The Agri-Tourism Model
What is the Burnett Thorne product development process for Agri-Tourism, how does it work within a regional “clustered” framework, can it be applied to entire provinces, where does it all start?
 Burnett Thorne believes that Agri-Tourism, is where tourism and agriculture meet. Where producers offer an interpretive experience - an opportunity to participate in producer-related activities and to buy direct from the source. Agri-Tourism is strengthened when the diversity of experiences are both multiplied and deepened. Agri-Tourism clusters occur, when a number of producers in a discrete region, associate for the purpose of offering multiple Agri-Tourism opportunities.
“Taste of the region” is a sub category of Agri-Tourism and is generally defined as direct-to-consumer sales from either the farm gate or the barn door, where an interpretative experience may or may not be offered. Personal harvesting in “U-Pick” locations is also a sub category of Agri-Tourism.
Why is there such a large consumer demand for Agri-Tourism?
Spending time in the country is viewed a potentially healthy experience by city dwellers, where clean air and fresh food feeds the body and an interpretive experience feeds the mind. Agricultural regions in under populated areas are considered to be attractive locations for family visits and are connected to a powerful nostalgic travel-motivator for the consumer. Families view a visit to an agricultural environment as strengthening and enriching the family experience as well as their family ties.
"We are short of money, so we must begin to think,
and we must think creatively out of the box"
Lord Robertson
Burnett Thorne believes that people with disposable vacation time are interested in understanding the “story behind the enterprise” rather than just the product itself. How an item is produced by its grower, is of considerable interest to many travelers and can increase sales. Agri-Tourism visits are supported by trends towards self-drive vacations, shorter duration visits, last minute planning and family outings.
Why producers are interested in Agri-Tourism
Increasingly, farmers and producers earnings on livestock and grown products are increasingly squeezed by powerful buying groups and often fall below the cost of production. The increasing pressure on farmers and producers has caused many of them to seek an additional income source to supplement what they earn from farming.
Being involved in Agri-Tourism brings several tangible benefits to farmers and producers.
- Potential for direct to consumer (often cash) sales
- Valuable interaction with the public
- Potential to diversify their businesses into tourism while maintaining their traditional farm and producer based enterprise
- Opportunity to maintain the value of their investments, either for eventual sale or hereditary purposes
Burnett Thorne believes that Agri-Tourism brings a valuable opportunity for farmers and producers to explain their way of life as well as their regional business culture, to others.
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