Cultivating Agritourism

A Guide for Establishing Agritourism Resource Centres in the Caribbean

March 2008

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

AGRITOURISM DEVELOPMENT THEMES

Events
Conferences: Corporate, Family Reunions, Weddings, Schools Agricultural Fairs: Food and Craft Shows, Food Cooking Demonstrations, Historic Re-enactments, Flower Shows Seasonal Festivals: Halloween, Harvest (Corn, Apple, Grape), Corn Mazes, Haunted Houses, Christmas (Trees, Food), Easter (Egg Hunts)

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

The Agritourism Resource Centre Business Case

Agritourism is important to farmers for two primary reasons. First, cost/price pressures have forced farmers to use diversification strategies to increase their income opportunities. Second, increasing personal discretionary incomes and growing market demand for more non-urban vacation experiences have stimulated interest in travel to rural environments. Many travelers are seeking country destinations because of: a desire for peace and tranquility; an interest in understanding natural environments; a need to escape from overcrowded urban centres; a search for less commercialized and inexpensive vacation alternatives; and a curiosity about farming heritage and lifestyles. These factors in combination with better access to rural areas are making agritourism a popular form of diversification for a growing number of farmers, rural communities, and tourism operators.

Agritourism Benefits
The potential benefits of agritourism development extend to farmers, rural communities, and tourism operators.

Agritourism Rationale Agritourism + Community + Industry Win Win Win

Benefits for Farmers: For farmers, agritourism is a potential way of:

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.

Agritourism Resource Support

Given the emerging character and potential for agritourism development in many regions, it is critical that mechanisms be created to nurture and support the industrys growth. One of the more effective ways involves developing an Agritourism Resource Centre that can

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.

Agritourism Resource Centre Models

Despite agritourisms emergence as a viable contributor to agriculture, tourism and regional economies, comprehensive support systems designed to nurture the development of this sector are relatively limited. However, promising support centres are emerging in response to growing awareness of agritourisms potential benefits, and accelerating recognition of the need to nurture the sectors development in a business-like fashion. For the most part, these Agritourism Resource Centres operate as one of three basic models. Each provides varying types and levels of one-stop shopping service to their stakeholders

The University Extension Service Model

Built on a long-established tradition of university-based natural resource management extension services, agritourism has emerged in recent years as a new product line for some post-secondary academic institutions. Typically, they are supported by a combination of funding from: university base budgets for core faculty and administrative staff; government contracts for limited term (3-5 year) on-going program initiatives (e.g. education and information dissemination); and shorter term contract based consulting and research for specific industry and government agencies. This is a particularly strong model for providing cost-effective access to information and research support related to agritourism planning, management, and development issues. Much of the infrastructure required for their start up and management is already in place, or can be relatively easily created. A few university based agritourism models have advisory committees (formal and informal) comprised of stakeholders linked to government and private sector

agricultural organizations. Beyond core staffing, additional human resource requirements are met on a limited-term, project by project basis.

The Government Agency Service Model

Rooted in public good interests associated with agricultural lands, food quality, and security, a growing number of governments are developing agritourism sections, typically within ministries responsible for agriculture. They are supported primarily via on-going government funding for a small core (1-3 people) of agritourism specialists and related administrative staff. Occasionally they receive additional resources for one-off projects that foster public-private sector partnerships with farming organizations (e.g., training workshops, research, and quality standards program development). Their intended roles are to offer one-stop shopping information to prospective and established agritourism operators concerning policy and regulatory requirements, business development and management resources, relevant training programs, and product and service promotional opportunities. More active government-run resource centres play a proactive role in helping industry and community organizations fund and manage applied research projects designed to address current and emerging agritourism challenges (e.g. market research, risk management, market development, etc.). Government based Agritourism Resource Centres tend to focus on providing policy and planning, problem referral, and project management support services and information that is especially relevant to government related goals.

