Business Commons^™

Go Pick Me Out A Winner: Visitor Perceptions And Priorities Regarding Operational Attributes At U-Pick Farms In Western New York, Nicholas Pitas, Ya-Ling Chen

The Journal of Extension

This study seeks to identify visitor priorities for and perceptions of operational attributes at U-pick farms. Using a survey of farm visitors in the Rochester/Finger Lakes region, we applied importance-performance analysis to identify priorities, and the repositioning framework to create strategies for addressing them. Our results indicate that U-pick visitors generally perceive high levels of service quality, especially on attributes that they perceive as most important. Priorities for improvement include produce-related factors (price and availability of specific varieties) and visit logistics (information to plan a visit). Real, psychological, and associative repositioning strategies for Extension professionals and U-pick operators are discussed.

The Role Of Aquatourism In Sustaining Maine’S Working Waterfronts, Caroline Paras, Tracy S. Michaud

Maine Policy Review

Maine tourism relies heavily on the iconic imagery of working waterfronts, including harbors bobbing with lobster boats surrounded by shingled shacks in a rainbow of buoys. Adapted from agritourism, aquatourism is an experience that engages visitors with the landscape and stories of those who fish. According to the literature on the Experience Economy, the emotions generated by such experiences can translate into sales in real time as well as behavioral intentions to purchase in the future. What role can aquatourism play in sustaining working waterfronts? Using a mixed methods approach, this research study utilizes interviews from both producers and consumers …

Farmers’ Markets & College Students: Shaping Our Shared Community And Bridging The Barrier With On-Campus Interaction, Emma Grace Vaughn

Mahurin Honors College Capstone Experience/Thesis Projects

This project studies the relationship between college students and farmers' markets, with the goal of overcoming known barriers of student participation. A survey conducted at an on-campus farmers' market, Market on the Avenue, details the impact of bringing these events to Western Kentucky University and looks towards the improvement of future markets. The purpose of this evaluation is to understand how effectively this event bridges the known barriers inhibiting WKU student participation in farmers’ markets, and to develop survey data into recommendations for improvement.

Bicycle Tourism Plan For Economic Development: A Template For Rural Agricultural Towns And A Case Study For The City Of Winters, California, Marisa Rene Lee

Master's Theses

Bicycling is a method of tourism transportation that is healthy, non-invasive, environmentally responsible, and economically sustainable. It allows freedom, mobility, and sightseeing potential that is not made possible by other modes of transit. Thousands of bicycle tourists travel from all over the globe annually to explore California on touring bikes via established cycling routes and robust determination. Thousands of additional domestic and international visitors take weekend trips, plan family vacations, travel for business, or tour California from abroad, many of whom are excellent candidates for local and regional bicycle touring at a more gentle intensity level.

The increasing popularity and …

Cattle Ranchers And Agritourism In Oregon, Usa: Motivations, Challenges And Opportunities From The Landowner's Perspective, Fernanda Pegas, Claudia Ollenburg, Joanne Tynon

Claudia Ollenburg

Cattle ranches are cultural icons in many countries. Still, high costs to maintain ranches may force some ranchers to sell their operation. One income alternative is to diversify into agritourism. Empirical research on ranch agritourism is scarce. This study provides an overview of, and assesses the motivations for, and challenges to diversifying into agritourism from the ranchers’ perspective. A survey of 400 Oregon ranchers in 2003 found that 21% of 177 respondents promoted agritourism and that it contributed 8% to their annual household income compared to an 84% contribution from livestock production. Working on the ranch and hunting / fishing …

Montana's Agritourism And Recreation Business: Ten Years Later , Lee Rademaker, Norma P. Nickerson, Kara Grau

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

There is a wide variety of recreation and tourism activities on farms and ranches, ranging from Fish, Wildlife and Parks Block Management to cabin rentals to horseback rides. To further understand farm and ranch recreation businesses, the Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research conducted a survey of Montana farms and ranches currently involved in tourism or recreation or thinking about starting in that field. The purpose of this investigation was to gain a clearer picture of what is currently happening on farms and ranches in terms of recreation and tourism activities, to gauge what may be happening in the near …

The Business Of Agritourism/Recreation In Montana, Rita J. Black, Norma P. Nickerson

Institute for Tourism and Recreation Research Publications

Presents data from a convenience sample of farms/ranches in Montana that operate recreation businesses. Specific data include agricultural demographic information (e.g., acreage and income), recreation business data (e.g., popularity of activities offered, reasons for operating a recreation business, obstacles), and marketing information (e.g., origin of guests).