About special interest tourism, examples of agritourism, the development of agritourism, who are agritourists, and issues in agritourism. This was prepared as an assignment for a unit on Special Interest Tourism in a Bachelor of Business in Tourism Management. Please contact the uploader for references for the origins of the content.
2. Special interest tourism:
Providing tourism products to small target markets of
consumers with special interests
Tourists’ holiday decisions are motivated by a special interest:
an activity and/or a setting
Based on existing interest or developing a new interest
Interest may be the primary motivation for a holiday
or part of a general holiday
4. Agritourism:
Recreational or educational activities in working agricultural settings
Use of farm assets in tourism products
- agricultural, natural, heritage and rural lifestyle
Subset of rural tourism
- which commodifies characteristics of rural areas and their cultural
meaning
- includes nature, heritage, cultural, adventure and ecotourism
- and other niches e.g. cycle tourism
Can use trends such as wellness or gastronomic tourism
5. Successful agritourism experiences:
- provide authentic taste of place
- reflect the region’s cultural, historical and agricultural heritage
15. Supply side (farmers):
Economic benefits
Social benefits
Desire to educate
Demand side (urban residents):
Connection with rural landscapes and lifestyles
Connection with how food is grown
Trends: urban residence, increased disposable income,
popularity of short breaks, reduced transportation costs
16. Contextual factors:
Economic, climatic, industry
Institutional factors:
Coordination, support, funding
Government, industry, community
Cooperation, tourism networks, marketing & market
research
18. Different types of agritourists
Sociodemographic
- 75% female
- 65% 30-64 years
- 65% >$50K
- 60% >some college
- 30% employed
- 60% live with partner, 33% live with children >12 years
- urban residents, educated, professional, older, affluent
- emerging young, discerning market
19. Based on activity preferences
- those without a preference for agritourism activities
(males, singles, homemakers)
- those interested in any farm recreation and hospitality
(younger, students, families with young children)
- those who want to be educated
(educated)
21. Impacts:
Social and economic benefits
Issues:
Expectations: farming is more industrialised, less nostalgic
Products might not meet expectations, or reality not shared with visitors
Farmers fear consequences of visitors seeing production
Adequate liability insurance
Added labour requirements for entertaining visitors
Visitors in farmers’ private sphere vs
visitors’ desire for authentic social contact
Meeting diverse needs of visitors: there to relax or engage?
22.
23. References:
Ali-Knight, JM, The Role of Niche Tourism Products in Destination Development’, PhD thesis,
Published Works, viewed 5 May 2017, <http://www.napier.ac.uk/~/media/worktribe/output-
209366/fullthesispdf.pdf>.
Barbieri, C 2014, ‘An activity-based classification of agritourists’, Proceedings Book of the
45th Annual International Conference of Travel and Tourism Research Association,
<http://ttra.omnibooksonline.com/2014/57118-ttra-1.1239435/t-001-1.1239924/f-003-
1.1240282/a-003-1.1240283>.
Dept of State Growth 2016, ‘Agri-tourism, Draft agri-tourism position paper 2016’, Tasmanian
Government,
<http://www.stategrowth.tas.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0005/139847/Draft_Agri-
tourism_Position_Paper.pdf>.
Ecker, S, Clarke, R, Cartwright, S, Kancans, R, Please, P & Binks, B 2010, ‘Drivers of regional
agritourism and food tourism in Australia’, Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource
Economics – Bureau of Rural Sciences,
<https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262487406_Drivers_of_regional_agritourism_and
_food_tourism_in_Australia>.
Hall, CM & Weiler, B 1992, ‘Introduction: What's so special about special interest tourism’,
in Special-interest tourism, B Weiler & CM Hall (eds.) Belhaven Press, London, pp. 1–14.
24. Irshad, H 2010, ‘Rural tourism – an overview’, Government of Alberta, Agriculture and Rural
Development,
<http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$Department/deptdocs.nsf/all/csi13476/$FILE/Rural-
Tourism.pdf>.
Kordel, S 2016, ‘Selling ruralities: How tourist entrepreneurs commodify traditional and
alternative ways of conceiving the countryside’, Rural Society, vol. 25, no. 3, pp.204-21,
doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10371656.2016.1255475.
MKT00204 Special Interest Tourism Study Guide 2017, Southern Cross University, Lismore.
Novelli, M (ed.) 2007, Niche Tourism, Taylor and Francis, ProQuest Ebook Central.
Rilla, EL 2011, ‘Tourism and agricultural viability: case studies from the United States and
England’, in RM Torres & JH Momsen (eds.), Tourism and Agriculture, ProQuest Ebook Central,
pp. 173-92.
Royal Agricultural University n.d., Agri-Tourism, viewed 18 March 2017,
<https://www.rau.ac.uk/about/organisation/public-information/academic-
information/modules/4225-agritourism>.
Santeramo, FG & Barbieri, C 2017, ‘On the demand for agritourism: a cursory review of
methodologies and practice’, Tourism Planning & Development, vol. 14, no. 1, pp. 139-48.
Trauer, B 2005, ‘Conceptualizing special interest tourism—frameworks for analysis’,
Tourism Management, vol. 27, no. 2, pp. 183-200, https://doi-
org.ezproxy.scu.edu.au/10.1016/j.tourman.2004.10.004.
Editor's Notes
Gourmet in Gundy
month-long ‘menu of events’, celebrating the year’s harvest, showcasing food, wine, beer and agricultural produce and experiences across the Riverina
Economic benefits primary motivation (Tew & Barbieri, cited in Flanigan, Blackstock & Hunter 2015).
Income: diversity income sources, farm survival or expansion, stabilise income fluctuations, new income stream to keep adult children on farm
Social benefits – festival, isolated rural homes
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics
For example, actively-fit youngmale individuals are most likely to prefer physically demanding activities (e.g., hiking) as compared to older individuals, predominantly females, who prefer contemplation-related (e.g., tours) activities(Aguilar & Barbieri, 2011).
For example, actively-fit youngmale individuals are most likely to prefer physically demanding activities (e.g., hiking) as compared to older individuals, predominantly females, who prefer contemplation-related (e.g., tours) activities(Aguilar & Barbieri, 2011).
Primary research – anecdotal
Piggeries
Animal rights activists
Sustainability of food trails without govt funding
