Enriching the Ecotourism Experience by Featuring Rural Life Patterns Todd Comen, Associate Professor, Johnson State College Managing Director, Institute For Integrated Rural Tourism www.integratedtourism.com Global Ecotourism Conference May 14 – May 16, 2007 Oslo, Norway Rural communities form the bridge between urban dwellers and natural areas. Ecotourists and resort visitors often bypass rural communities on their way to natural and resort destinations. I believe that visiting rural communities by ecotourism providers will have a positive impact on the community and on the guest experience as well, resulting in increased business for the ecotour operator. In this presentation, I will define a new approach to enriching the ecotourism experience. Along with this description of integrated rural tourism, a model is introduced that describes how relationships grow when ecotourism providers support rural tourism enterprises. This approach to tourism embraces the principles of agro and eco tourism that I call integrated rural tourism, but could easily be termed agroecotourism. I will discuss how to integrate an ecotour into a rural community and the benefits to eco travelers, ecotourism operators, natural area managers, and rural communities of integrated rural tourism. Finally, I end with a plea to develop planning models that empower community leaders and members with the information and decision making skills to make the right choices when entering the tourism sector so that ecotour operators will always choose the rural community over remote nature destinations to meet the lodging and associated travel needs of their customers. Family farms form the foundation of a vibrant rural community. As farming declines, entire communities often fall into decay. The best way for farmers and other rural enterprises to benefit from the tourism sector is to add value to their basic products.
1
Ecotour operators are in the business of delivering an experience to their customers. If a host community can develop value added products that, when combined, add value to the visitor experience, then everybody wins. The visitor has an enriched experience, the ecotour operator has satisfied guests, and the host community increases both income and self-value. Value Added Ladder Engineered system focused on the customer results in Visible Value Experience Focus Standard system of product development focused Primarily on assets and competencies of the operator
Product Focus Desired Wants apple cider Fresh milk Shearing demo
Basic Needs Commodity Apples Milk Wool Agriculture
WOW! Spiced organic apple butter Custom made sweater from wool picked out by customer Elegant picnic w/farm-raised products Unanticipated wants organic apple butter Farm made cheese Handmade wool sweater Barn Tour
Expected Needs PYO apples View sheep Food samples Retail sales
Tourism/retail
Adding value to the visitor experience is a challenge for most rural community members because they have been either selling into the commodity market for generations, have been subsistence farmers feeding family and selling locally where possible, or their business is geared towards local markets. Adding value to products such as coffee, apples, corn, wool, and other farm grown items to a level that would meet the experiential wants of visitors is a relatively new idea. Although travelers have been experiencing rural life for centuries, most businesses other than inns have not had direct sales to the visitor. Today, however, visitors are seeking out farms, small value added manufacturing enterprises, artisans workshops, schools, health clinics, and food markets. When enterprises move up the value ladder to create experiences for visitors, products that once were low value commodities all of a sudden become valuable experiences. An apple
2
only sells as an apple for a few cents, but if an apple becomes an experience, it will sell for a few dollars! In the early 1980’s my wife and I developed and managed a country inn in Northern California. This is where I began to realize how folks from urban areas were longing to reconnect with the earth and with rural life patterns. In 1990, I was fortunate to have another opportunity to revitalize a struggling agricultural operation, this time focused on apple production. In rural Wisconsin I developed and managed an integrated agricultural operation in Wisconsin called the Apple Works. This is where I began to fully understand how much people from urban centers would pay for a great agricultural experience. Rural infrastructures have been crumbling around the world from lack of attention for a variety of reasons. The quality of life in rural villages and towns has not kept pace with the significant improvements in urban areas. Health, education, sanitation, roads, etc. are neglected and under funded. To attract tourists, rural communities must improve infrastructure. However, until tourism operators begin to visit rural communities, funds and motivation are typically absent. As a result, rural communities lack the initiative and support to successfully enter the tourism arena. Key players in developing an integrated rural tourism economy who must step forward first include local government officials, ecotourism operators, and NGO’s dedicated to building civil society and supporting small to medium enterprises. These organizations form the foundation for initiating a new direction for the rural community. Working with the “human spark plugs” of the community, an association can be formed that will rediscover the primary and secondary attractions that will have interest to visitors. These attractions are part of the existing fabric of the rural community. There is no need to build attractions, rather it is imperative to identify people, places, and stuff of daily activities that, when combined, tell the story of the rural community. From this foundation, an ecotour operator has the opportunity and options to further embrace the principles and practices of what I’ve been calling integrated rural tourism. What is Integrated Rural Tourism? “The Ordinary For the Host Community Becomes the Extraordinary For the Visitor”! • • • • • • • •
Combines natural ecosystems and human communities in the experience. The experience is place-based. Travel to rural communities and natural areas for extended interactions. Rural attractions reflect the reality of life in rural environments. Visitors are involved at different levels of daily activities in the rural community. Education becomes the cornerstone of the experience for both hosts and visitors Elders begin the story of the community Directly links small-scale farming to the visitor experience
3
•
• •
A central theme or focus defines the tour programming. Examples include: o Small scale agriculture o Specialty foods o Forest products o Artisans o Health and nutrition o Education o Relationship with natural areas o Value added manufacturing o Water shed issues Partnerships are formed within the community to design and deliver the experience. Public, private, NGO’s become members of an Enterprise Association to provide support, technical expertise, and training for rural partners.
