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Agri-Tourism presents opportunities for New Jersey growers seeking to add value to their crops and/or capture more of the market price of their products by directly accessing consumers. Many New Jersey area residents consider agriculture a novelty and something to be explored and enjoyed. Opportunities such as direct marketing, pick your own, corn mazes, hay rides, farm stays, visits, tours or even operating bed & breakfasts are ways to share the agricultural experience while increasing farm income. States such as Virginia, New York and Illinois have comprehensive agri-tourism programs that will be studied as work moves forward to more closely cooperate with the various agencies that share a common interest in promoting tourism in New Jersey.
As a new economic development initiative in 2004, the Department will be working on the economic development potential of agri-tourism in New Jersey. To assist in the development of agri-tourism industry the Department will be focusing on three major objectives: developing Strategic Partnerships, Consumer Promotion and Industry Education.
10.1 Develop Strategic Partners
84) STRATEGY – Work to establish an Agri-Tourism Advisory Council. The Council will consist of members of the agricultural tourism industry and interested governmental agencies. The Council will develop and implement a marketing program to promote New Jersey agri-tourism.
85) STRATEGY - Submit a request to the Office of Travel & Tourism to incorporate agri-tourism research into their established travel industry research program. The study could identify existing agri-tourism and the current impediments and opportunities for future growth.
86) STRATEGY - Coordinate an Agri-Tourism symposium to address common opportunities and challenges and to provide some basic tourism and hospitality training
87) STRATEGY - Promote agri-tourism to the travel and tourism trade through participation in the annual Governor's Conference on Tourism.
88) STRATEGY - Coordinate an agri-tourism press familiarization tour to acquaint the regional travel and tourism media with New Jersey agri-tourism. This is a standard tourism practice and it should result in trade and consumer press.
10.2 Consumer Promotion
89) STRATEGY - Promote agri-tourism through the New Jersey Office of Travel and Tourism, an enhanced agri-tourism component on the Jersey Fresh website, and through consumer oriented printed materials, press releases and cooperative advertising. Produce an inexpensive Agri-Tourism brochure with website and contact information to be distributed at “Tourist Welcome Centers” and through other special events such as festivals. The brochure would promote seasonal events and special attractions.
90) STRATEGY- Develop a list of agri-tourism activities highlighting the various events throughout New Jersey. An agri-tourism listing on the Jersey Fresh website would include farm markets, agricultural festivals and special attractions like the New Jersey Museum of Agriculture. The locations, dates and a short description of the activities and events could be cross-referenced on an agri-tourism map.
10.3 Industry Education
91) STRATEGY - Conduct outreach activities for agri-tourism operators to promote listings on the Travel & Tourism Calendar of Events. Promote the “Tourism Cooperative Grant Program” to New Jersey’s agri-tourism industry. This program could attract private funds to promote agri-tourism opportunities to key out-of-state target markets.
92) STRATEGY - Apply for a FSMIP Grant to study agri-tourism in New Jersey, pursue the development of a course on hospitality management for the Agri-Tourism Industry, research and develop a database of agri-tourism operators to facilitate information exchange, and develop promotional and informational materials
93) STRATEGY - Conduct a survey of farmers to gather information on what farmers are doing in regards to agri-tourism. Seek funding for a farmer survey to be implemented by NJASS to assess the variety of activities, the size of industry, and the current challenges and opportunities.
