Risk-Mitigation in Agritourism Operations - GIS and Farm-Assessment Tools for
Stimulating Micro-Cluster Development
Doolarie Singh-Knights1, Brandy Brabham2, Daisy Fryman2, Jodi Richmond2, Barbara Liedl3, and Cindy Martel4
1Extension Specialist, 2Extension Agent, West Virginia University
3Associate Professor, West Virginia State University; 4Marketing Specialist, WV Department of Agriculture
RESULTS
INTRODUCTION
West Virginia (WV) agriculture is currently experiencing dramatic changes. Changes in traditional agriculture combined with
changing customer travel patterns ('staycations'; demand for more family time; culinary and heritage tourism niches; and increasing
interest in knowing where their food comes from) have led farmers to explore agritourism and farm-based education as an emerging
agribusiness opportunity, to help diversify farm income and improve cash flows. WV is uniquely positioned to capitalize on this
opportunity having the highest family farms/capita in the nation and >20,000 small/part-time operations. However, these family
farms face drawbacks to entrepreneurship, limiting their full agritourism potential - remote locations, small farms/limited offerings,
and inadequate infrastructure. Additionally, WV agriculture and tourism sectors are fragmented and multifaceted. The challenge is
to help develop a model of micro-cluster networks, a new model of agritourism development and cooperation between local
actors, to enhance community capacities in agritourism. Micro-cluster network development requires a two-tier approach to
success; firstly, that we have individual successful agritourism operations, and secondly, that these operations can successfully form
strategic partnerships based on models of complementarity and competitiveness.
This study focuses on two useful decision tools to simultaneously foster micro-cluster network development and enhance risk
mitigation for agritourism operations: a self-assessment decision matrix that helps determine the likelihood for individual
agritourism success given farm/property and regional characteristics; and a Geographical Information System (GIS) model that
maps spatial distribution of agritourism cluster development potential based on six location-based criteria. These tools can help
agritourism operations and state entities generate risk management and market development strategies to differentiate their placedestination through "localness" and quality, collectively ‘brand’ and market agritourism offerings, improve and standardize staff
training and offerings, achieve accumulative and scale economies, and foster a culture/attitude of agribusinesses serving the
tourists.
RATIONALE
Porter, 1990 - cluster is defined as a “geographically close grouping of mutually interlinked firms and dependent institutions
in a given discipline, which compete together, cooperate, have joint promotion symbols and complement each other.
Agritourism clusters are a main source of microeconomic competitiveness - improving productivity by creating strategic
partnerships to offer a ‘product or service’ that meets the needs of the customer, through a simultaneous model of
complementarity and competitiveness (Novelli et al, 2006; Shin, 2009; Sonnino, 2007). Appropriate development and
management of successful agritourism operations, and of agritourism cluster networks, can help enhance community
capacities in agritourism.
In WV, we have started the WV AGRITOURISM INITIATIVE to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ of resources to help agritourism and
farm-based education operators to:
 improve the viability and profitability of their enterprises; and
 Initiate and develop strategic partnerships with complementary enterprises to harness geographical differentiation and
better meet customers needs.
Assessing your Agritourism and Farm-Based Education Potential based on your
Regional and Farm/Property Characteristics
REGIONAL CHARACTERISTICS
1. Natural Beauty
2. Cultural and Social Characteristics
3. Recreational Offerings in Your Region
4. Shopping and Commercial
Characteristics
5. Public Infrastructure to Support Tourism
6. Attitudes Towards Tourists
7. Accessibility of your Region
8. Existing Tourism Activity in your Region
Regional Characteristics Gross Total
Divide Gross Total by Standardizing Factor
NET REGIONAL CHARACETRISTIC SCORE
SCORE per
Category (25)
PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS
SCORE per
Category (25)
1.
2.
3.
4.
