Nova Scotia stretches 500 kilometres on a southwest-northeast axis from Cape Sable to Cape North, the shape of the province is often compared to that native delicacy, the lobster, with Cape Breton Island representing the outstretched claws, preparing to nip unsuspecting Newfoundland across the Cabot Strait.
The coastline of the uplands region is deeply indented, forming many good harbours, some of which are considered outstanding. Hundreds of islands dot the landscape along the entire Atlantic coast, most notably at St. Margarets Bay and Mahone Bay. Reefs and shoals abound, accounting for the many lighthouses erected along this coast. In many ways the Atlantic uplands coast epitomizes the North Atlantic coastline with its bare granite sheets plunging headlong into the raging surf to produce an awesome cataclysm between land and sea. When people think of Nova Scotia, they usually envisage the rocky granite shores of the uplands. New Partnerships
Partnering provides new opportunities and challenges, according to the Canadian Tourism Council. “Partnerships can be a means to enhance existing products… and emerging market trends. Partnering with non-traditional business can provide you with new opportunities to create unique products and services, new value-added packages and unconventional programs to capture market interests” (Developing Business Opportunities Through Partnering, April 1995) Agri-tourism is all about partnerships. Partnerships between agriculture and tourism, families and neighbors, local tourism associations, regional tourism associations, attractions, businesses and the community. Linking tourism and agriculture with agri-tourism offers a wide variety of resource people and a wealth of information.
Close partnerships with non-traditional partners offer the opportunity to package. Packaging involves adding other partners or attractions to make your property more attractive and easier for guests to include in their day. Rarely do guests go to an area to do just one activity. They want their day full of activities, including meals, accommodation, shops, and walks. By packaging, tourism bureaus and farmers do the research and make it easier for people coming into the area. To our guests, this package seems like an abundance of opportunities: visit a farm, rent a paddleboat, explore rural areas, attend a theater performance, visit the art gallery, take a guided walk, or visit a museum. Give the public as many choices as possible. Invite them back to participate in the activities they didn’t have time to try.
Cross-promotion makes sense for farms and our partners. As we work with partners including bed and breakfasts, hotels, motels, restaurants, local businesses, and the Federation of Agriculture, they are in turn promoting agri-tourism. When everyone works together, everyone benefits. Talk to your neighbors! What are they doing? If they are producing apple cider and you are running a bed and breakfast, why not cross promote? Buy their product and promote it as locally produced. In return, ask to display your brochure. Work with your partners… traditional and non-traditional. Here are a few examples:
- Federation of Agriculture or Christian Farmers Association
- Ontario Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Tourism
- Tourism Bureaus (Local and Regional)
- Commodity Groups
- Charitable Organizations
- Lions Clubs
- Libraries
- Hotels and Motels
- Bed and Breakfasts
- Community Organizations
- School Boards
- Farmers Markets
- The Internet
- Women’s Institute Groups
- 4-H Clubs
- Junior Farmers
- Neighbors
- Other Attractions in the area
- Local Newspapers
- Group Organizations
- Other Farmers
- Economic Development Groups
- School Groups, ie. Drama club
- College Groups ie. Elderhostel Canada
- Consulates
- Members of Parliament
- Chamber of Commerce
- Business Improvement Associations and Downtown Associations
- Church Groups
- Artist guids
- Media (local, provincial and national)
Media List
Often your local tourism association or OMAFRA office will already have a list of local media. Call and request the information, or create your own list. Use your local library. An extremely useful book found in most libraries is called Bowdens. The book includes a list of all daily and weekly publications, costs to advertise, and phone and fax numbers. It is imperative to decide where you want to send your information and to whom. If you are looking to target Eastern Ontario and people in a one hour radius, it doesn’t make sense to send information to a newspaper in Acton.
Weather you use this information or create your own media list, it should be complete. Begin with a lists of newspapers, television and radio stations in your area. Record the names, phone numbers and fax numbers of editors and news directors which are listed on the editorial pages of newspapers or on the credits after a newscast. The correspondent for your local weekly newspaper should also be included on your media list. This person can suggest story ideas from your area to the editor. Keeping this person informed may result in a story on your involvement in agri-tourism or photos from an event held on your property.
Members of the traditional news media aren’t the only ones who belong on your media list. Include editors of newsletters of your Federation of Agriculture, commodity group or tourist bureau. Think about where your guests get their information and include it on your media list. For example, if you host a fundraising barbeque for the local Kinsmen’s club, include the Kinsmen’s national newsletter on your media list. Other Kinsmen groups would be interested in how your local group organized the event. Perhaps, a Kinsmen group in another part of the province will follow its lead and involve agriculture in its next event.