Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Key Drivers for Food Tourism - A Farmer Perspective
Before we look at development of food tourism from a farm perspective we
should reflect back on the development of the farm.
A brief history of the farm retail era
Pre-1900: the Farm Era
This was a period when farmers and growers grew crops. Consumers simply
went to their own local market and obtained their produce. Nobody chal-
lenged the process; it was the way things were done. Take a visit to rural
Spain or Italy and this system is still in place.
1900-1950: the Production-Oriented Era
During this period farmers and growers started realizing that they could
both grow large-scale crops and try and influence the supply chain to buy
what they grew. The sales era had started to arrive. The first supermarket
was opened in 1916 in Memphis, Tennessee when Clarence Saunders opened
his Piggly Wiggly store.
1950-2000: the Market-Oriented Era
Supermarkets evolved during this period into a market dominant position,
being the 'top of mind' choice for grocery items. Companies started to do
research on consumers and their needs and wants with the aim of satisfying
consumers desires. New produce varieties started to be developed and the
consumer was offered a wider choice of produce from around the world. This
is the era when many consumers lost their understanding of seasonal foods.
2000-2050: the Interactive Community
We are now at the start of a new era when communications will be the key
to success. The retailer and farmer can no longer dictate to the consumer.
We now have consumers who feel empowered and who want to talk back.
Customers are using an array of tools to communicate with growers and retailers
and they expect industry to keep up with their lifestyle. In addition, they
have changed their mind-set and are now looking at food in a different way
and are prepared to search out new avenues for obtaining food.
In many countries in recent years farms near to urban areas, which are
ideally situated for food tourism, have been squeezed out of existence due
to urban pressure for building land. These farms are a valuable commodity
to society. According to research by Professor Trevor Budge at La Trobe
University in Australia, 25% of the dollar value of food produced for human
consumption in Australia is grown on the edges of cities.
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Farms near to
cities not only have an opportunity to focus on the tourist potential, but also
are needed for the essential food production.
Cities, such as Barcelona in Spain and Milan in Italy, have developed
'agricultural parks' to preserve the farmland around their cities and to create