The Self-Regulating Service Model

In a few jurisdictions, Agritourism Resource Centres exist as part of a self-regulating industry organization. Designed to be arms length from government influence, they typically are initially funded by a government grant or public-private sector agreement covering a prescribed incubation period (~3-5) years, and then expected to be selfsustaining. Frequently mentioned aspects of their mandate(s) include: sharing and coordinating information on farm business management practices which prevent duplication, encourage cost-sharing, and build partnerships; acting as a dialogue forum on farm business management issues; and,

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;
9

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.).

10

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.

11

Agritourism Markets Case Example

It is important to have a good understanding of who uses existing products and services, and what their needs and preferences might be with respect to future product offerings. In a Caribbean context, agritourists are people who have an interest and willingness to participate in agriculturally related travel experiences. They can be divided into 3 main geographic groups: residents living in the region and country, North American tourists, and other international travelers. Within these three geographic markets there may be niche or specialty sub-groups of travelers that would be especially interested in using the products and services that your agritourism business offers. Examples of niche markets might include ecotourists, students, and garden tour travelers. These and other niche markets will have their own set of very specific product and service requirements when visiting agritourism operations. North American Agritourism Markets Canadians and Americans make up the lions share of North Americas agritourism markets that might be of interest to Caribbean agritourism operators.

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.

12

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.

13

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.

Table 2 TOP 10 TRAVEL MOTIVATIONS OF KEY OVERSEAS

RURAL TOURISM TRAVEL MARKETS

Japan Outstanding scenery United Kingdom Variety of things to see and do Germany Opportunity to increase one's knowledge about places, people and things Variety of things to see and do

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

14

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.

15

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.).

16

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).
17

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

Other Agritourism Resource Centre Web Resources

While the identification of specific target market profiles and their travel behaviours is critical to the development of agritourism businesses, other current and emerging information on a range of other issues and challenges confronting the industry must also be collected and shared. The following section lists a range of useful resources linked to other recurring agritourism challenges in North America.

18

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
19

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.

20

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).

Working with Government Policies

A wide variety of government laws and regulations shape the way in which agritourism operations occur. Because most agritourism businesses are relatively new to farm country, the legal requirements for such activities tend to vary regionally and are not specific to this emerging industry. In most regions, the rules that affect agritourism development are tied to broader government acts, regulations and by-laws that govern either the tourism or agricultural industries. Knowing these rules and determining how they apply to specific agritourism situation prior to beginning development activities can avoid unnecessary time and money investments. While the following sources are primarily Canadian based, some of them may be of value in providing guidance on how to work with Caribbean governments to create agritourism friendly development regulations. http://www.hrsdc.gc.ca/en/labour/workplace_health/index.shtml The Canadian Workplace Health and Safety website provides excellent guidance on worker health and safety issues. http://www.alc.gov.bc.ca/ British Columbias Agricultural Land Reserve (ALR) website provides agritourism development regulations on-line. http://www.escarpment.org/ This website is an excellent source for information on the Ontarios Niagara Escarpment an important area for agritourism in Canada. The website offers useful information on processes for acquiring permits, and development plan amendment applications for landuses including agritourism. http://infobasket.gov.bc.ca/portal/server.pt British Columbias Ministry of Agriculture website provides a link to relevant agritourism regulation and legislation.

21

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.

Building Financial Support through Business Planning

Some agritourism enterprises can be launched with very little money while others will require significant financial support. Many agritourism operators find it challenging to access financial support from existing financial institutions because: They are unsure of how to approach such organizations. There are problems obtaining the necessary "equity position to acquire funding . Financial institutions have limited awareness of the value and benefits of agritourism and are often reluctant to support funding such operations. Business plans can provide the roadmaps needed to successfully guide the development and management of agritourism businesses. They help to obtain financing, guide management activities, clarify project priorities, and focus job tasks on matters that count. The following resources provide a useful starting point for developing effective business plans. http://bsa.cbsc.org/gol/bsa/interface.nsf/engdoc/0.html The Canada Business Service Centre information website provides information for starting a business in Canada. A financing component of the site lists the types of funding sources and programs available in different regions of the country. Mechanisms of this type might be possible to develop in specific Caribbean countries.

