Agtourism Conference on Fri., Oct. 19 to Explore New Opportunities for Hawaii’s Farmers

KEALAKEUA – The “Agtourism in Hawaii: From Farmer to Visitor” Conference will take place in Kona on Friday, Oct. 19 to explore ways that Hawaii’s farmers and rural communities can expand their businesses to include agtourism. “Agtourism” is the overlap between the agricultural and visitor industries and includes a wide range of activities, such as farm tours, bed & breakfasts, ag-related festivals, – or any other activity that offers visitors the opportunity to learn more about locally grown produce and to visit farms and rural locales, thus supporting the local agricultural economy and enhancing the visitor experience

This conference is a continuation of a series of programs kicked off as a result of Hawaii’s first Agtourism Conference, held in Kona in 1999. That conference spawned the Kona Spring Blossom Festivals, a website (ctahr2.hawaii.edu/agtourism), and the “Gifts from the Land” agtourism map focusing on ag-related visitor attractions. Both agtourism conferences have been supported by UH Manoa’s College of Agricultural and Human Resources (CTAHR), a variety of government and non-government organizations, and private businesses involved in Hawaii’s economy and agriculture.
“Agtourism represents a great opportunity for Hawaii’s farmers to tap into the existing tourism base and to diversify their marketing efforts,” said Dr. Kent Fleming, UH Manoa extension economist and the conference chair. “One of this conference’s goals is to build on the momentum from the first conference, to assess the current state of agtourism, and to make sure that Hawaii’s producers are in the loop and aware of the many direct benefits a strong agtourism industry can provide,” added Fleming, who also chaired the first conference.

The keynote address will be provided by Clare Callow, Massey University agricultural scientist and director of Agritour, a private firm that provides opportunities to experience New Zealand’s world-renowned agriculture. Callow’s talk, "Agtourism: The New Zealand Experience," will include a showing of her recent short film on New Zealand agtourism and provide an opportunity for participants involved in Hawaii’s developing agtourism industry to learn from and build on the New Zealand experience.

A major emphasis at the conference will be Pacific agtourism, including how to attract the Japanese visitor, how bed-and-breakfasts can benefit farmers and visitors in Hawaii and the Pacific, and marketing Kona produce to Pacific visitors. Agtourism is growing rapidly throughout the world, and conference attendees will learn what Hawaii’s competition is offering and what visitors expect.

The remainder of the conference will consist of five panels of farmers, economists, experts in tourism and natural resource use, and a variety of people currently practicing agtourism throughout Hawaii. These panels will offer practical, “how-to” presentations focusing on a range of topics, including attracting the Japanese visitor, liability insurance issues, making the farmer-chef connection, how B&Bs benefit farmers and visitors in Hawaii, Africa, and Asia, evaluating the environmental impact of the agtourism industry, registering B&Bs, assessing the results of the recently completed statewide survey on agtourism in Hawaii, and working with tour operators and hotels.

The final workshop panel will consider the benefits and the possibilities of forming a Hawaii Ag & Rural Tourism Association. Attendees will decide whether or not to form an association, its agenda and who will run it. The conference will open with slack-key guitarist and storyteller George Kahumoku telling the legend of Pua Naupaka, featured in the Dietrich Varez woodblock print on the conference’s poster. There will be many opportunities to interact with others during the breaks, the “Hawaii-grown” lunch, and the pau hana.

The conference will take place at the Keauhou Beach Hotel from 8am to 6pm. Registration is $75 per person, postmarked by October 13th, and $100 thereafter, space permitting. In order to maintain a workshop-like environment, attendance is limited. The previous agtourism conference sold out early, so prompt registration is recommended. Registration includes all conference materials, breaks, lunch, and pau hana.

To register, send your name, address, phone and email along with a check or money order made out to “RCUH #1884” to Jennie Burau, Box 390-253, Kailua-Kona, HI 96739. Contact Jennie Burau (jenburau@hawaii.rr.com or 324-0520) if you have further questions regarding registration. For more information about the conference itself, see the Agtourism in Hawaii web site at www2.ctahr.hawaii.edu/agtourism or contact Dr. Kent Fleming (322-9136 or fleming@hawaii.edu) or Dr. Dick Bowen (956-8419 or rbowen@hawaii.edu).