The Agritourism Premium: Culinary Trails as an Experiential Marketing Strategy for State-Branded Farm, Fish, and Fiber Products

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Commodities

• Animals: shellfish
• Animal Products: dairy, fiber, fur, leather

Practices

• Animal Production: aquaculture
• Education and Training: participatory research
• Farm Business Management: agritourism, marketing management, value added
• Sustainable Communities: leadership development, partnerships, social networks

Culinary trails are emerging as a new framework to organize, market, and brand the signature assets of a region. Through applied research, this project will make two significant contributions to the economic viability of sustainable agriculture: 1) it will be the first longitudinal study to determine whether engagement in agritourism generates consumer loyalty for state-branded farm, fish, and fiber products; and 2) it will be the first study to determine whether culinary trails are an effective form of branding for industries and destinations. The control group will be a panel of 600 U.S. consumers who participate in a virtual shopping experiment. These results will be evaluated against consumers who participate in one of three treatments, resulting in 10 data collection points with 1,800 respondents: 1) festival promoting New England products; 2) festival for Maine-branded farm, fish, and fiber products; and 3) agritourism experiences on culinary trails promoting Maine-branded farm, fish, and fiber products. Results will be shared through peer-reviewed journal articles and conference presentations to agritourism operators, state policymakers, Cooperative Extension and Sea Grant agents, and marketing researchers at the state, national, and international level. By exploring how experiences on culinary trails affects consumer loyalty for state-branded farm, fiber, and fish products, this project will help producers and service providers alike determine whether limited marketing dollars on regional agritourism promotion provide a substantial return on investment compared to other forms of education.

The control group will consist of a panel of consumers representative of the U.S. population who participate in a virtual shopping experiment. Additional consumers include those participating in one of three treatments: 1) regional consumers who participate in a festival promoting New England products; 2) regional consumers who participate in a festival for Maine-branded farm, fish, and fiber products; and 3) visitors who participate in an agritourism experience promoting Maine-branded farm, fish, and fiber products. Respondents will be surveyed twice – immediately after participating in a festival or experience, and again, two months following the experience. Emotion is the strongest driver of consumer loyalty. Factors that contribute to emotional loyalty include trust, shared values, perceived quality, superior customer service, and a personalized experience. These factors not only promote repeat purchase behavior but engagement, commitment, and advocacy toward the brand.

This work will address the following objectives:

1. To determine whether agritourism drives direct sales of state-branded farm, fish, and fiber products.

H₁: Willingness to pay and purchase intent for state-branded products is the same across treatments. 

2. To determine whether agritourism shapes values associated with emotional consumer loyalty.

H₂: Values toward state-branded products will be the same across treatments.

3. To determine whether emotional consumer loyalty has a latent impact on purchase behavior.

H₃: Consumers who participate in an agritourism experience do not intend to make a repeat purchase.

4. To determine whether culinary trails are an effective form of industry branding.

H_4: Participation in culinary trails has no effect on repeat visitation.

5. To determine whether culinary trails are an effective form of destination branding.

H_5: Participation in culinary trails has no effect on place attachment.