22

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.

23

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.

Marketing Agritourism Businesses

By creating high quality tourism products and marketing them effectively, visitors will come to an agritourism location. With careful management, these visitors may become repeat and loyal customers who encourage their friends to come. This means more stable and increased farm revenue opportunities for the business. However, it is important to recognize that there are distinct differences between marketing agritourism services and other farm products. The following resources provide useful insights into how to market effectively. http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/agritour/310-003/310-003.html This Virgina Tech website provides an agritourism how-to manual. Specific content focuses on marketing aspects of such businesses. . http://infobasket.gov.bc.ca/portal/server.pt This British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture and Lands website provides an excellent article on the development and promotion of an agritourism operation on the World Wide Web. http://ag.arizona.edu/AREC/pubs/dmkt/dmkt.html This website contains Direct Farm Marketing and Tourism Handbook. It is designed to help farm and ranch operators market their products and services directly to the consumer. http://www.aglink.org/agbook/agritourismworkbook.php The Agri-Business Council of Oregon website provides information on how to purchase the Agri-Tourism Workbook. Specific components deal with marketing strategies. http://www.eckertagrimarketing.com/index.php Jane Eckerts website provides practical information on how to market an agritourism operation.

24

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.

Strengthening the Human Touch

The success of your agritourism business depends on the ability of on-site staff (including the owner) to deliver and manage guest experiences. Positive interactions between guests and staff on the farm will help ensure that: customers expectations are satisfied, (if not exceeded); visitors spread positive word-of-mouth referrals about the business; and they return (with others) for future visits.

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.

25

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.

26

Managing Risk and Liability: Insurance Considerations

Operating a farm carries inherent risks, particularly when tourists are encouraged to visit. Agritourism operators should identify the additional risk that their activities are going to create for the farm operation. Determining the level and kind of risk will help establish what type and how much insurance is going to be needed. The following resources provide information associated with managing three types of risk: personal, property, and public. http://attra.ncat.org/ This website provides guidelines for managing risk and liability associated with children on the farm. http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/agritour/310-003/310-003.html This website provides information on how to develop a risk management plan. http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex6939?opendocument This fact sheet from Alberta Agriculture and Rural Development discusses some of the basic components of liability and risk management for farm direct marketing and agritourism ventures. http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/agritourism/factsheets.html The University of California Small Farm Center website provides a fact sheet on risk management and safety issues for agritourism and nature-based operations. http://www.unescap.org/decade/publications/z15009gl/z1500907.htm This website provides information on design recommendations for people with disabilities. http://www.worlddressage.com/cat/inscan.htm This website offers guidelines that are suggested by the Equine Risk Management Manual produced by Intercity Insurance Services. www.k-l-o.com This site provides information concerning risk management at the Kelowna Land and Orchard Company in British Columbia. http://www.whittamoresfarm.com/ This site provides examples of risk management applications at Whittamores Farm, in Ontario.

27

Ensuring Product and Service Quality

The quality of products and services provided by agritourism businesses is critical to the operations continuing success. Providing consistently high quality products and services helps to ensure that such businesses meet customers expectations. The following information sources provide examples and lessons on creating and providing high quality agritourism experiences to visitors. www.agricotours.qc.ca/ This website contains information on the Fdration des Agricotours du Qubec quality assurance program for agritourism businesses in Quebec. www.agritourismbc.org This website contains information on British Columbia Agritourism Alliances quality assurance program. www.inspection.gc.ca The Canada Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) website provides regulations for the production, processing, and labeling of foods in Canada. http://www.farmcott.co.uk This website provides information on the star rating program for farms and cottages in the United Kingdom. http://www.farmholidays.com This website provides information on an Austrian quality standards program. www.crfa.ca This website contains information on Canadian Restaurant and Foodservices Associations safe food handling program. http://www.aitc.ca/bc/ British Columbia Agriculture in the Classroom Foundation website is an excellent resource website for both teachers and farm operator. http://www.sfc.ucdavis.edu/agritourism/factsheet3.html This website contains: Fact Sheet for Managing Agri- and Nature Tourism Operations: Safety and Risk Management. http://otec.org/hrd/otrain01.htm This website provides information on Ontario Tourism Education Councils Ontario SuperHost and Service Excellence programs .