Natural or Farm Features
Built Features and Cultural Artifacts
Site Infrastructure
Business Potential and Human
Resource Features
5. Business Skills and Personal Qualities
Max 200
20
Max 10
Property Characteristic Gross Total
Divide Gross Total by Standardizing Factor
NET PROPERTY CHARACETRISTIC SCORE
Max 125
12.5
Max 10
Assessing your Agritourism Cluster Development Potential based on your Regional and Farm/Property Characteristics, and Regional
Infrastructure
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
LOCATION CHARACTERISTICS
(BASIS FOR GIS MODEL)
Natural Amenities Index (in Region and around Agritourism Property)
Regional Population Density
Proximity to Non-Farm Population Threshold of 5,000 to >10,000 (40
mile radius)*
Public Infrastructure to Support Tourism
Clusters of Complementary Offerings – (10 - 20 mile radius)*
Proximity to Major Roadways
*Type I operations need larger population base for a clientele; Type II operations need
smaller population base for a clientele (or perhaps draw them in from longer distances).
FARM/PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Viable and Profitable Agritourism Operations – Business Acumen
Aesthetic Quality of Individual Farm
Amenities Offered on Farm
Authentic, Differentiated and Complementary Operations
Mix of Cooperation and Competitiveness – ‘Coopetition’
Collective Branding and Marketing Focus
Standardized Employee Trainings
Culture of Customer Service
Incorporating Location-Based Characteristics into a GIS Model for Assessing Agritourism Potential – The Case of
Nebraska (Source – Baskerville, 2013)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
REGIONAL/INFRASTRUCTURE
CHARACTERISICS
Social Capital – Networking and
Partnerships
Technical and Business Assistance
Educational Infrastructure – Source
of Skills and Knowledge
Public Infrastructure
Supportive Public Policy and Interagency Collaborations
Incorporating Farm/Property and Regional/Infrastructure Characteristics to Model
Agritourism Cluster Patterns in High Potential Areas
MATERIALS AND METHODS
This study was accomplished through the following:
 A survey of the literature on agritourism and associated topics such as general tourism, rural economics, travel research,
tourism cluster development and geographic information systems; and
 A review of existing geo-databases of agritourism operations and agritourism clusters, at a national and international level.
Three specific research questions were addressed to identify factors important for the development of successful agritourism
operations and agritourism clusters, including:
1. Which regional and farm/property characteristics are important for the potential success of an agritourism operation?
2. Can the regional and farm/property characteristics important for the potential success of an agritourism operation be
integrated in an assessment tool?
3. Which regional and farm/property characteristics are important for the potential success of an agritourism cluster?
4. Are the variables important for agritourism cluster development the same for different types of activities (Type I - Daytrips
and Type II – Overnight Stays)?
5. Can the regional and farm/property characteristics important for the potential success of an agritourism cluster be
integrated in a Geographical Information System (GIS)-based index to map the spatial distribution of agritourism cluster
development potential?
CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS OF THIS STUDY
 The farm-assessment tool offers a way for farmers and ranchers to make a preliminary assessment about the ‘magnetism’ of their region and property
– the more magnetic the region and property are, the more likely you are to develop a successful agritourism business.
 The GIS-based assessment tool (using the Location Specific Variables) can be used by farmers and ranchers considering strategic partnerships to
develop a successful agritourism cluster, or by state-wide economic, agriculture and tourism development entities looking to engage stakeholders and
make strategic investments in the state’s agriculture and tourism infrastructure.
 These tools can help agritourism operations and state entities generate risk management and market development strategies to differentiate their
place-destination through "localness" and quality, collectively ‘brand’ and market agritourism offerings, improve and standardize staff training and
offerings, achieve accumulative and scale economies, diversify geographical risks, and foster a culture/attitude of agribusinesses serving the tourists.
REFERENCES
 Baskerville, Brian G., "Building a GIS Model to Assess Agritourism Potential" (2013). Theses and Dissertations in Geography. Paper 18.
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/geographythesis/18
 Novella, M., Schmitz, B. & Spencer, T. (2006). Networks, clusters and innovation in tourism: A UK experience. Tourism Management, Vol. 27, pp.1141-1152.
 Porter M. (1990, 1998): The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Macmillan, London; ISBN 0-684-84147-9
 Shin, Y. (2009). Examining the link between visitors‘ motivations and convention destination image. TOURISMOS An International Multidisciplinary Journal of Tourism, Vol. 4, No.2, pp.29-45.
 Sonnino, R. (2007). The power of place: embeddedness and local food systems in Italy and the UK, Anthropology of food. Http://aof.revues.org/index454 html. Accessed July 14th, 2013.