Make ‘em come, make ‘em stay

We have uncovered a gem – at a conference in Victoria in July.

It was about a regional agritourism project in a northern Italian region, that saw agritourism ventures almost double in about five years.

Hospitality and tourism teacher Pauline Porcaro noted that, between 1999-2007, the area saw a 223% increase in arrivals and a 207% increase in visitor nights. Pauline, recently returned from an overseas fellowship, described the Gallo Rosso (Red Rooster) accreditation system as very exacting for business operators e.g. top ranking requires that all soft furnishings are made of natural fibres; operators are not to give up farming; tight restrictions on accommodation size.

In exchange, there is government aid, especially for training. “Marketing, enhanced by the government funding, is certainly the way to go,” she said. Pauline spoke of the lack of such a consolidated push in Australia. “We need to define agritourism. Let’s join the rest of the world. I want funding for farmers and a good strategic plan and good signposting in every town. Industry has to help to lobby government, tourism networks must work with farmers and we need to start to use agritourism as a term. Nobody stands alone to create a good movement. Let’s grab them get them off the bus on their way down to the penguin parade and let’s keep them here!”

She described the typical set-up as the men running the farm and women the tourism businesses. Operators sell local products, for example wine to visitors. Among the variations is a teaching farm for city schoolchildren. At a cost of about $5-6 per child, operators provided a home-made snack and insights into farming life. Another farm ran an ‘adopt a sheep’ program. “You visit farm, adopt a sheep and take home a photo of the sheep…you get regular updates and once a year they get a bit of fleece or cheese … what a great way of raising revenue!” http://www.redrooster.it/en/ or

http://agritourismaustralia.com.au/ (We figure there is a great opportunity for some Cockatoo members to join forces and make a funding submission. We will keep a look-out for the right program. Contact us if you are interested – Editor.)