28

http://www.tourism.bc.ca/training_services.asp?id=1222 This website provides information on Tourism BCs SuperHost program.

Creating Productive Partnerships

Forming productive partnerships can be a useful strategy for building the capability of agritourism businesses. Partnerships occur when two or more individuals or organizations agree to work together to reach common goals. By partnering with other individuals and businesses, as well as with governmental and non-governmental organizations, operators can potentially: cut costs by sharing marketing expenses; obtain vital information about visitors and emerging market trends; refer clients to each other; and obtain financial support;

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.

29

Hosting School Tours

Hosting school tours is one of the more interesting and rewarding forms of agritourism. Students learn about agricultures critical role in giving them access to healthy foods and rural countryside. In addition, school tours are a niche market that provides a potentially valuable source of revenue to agritourism operators as well as a community service public relations opportunity. The following resources provide useful insights into how to prepare for and effectively manage this interesting niche market.

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.

30

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.

Managing Farmers Markets

Farmers' markets provide tourists with unique windows into the heart of many rural communities. While malls reflect the homogenization of urban cultures, the sights, smells, and sounds of farmers' markets provide opportunities to celebrate what is special or unique about specific areas. The different foods, crafts, and entertainment they provide reflect interesting cultural and historical differences between communities. Tourists and even local people are increasingly interested in knowing more about those differences. The social atmosphere at farmers' markets is also attractive to busy consumers who wish to combine shopping with leisure. Farmers markets can also lead to agritourism visits by

31

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.

Organizing Agritourism Festivals

Festivals are themed celebrations that can be valuable sources of promotion and revenues for agritourism operators. They typically involve either several agritourism partners working together to create a community based event, or individual farmers conducting their own on-farm celebration. The following sections provide information sources about planning and management guidelines for making farm festivals real contributors to agritourism businesses. http://www.nysgextension.org/tourism/tourism/wwwagrifs.pdf This website contains useful guidelines for a building a variety of agritourism related opportunities, including those associated with festivals - Considerations for Agritourism. http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/agdex1364 (Festivals) The website contains a fact sheet on agritourism festivals and special events. management issues in developing and operating special events are discussed. Key

32

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.

Other Agritourism Resource Centre Print Resources

Beyond web-based resources, there are a range of print publications that would be useful assets in a comprehensive Agritourism Resource Centre collection. While all may not be needed on site, having them readily accessible via an efficient inter-library loan mechanism represents a good starting point for positioning such a Centre as the place to turn to when developing agritourism businesses. The following publications are suggested as core pieces to consider in a collection.

Agritourism: A Route to Diversification

Alexander, N. and A. McKenna. (1998). Rural tourism in the heart of England. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 19(5), 203-207. Augustyn, M. (1998). National strategies for rural tourism development and sustainability: the Polish Experience. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 6(3), 191-209. Beverland, M. et al. (1998). Wine tourism: missed opportunities in West Auckland. Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal. 13(4), 403-407. Butler, R., Hall, M. and Jenkins, J. (Eds.) (1998). Tourism and Recreation in Rural Areas. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Chesworth, N. (1998). An alternative approach to assessing opportunities in rural tourism. In Revving the Engines: Making Profitable Destinations. Toronto: Travel and Tourism Research Association (Canada Chapter). 14-21. Clark, J. (1996). Farm accommodation and the communication mix. Tourism Management. 17(8), 620-620. Connolly, L. (1997). Opportunities in rural tourism. Farm and Food. 7(1), 9-11. Connolly, L. and M. Heneghan. (1998). Rural tourism survey. Farm and Food. 8(4), 7-9.