By integrating rural life patterns into the ecotourism experience, the tour operator and its customers express in word and deed their valuation of the rural community. When people feel that their life patterns are valued, and when their way of life is supported through tourism dollars, then families may be motivated to remain in the community rather than migrate to urban centers. Once people begin to see that their community has value, they may invest in the future of the community with the revenues generated from integrated rural tourism. If integrated rural tourism can be implemented before a rural community decays, the fabric of rural life may be kept intact. Ecotourists are eager to travel to natural areas to learn about the flora and fauna of the destination. Stories of nature are compelling, and are important to communicate to people from urban areas. People need nature. However, ecotourists also require infrastructure such as accommodation, meals, transportation, and information. Many ecotourism activities such as hiking, kayaking, canoeing, and biking require support services as well. These services can either be delivered by local peoples remote from their natural place of living, or these services can be delivered in the local community near or adjacent to the natural area being visited by the ecotourist. I believe that the visitor will have far more vivid memories of their travels if they spend time with local people. When visitors interact with hosts who have a compelling story to tell, the visitor will tend to remember those stories and the people who told them. People tend to remember people. In this presentation, a variety of stories are told; The story of people and nature, people and agriculture, people and artisans work, and people and value added manufacturing. Examples are presented in this talk such as “the story of stone”, the story of “Hurricane Mitch,” the story of “bread making” and “the story of small scale farming”. These stories become part of the tourist experience but also become a part of the host experience as well.
4
What is happening in Vermont, USA? • • • •
• •
Support for associations of tourism providers in the form of state grants for marketing, Vermont Fresh Network Strong visitor information sector on highways, in airports, and downtown areas, Strong local associations focused on marketing members such as bed and breakfasts, attractions, and outdoor multi-sport activities. Strong farm-based tourism association; Vermont Farms! Marketing and technical assistance for small farmers seeking business from tourists. Strong specialty foods association and department of agriculture involvement for relevant brand identity for Vermont farm products. Multiple local, regional, state-wide events, celebrations, festivals promoting the Vermont brand.
Vermont Fresh Network In Vermont, where small farmers are struggling to stay on the farm, earnings from direct sales to tourists and tourist restaurants have grown steadily over the past ten years, helping to save small family farms. One method for bringing farmers, restaurateurs, and visitors together is through the Vermont Fresh Network. The Vermont Fresh Network has been very successful in bringing together farmers and tourists indirectly through the food served in both stand-alone restaurants and restaurants located within lodging establishments. This network of farmers and restaurateurs was launched in the mid 1990’s as a collaborative effort between the Vermont Department of Agriculture, The New England Culinary Institute, and a handful of farmers and independent restaurateurs. An NGO was created to foster a strong relationship between growers, distributors, and food service operations. With a limited budget and part-time employees, this network has grown to include a variety of fruit, vegetable, meat, and dairy farmers but also food producers including bakers, cheese makers, coffee and tea processors, maple syrup producers and even pasta makers. Today, hundreds of restaurants, a half dozen food distributors, and food cooperatives are members of the network. Supporters include the department of agriculture, university departments, culinary magazines, and public relations firms. The Vermont Fresh Network builds innovative partnerships among farmers, chefs and consumers to strengthen Vermont's agriculture. The network is built on the premise that a strong farm economy creates local jobs, provides nutritious food and preserves the closeknit communities of our state. The Vermont Fresh Network helps Vermont farms and restaurants team up to provide the freshest local food at restaurants. The quality and beauty of Vermont's landscape depends upon working farms and working farmers. The Vermont Fresh Network is dedicated to promoting and publicizing Vermont chefs and restaurants that use Vermont grown and produced foods. Our beautiful open fields and scenic landscape also attract tourists and improve our own quality of life. Chefs that purchase the products of our working landscape are helping to maintain this
5
agricultural heritage and contribute to the future of Vermont's farm economy. For this reason, the VFN connects farmers with chefs, and promotes these partnerships. The example of the Vermont Fresh Network demonstrates how an association of committed member organizations can significantly impact the soul of a rural community. Ecotourism operators have the power to significantly influence rural development if they choose to embrace the principles of integrated rural tourism beginning with support for the farmer and the farm based economy. As a food supplier, the farmer retains 100% of his or her labor in farming and increases revenue from selling directly to the restaurant or restaurant supplier. No longer is the farmer selling only into the commodity, wholesale market. The farmers in this case, are adding value to their production by working directly with the restaurateur. Ecotourism operators can play a significant role in supporting the small farm sector. Establishing criteria for selecting vendors is very important in the development of sustainable business. Ecotour operators can identify those restaurateurs or food providers who are willing and able to purchase food from local farmers and support these enterprises with their business. In qualifying farm vendors, ecotour operators should take time to visit the producer in order to learn more about the integrity of the farm product, and can, where possible, take visitors to the farm to further encourage support for small scale farming. Regional and local partnerships In the Northeast Corner of Vermont, there remains a rural community whose life patterns is relatively intact but are threatened by recent declines in the number of farms, the number of forestry jobs, and the subsequent increased number of families with children leaving the area for urban centers. If tourism can be developed that values the rural life patterns in this region of Vermont, then a balance between day visitors seeking natural and rural areas for their core assets, then traditional rural life patterns may experience a resurgence. Through work of the Nulhegan Gateway Association, Northeast Kingdom Travel and Tourism Association, USDA Rural Development, and National Geographic Traveler, the value of this last traditional place in Vermont is being supported and promoted.
