Culinary/Food Tourism Growing Pure Michigan!

Transcription

1 Culinary/Food Tourism Growing Pure Michigan!

2 Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance s Recipe for success Est. in 2006 to implement Ontario Culinary Tourism Strategy & Action Plan OCTA s goals: Build and sustain authentic local identities Promote agriculture, viticulture, fishing, food, beverage resources Develop Ontario as an international culinary tourism destination Provide strategic expertise to develop tourism products/ experiences Share stories and tell them with pride

3 THE UNWTO GLOBAL REPORT ON FOOD TOURISM With their proximity to food-producing lands, rural communities often enjoy a comparative advantage when it comes to serving up traditional fare tourism allows these communities to generate income and employment locally.

4 Every tourist has 1 thing in common

5 THEY EAT AT LEAST ONCE A DAY BUT MORE LIKELY THREE A DAY. 100 MILLION VISITORS TO MICHIGAN IN 2013 = 300 MILLION PURE TASTES

6 Defining Culinary/ Food Tourism Any tourism experience in which one learns about, appreciates, and/or consumes food and drink that reflects the local, regional or national cuisine, heritage, culture, tradition or culinary techniques. Taken by food tourist R.LeHeup at American Spoon March 10, 2014

7 Defining Local Local = ingredients from the region Ingredients from State Artisanal production done within the region, incorporating local ingredients (eg. craft beers, bread, chocolate)

8 Culinary/Food tourism Offerings Accommodations Attractions Beverage Producers Culinary Schools Farmers Markets Festivals & Events Growers/Producers Restaurants Retailers Tours

9 Food Tourism: Economic Impact Eating local food has a 3:1 impact on local economy (Local Food Plus) For every 1L of Ontario wine that is consumed, $12.29 is generated in added value (Wine Council of Ontario) Over one third of tourist spending worldwide is devoted to food (UNWTO Global Report on Food Tourism) 60-70% of visitors to farmers markets visit other neighbouring businesses (Farmers Markets Ontario)

10 Characteristics of Food Tourists Concerned about origin of products Higher-than average expenditure High level of loyalty Masters of social media Want the VIP treatment Look for an authentic narrative

11 Show & tell TASTE 81% of respondents indicated ability to try locally sourced products was important when choosing a culinary activity TOUR 43% of respondents look for guided tours when choosing a destination TAKE AWAY 67% of respondents indicated option to take home products was important when choosing a culinary activity 2013 Ryerson Survey

12 Culinary Tourists are MORE ACTIVE ACTIVITY PARTICIPANTS IN ANY CULINARY ACTIVITY % PARTICIPANTS IN NO CULINARY ACTIVITY % VISITING HISTORIC SITES OUTDOOR ADVENTURE (E.G. SWIMMING) ATTENDING LIVE THEATRE VISITING GARDENS GOLFING GOING TO A MUSIC FESTIVAL GOING TO A SPA Source: TAMS Study 2006

13 Culinary Tourists are GETTING YOUNGER! Food and beverage are the biggest deciding travel factor for Canadians years of age (2012 TIAC/Deloitte survey) For many young chowhounds, their edible adventures involve a mix of high and low, exotic and local, tough-to-book it restaurants and undiscovered gems The Globe & Mail, Aug % of Canadian travelers under 45 years of age share their experiences through social media (2012 TIAC/Deloitte survey) By 2020, millennials will represent HALF of all global travel spending ( The Rise of the Millennial Traveler )

14 Make it mobile ONLINE AND UPWARDS! 52% of millennial business travelers book on mobile devices 60% of these bookings occur within 24 hours of a stay Travel booking on mobile devices doubled in the U.S. in 2012 (Skift Report) $26B in mobile bookings worldwide expected in 2014 (Expedia)

15 How Do We EAT? Food Tourism Offerings Wineries, Breweries, Cideries & Distilleries Accommodati ons Attractions Retailers Restaurants Food Tourism Offerings Culinary Schools Farms, Orchards, Pastures, Apiaries, Artisans & Other Festivals & Events Farmers Markets

16 Experience Assessment Tool (EAT ) Overview Experience Assessment Tool Collects data on each tourism offering Assesses market readiness Unique rating system Champion, Leader, Follower, or Subscriber

17 Market Readiness What is Market Ready What is market ready? Market Ready Near Market Ready Not Market Ready Why assess market readiness? Highlight strengths Identify opportunities Deliver quality experiences Focus marketing

18 Welcoming the culinary/food tourist the checklist - for individual businesses TELLING THE LOCAL STORY! Do we offer a unique taste of place that is an authentic expression of the region?! Do we serve/sell local food and beverages?! Do we promote where our food and beverages are sourced from?! Do we call out specific growers and producers that we work with?! Do we promote our partnerships and/or memberships within the local food community? WELCOMING THE VISITOR! Do we have a welcoming retail space for visitors?! Do we post our hours and adhere to them?! Do we have visible signage and route markers to direct visitors?! Do we have an attractive website, with a map, directions and high quality photos?

19 Welcoming the culinary/food tourist the checklist - for individual businesses ENRICHING THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE! Do we offer tastings and samplings?! Do we offer any classes or educational opportunities?! Do we offer entertainment?! Do we host any tours? Do we participate as a stop on a tour?! Do we host any events on-site?! Do we participate in off-site events and promote this involvement?! Is our staff knowledgeable and passionate about our products?! Do we communicate our story and heritage with pride? KEEPING VISITORS ENGAGED! Are we active on social media? Social review sites?! Do we have a newsletter? Blog?! Do we encourage our customers to engage with us?! Do we offer incentives, run contests or promotions?

20 What EAT Can Do For You Mapping & Tagging

21 What EAT Can Do For You Searching by Market Readiness All businesses in the inventory Market ready businesses

22 FEAST ON About Criteria-based designation system Created to protect authenticity, identify and educate, market and promote Work with local stakeholders

23 FEAST ON Purpose Make buying ON/dining ON easy Celebrate champions Raise awareness Support ON culinary identity FEAST ON Compliment Foodland Ontario

24 FEAST ON Focus Procurement Participation Partnership

25 Why Buy Ontario? Raise your Revenue The average culinary tourist spends double that of a generic tourist, and triple on fine dining (Ryerson University) Better quality Increased value Higher price

26 Ontario Culinary -Discover What s On Our Table Strategically link our Culinary Explorer to our Feast ON program Integrated digital campaign Continue to develop regional food tourism strategies Educate (industry and consumer)

27 How Can OCTA Help? 1-on-1 consultation services Strategic planning Webinars Research & resources Business Development Expanding Industry Knowledge Networking Advertising Ontario Culinary Tourism Summit Online community Ad space Event calendar Social media Newsletter/blog

28 Rebecca LeHeup, Executive Director Phone: (416) Website: Feaston.ontarioculinary.com