33

Davis, W.P., J.C. Turner (1992). Farm tourism and recreation in the United Kingdom. In A. Ton, A.J.M. Ali and B. Paik (Eds.). International Conference on Agritourism Industry, (pp. 59-76). Malaysia: Nuzul Advertising. Dowling, R. and J. Carlsen. (1999). Proceedings of the First Australian Wine Tourism Conference. Canberra, AUS. Bureau of Tourism Research. Embacher, Hans (1994). Marketing for agritourism in Austria: Strategy and realization in a highly developed tourist destination. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 2(1&2), 61-76. Fennell, D. and D. Weaver. (1997). Vacation farms and ecotourism in Saskatchewan, Canada. Journal of Rural Studies. 13(4), 467-475. Ference Weicker & Company (1999). Agriculture Sector Strategy for the District of Chilliwack. Chilliwack: District of Chilliwack. Friesen, J. (1995). Farm tourism: Inventory and discussion. Regional Municipality of Waterloo. In M. Staite and R. Wong (Eds.). Tourism and Sustainable Community Development. St. Johns Newfoundland: Canada Chapter, Travel and Tourism Research Association. Getz, D. (1998). Wine Tourism: Global Overview and Perspectives on its Development. Proceedings of the First Australian Wine Tourism Conference (May 1998), Margaret River, Western Australia. Government of Manitoba (l997). The Agri-Tourism Industry in Manitoba: A Profile of Operations and Issues. Rural Development Institute: Brandon. Hjalager, A.M. (1996). Agricultural diversification into tourism. Tourism Management, 17(2), 103-111. Johnson, G. (1998). The Agricultural Diversification, Value-added Ideas Book. Ottawa: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. King, C., and R. Morris. (1997). Wine tourism: a Western Australian case study. Australian and New Zealand Wine Industry Journal. 12(3), 246-247, 249. Knowd, I.(2006). Tourism as a mechanism for farm survival. Journal of Sustainable Tourism, 14(1), 24-42 Kuehn, D and D. Hilchey. (1998). Considerations for Agritourism Development. Oswego, NY: SUNY College. http://www.seagrant.sunysb.edu/Pages/FactSheetsPDF/Tourism/Agritourism98.pdf Lack, K.J. (1997). Agri-tourism Development in British Columbia. Unpublished Masters thesis. Burnaby, BC: School of Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University..
34

Lane, B. (1994). What is rural tourism? Special issue, Rural Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 2(1&2), 102-111. Latimer, H. (2007). Developing-island economies: Tourism versus agriculture. In Huybers, Twan (Ed.) Tourism in Developing Countries (pp. 274-284). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd. Lewis, J.B. (1998). A rural tourism development model. Tourism Analysis. 2(2), 91-105. Macionis, N. and B. Cabourne. (1998). Wine tourism: just what is it all about? Australian & New Zealand Wine Industry Journal. 13(1), 41-47. McDonald, M. and S. Boswell. (1996-97). Tending to tenderfoots: The dude ranch niche. Worlds-Eye View. 11(3), 16-20. McCue, S. (1999). Successful agricultural tourism ventures span state. Small Farm News., Summer. Nicholson-Yost, Kelly (1997). Agri-Tourism: Looking at New Horizons. Ontario: Agricultural Training Institute. OHalloran, M., S. Cook, A. Sbragi and I. Buchanan (2000). Rural Tourism in Australia: The Visitors Perspective. Occasional Paper No. 30. Canberra: Bureau of Tourism Research. Opperman, M. (1996). Rural tourism in southern Germany. Annals of Tourism Research, 23(1), 86-102. Page, S. J. and D. Getz (Eds.) (1997). The Business of Rural Tourism: International Perspectives. London: International Thomson Business Press. Reid, D., A. Fuller, and M. Haywood (1995). Tourism: Savior or false hope for rural economy. Plan Canada. May, 22-26. Reid, D.G. (1998). Rural tourism development: Canadian provincial issues. In R. Butler, M. Hall and J. Jenkins (Eds.). Tourism and Recreation in Rural Areas. New York, NY: John Wiley & Sons. Reid, D.G., J. Taylor and H. Mair (2000). Rural Tourism Development. Guelph: University of Guleph, School of Rural Planning and Development, and Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. Sharpley, R., and J. Sharpley (1997). Rural tourism: an introduction. London: International Thomson Business Press.