Located in the Northeastern part of the state, Vermont's Northeast Kingdom has long been cherished by visitors and natives alike for its unspoiled beauty and natural treasures. To preserve the natural environment and to promote sustainable destinations, Vermont's Northeast Kingdom is working with National Geographic to develop a geotourism program for the region. As one of the first of its kind in the world, this program allows Vermont's Northeast Kingdom to join a select group of countries and regions working with National Geographic's Center for Sustainable Destinations to
6
promote tourism that enhances and sustains the environment, culture, and heritage of tourism destinations. Vermont's Northeast Kingdom is proud to offer breath-taking scenery, local agriculture and farming, Vermont made products, and recreational opportunities which have gained our region national and international recognition. Visitors can pursue a variety of adventures, including mountain biking, alpine skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, kayaking and canoeing, cross-country skiing, ice fishing, wildlife viewing and more. Other examples of integrated rural tourism introduced to illustrate the principals of integrated rural tourism include The Story of Stone from Bologa Romania, the Story of Land and People in Maramures Romania (see www.integratedtourism.com for photos and descriptions of Romanian rural destinations), and The Story of El Rincon, Honduras and the dry forest ecosystem.
Model representing benefits and relationships between ecotourism providers, guests, and rural communities. This model illustrates how rural communities and the ecotourism provider can have a symbiotic relationship in which both win when guests are hosted by the rural community. Benefits accrue not only to the rural people, but also to the protected area. A process of continuous learning evolves for all stakeholders as they engage in long term relationships. When all parties work collaboratively towards the common goal of enriching the quality of life for rural peoples through an integrated tourism economy, the ultimate goal of conservation and sustainability results.
7
Benefits Ecotourism can benefit rural communities when operators value rural life patterns. Benefits of featuring rural communities in the ecotourism experience include: Ecotravelers – 1. Build bonds and memories with people living in rural communities, 2. Learn about rural life patterns 3. Participate in or observe the relationship between rural people and natural areas 4. Self satisfaction of interacting with people. Ecotourism Operators – 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Satisfied customers Support for enterprise from local community members Ready to use infrastructure Local guides Reduced costs of operations Repeat guests
Natural Area Managers – 1. Visitor flow is managed as rural community provides part of the visitor experience which limits number of groups at one time in the natural area. 2. Rural community can increase expenditures per visitor resulting in more available funds (if allocated effectively) for natural area budget. 3. Larger pool of local people interested in protecting the natural area for ecotourism visitors. 4. Symbiotic relationship between local officials, townspeople, and natural area managers. Rural Communities – 1. Opportunity to build a sustainable tourism sector with steady stream of visitors. 2. Variety of community members involved in tourism livelihood. 3. Community values the natural area and their lifestyle as visitors who spend money provide the evidence that there is value in a rural lifestyle and protecting a natural area. 4. Maintain a vital rural community with a strong small farm sector that has an opportunity to supply tourism related enterprises. 5. Minimization of funds leakage from tourism sector. 6. Vital community built on linkages between ecotour operators and rural suppliers.
8
When ecotour operators feature rural communities prominently in the visitor experience everybody wins. Members of the rural community have opportunities to become integrated into the tourism sector through a variety of paths. Paths include: •
Direct sales of crops to ecolodges, restaurants, and grocery stores,
•
Value added products and experiences can be sold to visitors at premium prices above the usual commodity prices,
•
Services for ecotourists can be provided such as farm tours, interpretive programs focused on farming and food processing,
•
Land can be used for trails, hiking, mountain biking, etc. and fees can be charged for use of private lands,
As will be seen in the case studies presented today, these stories become the foundation for enriching the ecotourists experience. What begins as a limited initiative with small investment in rural entrepreneurs can turn into a village wide enterprise where multiple families are integrated into the visitor management system. Once a village or town feels valued, it begins to value itself. Revitalization and improved quality of life is fueled by investment from tourism revenues into community infrastructure such as sanitation and waste disposal systems, improved roads, school programs, community centers, health clinics, and the like. Rural communities are the bridge between urban dwellers and natural landscapes. Rural community members are the stewards and sentries of these natural landscapes. Why not support the bridge, the transition zone between urban and wild? This transition zone is perfect for orienting the visitor to the natural area and, when the visitor returns, is a transition zone back into the world of humans. Ecotourism enterprises have an opportunity to bring hope to rural communities struggling to effectively enter the tourism arena. The resulting relationships between urban and rural help build bridges between worlds, leading ultimately, one hopes, to a more peaceful and symbiotic coexistence of diverse communities.
9