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What is Agri-Tourism?
Agri-tourism is an expanding sector within Canada and around the
world. It is the economic activity that occurs when people link
travel with products, services, and experiences of the agriculture
and food system. Increasingly, tourists want to experience rural life,
meet and interact with the local people. Agri-tourism can include farm
bed and breakfast operations, farm vacations, horse and carriage rides,
hay rides, picnic and camping sites on farms, on-farm craft and food
stores, educational tours, agricultural fairs and farmer field days;
farmers’ markets, and the list goes
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Why Agri-Tourism?
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There are many benefits to agri-tourism:
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One, is diversification of the farm operation. Adding a new enterprise such
as farmer’s market will add another source of income to a farm, and diversification
is an ideal risk management strategy.
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Second, agri-tourism attracts customers to farms. Adding a picnic site, playground
and a canteen to an existing U-pick operation, or having family hay rides to go and
cut Christmas trees on a farm, will not only draw families to your farm, but they
will stay longer if comfortable and interesting attractions are provided.
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Third, agri-tourism contributes to the stability of the agriculture industry of
the province.
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Fourth, agri-tourism is an excellent means of supporting rural communities and
businesses. Tourists bring in dollars to local businesses that keep farming
communities alive and prosperous.
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And fifth, agri-tourism is an opportunity to increase agricultural awareness
and education among the public, and promote agricultural products.
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Canadian Agri-Tourism Network
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In March 1998 representatives from across Canada met to form the Canadian
Agri-Tourism Network with the goal of making Canada the number one agri-tourism
destination in the world. Other provinces are actively developing their
agri-tourism industry: PEI has long been involved in farm vacations,
Ontario has a "Get Out of Town" Harvest Day, and Manitoba has something
similar called "Off The Beaten Path" touring guide promoting their agri-tourism
operations. Partnering of tourism and agriculture sectors will help create
and strengthen rural economies.
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Newfoundland & Labrador’s Agri-Tourism Potential
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We already have numerous farmer markets, farm/greenhouse operations with craft
shops, strawberry u-picks with horse and carriage rides, farm/winery tours,
and many agricultural fairs and farmer field days, such as the Humber Valley
Strawberry Festival and the Lethbridge / Musgravetown Farmer’s Field Day.
Expansion into other agri-tourism enterprises could be a lucrative opportunity
for farmers. With funding from the Canada/Newfoundland Farm Business Management
Program and Agrifoods has contracted D.W.
Knight Associates of St. John’s to undertake a study in to the development
of an agri-tourism industry for the province. This study will investigate
the current agri-tourism industry in the province, identify agri-tourism
opportunities, and make recommendations on maximizing those opportunities.
The study will be completed by December 1998.
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Training Opportunity
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The Ontario Agricultural Training Institute has developed a 2 day workshop
titled "Open Your Gates to Tourism: The Alternative Crop of The Future"
that we could offer this winter if demand warrants. Please contact us
if you are interested in this training opportunity.
We are also establishing a provincial agri-tourism database of operators.
This database will be used for future information mail-outs, industry updates,
and promotional opportunities. To include your business on this database, or if
you are interested in agri-tourism contact:
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Supervisor
Program and Policy Research
Farm Business and Evaluation Division
Agrifoods
Tel: (709) 637-2048
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