35

Trousdale, W. (1997). Sustainable tourism planning: a case study of Guimaras, Philippines cooperative farm tourism. Vancouver: Centre for Human Settlements, University of British Columbia. Rilla, E. (1997). Unique Niches: Agritourism in Britain and New England Marin and Sonoma Counties, California: University of California Co-operative Extension. Vogeler (1977). Farm and ranch vacationing. Journal of Leisure Research 9 (4), 291-300. Weaver, D.A. and D.A. Fennell. (1997). The vacation farm sector in Saskatchewan: a profile of operations. Tourism Management. 18(6), 357-356. Weaver, D.A., and D.A. Fennell (1997). Rural tourism in Canada: The Saskatchewan farm entrepreneur. In S.J. Page and D. Getz (Eds.), The Business of Rural Tourism: International Perspectives. (pp. 89-92). London: International Thomson Business Press. Williams, P.W., K. Lack, and K. Smith (2004). Cultivating Agritourism: Tools and Techniques for Building Success. Ottawa: Canadian Farm Business Management Council.

Assessing the Fit: Agritourism and the Farmer

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2002, Marketing on the Edge: A Marketing Guide for Progressive Farmers, CFBMC, Ottawa, Canada. Byrne, L. (1999). Farming for fun: agritourism market virtually untapped in Tennessee, UT Agriculture Magazine. Spring, 1999. Getz, D, J. Carlsen, and A. Morrison (2005).SON, A. Quality issues for the family business. In E. Jones and C. Haven-Tang (Eds.). Tourism SMEs, Service Quality and Destination Competitiveness. (pp. 73-85) Oxfordshire: CABI Publishing. Hardcastle, S. (1997). Down on the Farm. Caterer and Hotelkeeper. 188(5), 56-57. Hunag, Y,H. and W.P. Stewart (1996). Rural tourism development: Shifting basis of community solidarity. Journal of Travel Research. 34(4), 26-31. McGehee, N.G. and K. Kim. (2004). Motivation for agri-tourism entrepreneurship, Journal of Travel Research. 43 (2), 161-170 Oregon Department of Agriculture (1996). Farm & Ranch Recreation Resource Workbook. Salem: Oregon. Tourism Chilliwack and the Chilliwack Agricultural Commission (2001). Agritourism and Rural Recreation: A Resource Workbook for Businesses in the Chilliwack Area. Chilliwack: Tourism Chilliwack.
36

Working with Government Policies

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2002, Marketing on the Edge: A Marketing Guide for Progressive Farmers, CFBMC, Ottawa, Canada. Conway, D. (2004) Tourism, environmental conservation and management and local agriculture in the Eastern Caribbean. Is there an appropriate, sustainable future for them? In D. T. Duval (Ed.) Tourism in the Caribbean. Trends, Development, Prospects. (pp. 187-204) London: Routledge. Oregon Department of Agriculture (1996). Workbook. Salem: Oregon. Farm & Ranch Recreation Resource

Priestley, G.K, G Canoves (2005). ). Legislative frameworks for rural tourism : comparative studies from Spain. In D. Hall, I. Kirkpatrick and M. Mitchell (Eds.). Rural tourism and Sustainable Business. Clevedon, UK.: Channel View. 63-86. Wilson, S. and D.R. Fesenmaier (2006). Factors for success in rural tourism development. In A. Papatheodorou (Ed.) Managing Tourism Destinations. (pp. 539-545) Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar Publishing Ltd.

