Opening the Gate project off to a flying start
Equipped with some great networks and plenty of energy, the Opening the Gate Project Team set about recruiting farmers and producers who were interested in accelerating agritourism in Tasmania during the latter half of 2021.
Following a successful series of agritourism field days held around the State, 54 participants entered Regionality’s Agritourism Business Development Program. These participants are spread across Tasmania’s four regional tourism organisation regions, with two groups in the south, and one in the east, north, and northwest respectively.
“Agritourism is finding its place as a tourism experience of choice. Tasmania has an excellent opportunity to be the best agritourism destination in Australia and Opening the Gate is all about supporting the development of new activities and experiences to engage with.”
- Allison Clark, Project Lead
At the heart of an agritourism experience is connecting people with place and produce. Across Tasmania, there is a broad range of activity being developed through the Opening the Gate Project, including on-farm accommodation, farm-based tours, food and beverage experiences, and a variety of events.
Regionality’s Agritourism Business Development Program is central to Opening the Gate, ensuring that farmers and producers who have come into the Program can work on their ideas and build their business case. “Most farmers joining our program are exploring opportunities to add value to their core business of farming or to create a new pathway to market for their produce through agritourism. By understanding what drives them; what success looks like from their perspective as well as the needs of consumers, we help participants tap into opportunities they may not have considered for their farm. We give them skills, knowledge, tools and capacity to build a resilient business that reflects their farm, their produce, and their story. This approach ensures every agritourism venture delivers a truly unique experience.”, said Rose Wright (Managing Director, Regionality).
Participants are now halfway through the Workshop series, which will culminate in a series of Agritourism Showcase Events later in the year. And if there is any doubt as to the interest that agritourism has, you only have to connect with the stories coming out of regional Australia to see what is working and where (take this Landline story for example).
Todd Babiak - CEO of Brand Tasmania - led a session to help the Agritourism Business Development Program participants build their brand stories during a recent East Coast workshop.
