada.com This site allows employers to post job advertisements by category (e.g. tourism or agriculture) and also gives employers access to resumes. http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/financial/agribus/ccf01s01.html This website contains Manitobas Agritourism: On-Farm Diversification, a document which provides introductory information on agritourism training. http://www.ontariofarmfresh.com/ The Ontario Farm Fresh Marketing Association website has information on books, videos ,and other audio-visual resources that are helpful when training staff. www.hieac.com This website contains information on tourism training. (go2) http://otec.org/index.htm This website provides training information. (Customer Service Excellence Corporation, in affiliation with OTEC) http://www.tourismhrc.com/ The Nova Scotia Tourism Human Resource Council website provides training information. http://www.tourism.bc.ca/training_services.asp?id=1222 This website provides information on British Columbias SuperHost program. http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/toce.shtml The Canadian Food Inspection Agency website provides information on food safety training. http://www.youngsdairy.com This site provides practical information on the training strategies of a very successful US agritourism operation called Youngs Jersey Dairy in Ohio. http://www.springridgefarm.com This site provides practical information on the training strategies of a very successful agritourism operation called Springridge Farm in Ontario.
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The following information sources provide a good starting point for building strong partnerships. http://www.siliconindia.com/ This Siliconindia website offers an overview of many of the considerations that are involved when forming partnerships. http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/BuildingLocal.html The Conservation Technology Information Centre website provides an in-depth description of how to build local partnerships. http://www.tourismpartners.com/ This website describes how Ontario Tourism Marketing Partnership collaborates with tourism businesses to develop and deliver integrated marketing programs. http://www.westernwheel.com/011114/news-cowboy.html This website deals with Albertas Cowboy Trail partnership. This tour route includes nearly a dozen communities and numerous partners. http://www.parcoursgourmand.com/ This website provides information on Qubecs agrotourism based Gourmet Route.
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http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/Grants/Reports/Kraus/97-36FarmersGuide.htm This website contains: Kraus, Sibella and Karin, Rosman (1997). Market Cooking for Kids: Facilitating Field Trips to Sustainable Agriculture Farms. This on-line brochure provides effective ideas for planning and hosting educationally farm visits. http://www.theteachersguide.com/onthefarm.htm This education-oriented website contains a range of school based farm lesson plans and activities. http://www.agintheclassroom.org/060605/aitchome.html Illinois Agriculture in the Classroom website provides a range of agriculturally based activities for school children. www.calaged.org/ResourceFiles/Curriculum/AdvCluster. This California Ag Education website offers lessons plans on a variety of agricultural topics targeted at high school and community college students. On-farm learning activities are provided. http://www.agclassroom.org/ This website provides access to the United States Department of Agriculture Agriculture in the Classroom program for teachers. It also is linked to state programs and childrens activities. http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/ This University of California website provides access to (1998) publications. A Farmers Guide to Hosting Farm Visit for Children (http://www.sarep.ucdavis.edu/Grants/Reports/Kraus/97-36FarmersGuide.htm) is particularly useful for school tour management. www.aitc.ca Agriculture in the Classroom Links Across Canada is an excellent resource guide for both agritourism operators and teachers.
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http://www.agmrc.org/agmrc/commodity/agritourism/agritourism/ This website provides information on agritourism and school tours. It also has several case studies. http://www.aitc.mb.ca/ Agriculture in the Classroom-Manitoba (AITC-M) website provides information for teachers on agriculture for the classroom. http://www.edu.pe.ca/journeyon/resources_pages/AdditionalOnlineResources.htm This website provides information on an agricultural unit for primary students. This initiative was developed by the PEI Agriculture in the Classroom. http://www.lacountyfair.com/2008/homepage.asp This website contains information on student programs hosted by the Los Angeles County Fair. http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/agritourism/factsheet1.html This website provides a fact sheet: Conducting Farm and Ranch Tours. http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex1360?opendocument This website provides a fact sheet: Providing Farm Tours. www.freshfromthefarm.com This website lists a number of farms that are providing school tours across Canada and the USA. It also provides links to educational resources. http://www.fermebourgeoisfarms.ca This site provides a practical example of school tours operated at Ferme Bougeois Farms, in New Brunswick.
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these consumers. The following resources describe strategies and techniques for building agritourism opportunities. http://www.ams.usda.gov/farmersmarkets/fedpro.htm The U.S. Department of Agriculture website provides guidelines and operating procedures for establishing Farmers Markets. http://www.cafarmersmarkets.org/aboutsfma/how2start.shtml This website provides information on Farmers Markets: the challenges and methods of dealing with sponsorship, community support, site selection, start-up capital and recruiting growers. http://www.organic-growers.com/start_a_farmers_market_1.htm This website contains a useful booklet -- Start a Farmers Market in Your Own Area. http://www.bcfarmersmarket.org/web/markets/howtostart.htm BC Association of Farmers Markets website provides information on how to start a farmers market. Information includes: health regulation, insurance coverage, promotion ideas and update market profiles. http://www.eco-logik.com/website/grow_fleu.html The website provides a successful practical example of an individuals approach to building a farmers market business for Le Fleur du Pommier in New Brunswick.
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www.festivaldesfromages.qc.ca This website provides practical information on the Festival des Fromages in Qubec. http://www.owfs.com/ This website provides practical information on the successful Okanagan Wine Festival Society.
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