Building Financial Support through Business Planning

Oregon Department of Agriculture (1996). Workbook. Salem: Oregon. Farm & Ranch Recreation Resource

Palminkoski, U. (1991). Tourism as a form of subsidiary farm income: Finland. Tourism Recreation Research, 16(1), 61-63. Small Farm Center (2004). Agritourism and Nature Tourism in California. University of California: California

Marketing Agritourism Businesses

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2002, Marketing on the Edge: A Marketing Guide for Progressive Farmers, CFBMC, Ottawa, Canada. Clarke, J. (2005). Effective marketing for rural tourism. In D. Hall, I. Kirkpatrick And M. Mitchell (Eds.) Rural tourism and sustainable business. (pp. 87-102) Clevedon, UK: Channel View Publications. Clarke, J. (1999). Marketing structures for farm tourism: beyond the individual provider of rural tourism. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 7(1), 26-47.
37

Hjalager, A.M. (1996). Agricultural diversification into tourism. Tourism Management. 17(2), 103-111. Huang, L. (2006). Rural tourism revitalization of the leisure farm industry by implementing an e-commerce strategy. Journal of Vacation Marketing. An International Journal for the Tourism and Hospitality Industries. 12(3), 232-245 Oregon Department of Agriculture (1996). Farm & Ranch Recreation Resource Workbook. Salem: Oregon. 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. Williams, P.W. (2000). The evolving images of wine tourism destinations. Tourism Recreation Research.

Managing Risk and Liability: Insurance Considerations

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, 2002, Marketing on the Edge: A Marketing Guide for Progressive Farmers, CFBMC, Ottawa, Canada. Oregon Department of Agriculture (1996) Farm & Ranch Recreation Resource Workbook. Salem: Oregon. University of California Small Farm Center (2002). Safety and Risk Management. Fact Sheets for Managing Agri and Nature-Tourism Operations.

Ensuring Product and Service Quality

Alberta Country Vacations Association (1997). Guidelines for Alberta Country Vacations Association. Che, D. (2006). Select Michigan. Local food production, food safety, culinary heritage and branding in Michigan agritourism, Tourism Review International 9(6), 349-363. Embacher, Hans (1994). Marketing for agritourism in Austria: Strategy and realization in a highly developed tourist destination. Journal of Sustainable Tourism. 2(1&2), 61-76. Fawcett, S.L. (1996). Issues identified for developing agritourism products: Quality in the agritourism product. Progress in Tourism and Hospitality Research. 2(1), 79-86. Hjalager, A.M. (1996). Agricultural diversification into tourism. Tourism Management. 17(2), 103-111.
38

Johnson, G. (1998). The Agricultural Diversification, Value-added Ideas Book. Ottawa: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada. Oregon Department of Agriculture (1996). Farm and Ranch Recreation Resource Workbook. Salem OR. May 1996.

Creating Productive Partnerships

----- (1994). Tourism Strategies and Rural Development. Paris: Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development, pp.6-76. Williams, P.W. (1999). Strategic partnership development in small and medium-sized tourism enterprises. The Tourist Review. Vol. 4, p. 20-35.

Managing Farmers Markets

Alberta Agriculture, Food and Rural Development and the University of Alberta, Department of Human Ecology Farmers. (1998) Markets in Alberta: A Direct Channel of Distribution, AARI Report . Project #95CR16, January.

Organizing Agritourism Festivals

Mostern, P. (2004). So You Want to Hold a Festival: The A-Z of Festival and Special Event Organization. Ottawa: Canadian Farm Business Management Council.

39