Mar 4, 2008

Culinary Experience Trend can Grow Agritourism

By necessity, the tourism industry is constantly evolving, always moving on to “what’s new” to promote in their region, state or province. They dare not be satisfied with their existing attraction products, and the best marketers are always doing research as to what people will want next when they travel.

So, where does this leave “agritourism?” Are we still a buzzword? Well, yes and no. Agritourism is still very popular, but the new catchphrase seems to be “culinary experiences.” With a little creativity, we can still be very hot on the travel industry radar. After all, nothing is more crucial to a great culinary experience than local farm-fresh fruits, vegetables and meat.

If you’ve been an agritourism farm for long, you already know that we can never be satisfied with what we did last year. We must continue to improve and look for new products and activities to excite our customers – so let’s see what the tourism industry has come up with to expand our offerings.

According to The International Culinary Tourism Association, www.culinarytourism.org, “culinary tourism is about how to best develop and market a new kind of visitor attraction – with unique and memorable food and drink experience.” About 17 percent of American leisure travelers say they want to include culinary experiences when they travel. Research shows these travelers typically are younger, more affluent and better educated than non-culinary travelers, and that’s a nice group to attract to the farm.

Types of culinary activities, as listed by the Travel Industry Association, include “cooking classes, dining out for a unique and memorable experience, visiting farmers’ markets, gourmet food shopping and attending food festivals which include participating in winery tours, driving a farm or wine trail and tasting locally grown foods and wines.”

Sure, we already participate in many of these categories – festivals, wine tours, markets and classes – but the take-home point is what we learn from the tourism industry. A new name, a few tweaks here and there and our business can continue to grow and expand. We need to be making the “culinary connection,” and getting the word out to customers and our local tourism organizations.

I recently returned from Hawaii, where I tasted firsthand how agritourism businesses can also provide a unique culinary experience for their guests. On the island of Maui at Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm, we watched as local chef Paul Lamparelli prepared our lavender seasoned chicken: grilled to perfection and complemented with fresh local greens tossed with their own lavender herb dressing and lavender roll. The meal was topped with a refreshing lavender lime sorbet and lavender lemonade or lavender tea.

“People love to eat, they like to travel, and the trend now is that people want to see how their food is grown and who is growing it,” according to Lani Weigert, marketing director for Ali’i Kula. “With a definite movement to live a healthier lifestyle, people are choosing to eat fresh and buy their food from people they know.”

While the meal was our last activity at the lavender farm, several of our group had to return to the gift shop to purchase some of the products used in the meal preparation.

We had a similar culinary experience at Hawaiian Vanilla, where owners Jim and Tracy Reddekopp served up a three-course lunch featuring vanilla-inspired savory dishes – using the subtle flavors of vanilla with citrus, champagne, white wine and cream. Jim Reddekopp told me “when guests visit our farm, we reach out to them through all five senses. They taste what we grow, hear our family story about how we moved back to the land, see and touch the plants and deeply inhale the fragrant smell of the vanilla bean.” After such a meal, who can resist the Hawaiian Vanilla gift shop to buy soaps, lotions and the culinary products used in the meal preparation.

The culinary tourism trend is here to stay and sure to grow. There is a variety of Web sites popping up in different states to make this traveler/food connection. California recently launched a new Web site, www.landofwineandfood.com, used to promote the state’s wine and food offerings and touted internationally by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. Conde Nast Traveler magazine just did a recent article on “top farm tables” for unique dining experiences. We can be sure the media will continue to promote these farm stops as more become available.

Will this trend improve your business? While most of us are not ready to launch into full culinary meals, it is important that we keep this trend in mind as we develop new products and activities. For example, as you expand your bakery offerings, develop signature products that use your fresh fruits to set your item apart from your neighbor or grocery bakery. Cooking classes and demonstrations with your products are another way to participate in the new travel trend. You don’t have to be the cook; bring in local chefs and give them an opportunity to show off their skills to new audiences (and an opportunity to see how your locally grown vegetables enhance their cooking success.)

Make the connection today with the culinary experience. The public is ready and anxious to “eat locally grown,” and whether you encourage them at the market or you are one of the many farms and ranches expanding your food experiences with cafes and restaurants, think “culinary” to grow your business. This trend is going to leave a great taste in your mouth!

Jane Eckert, a national speaker, author and agritourism expert, is principal of Eckert AgriMarketing (www.eckertagrimarketing.com), a firm that helps farmers sell products directly to consumers and develop their operations into tourist destinations. For more information, call 314-862-6288 or e-mail [email protected].