Wairarapa Agritourism - Exploring our opportunities

Wairarapa Economic Development Strategy along with Destination Wairarapa and Business Wairarapa would like to invite you to attend the Agritourism Wairarapa - Exploring our Opportunities workshop. 

This event is for anyone who has been wondering how to turn their agritourism idea into a reality.

Your idea doesn’t need to be big; it can be small but impactful.

You might not even have an idea yet but want to explore potential options to diversify your income.

Come along and explore ways farmers, growers and catchment groups, can bring in domestic and international visitors.

AGRITOURISM DEFINITION sourced from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary : the practice of touring agricultural areas to see farms, and often to participate in farm activities.

EVENT DETAILS

Date: Thursday 19th October

Time: 10am -2:15pm

Where: Carterton Event Centre - Hurunui-o-Rangi room, Carterton

WORKSHOP AGENDA

THIS INTERACTIVE SESSION WILL PROVIDE PRACTICAL GUIDANCE ON ASSESSING YOUR OPTIONS FOR AGRITOURISM DEVELOPMENT:

10:00 SESSION ONE Anna Nielson - Destination Wairarapa 30 mins.

Destination Wairarapa Management Plan overview - a plan for the sustainable growth of tourism in the region.
• The benefits of developing a Wairarapa agritourism product to the region, landowners, communities, and visitors.
• The opportunity with the upcoming Golden Shears World Shearing and Woolhandling Championship in 2026.

10:30 - Local Agritourism Business Case Study 1 (10 mins).

10:40 - SESSION TWO Joanna Fountain - Head of Centre of Excellence: Sustainable Tourism for Regions, Communities and Landscapes, Lincoln University 70 mins.

UNDERSTANDING WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER:
• The range and scope of agritourism experiences.
• Considerations before getting involved.
• Getting started and assessing the agritourism potential of your property and catchment area.
• Hands on session with farm and catchment and regional maps exploring the opportunities.

11:50 - Local Agritourism Business Case Study 2 (10 mins).

12:00 - Lunch Break 30mins.

12:30 - SESSION THREE Joanna Fountain 50 mins

CREATING A UNIQUE FOOD, FIBRE OR AGRITOURISM EXPERIENCE:
• Planning, developing, growing your business.
• The importance of networking and working together.

1:20 - Local Agritourism Business Case Study 3 (10 mins).

1:30 - SESSION FOUR Renee Hogg - Inside New Zealand (45 mins).
• Understanding business diversification
• Next steps from here.
• Panel discussion facilitation - Anna, Joanna and Local case study businesses (20 mins).

2:15 CLOSE WORKSHOP

WORKSHOP FACILITATORS

ANNA NIELSON - Destination Wairarapa
Anna is general manager of Destination Wairarapa Inc. Destination Wairarapa is the Regional Tourism Organisation for the region. The DW team have a wealth of experience in product development, events, marketing, social media, and PR and are happy to help if you’re looking to start a tourism business or expand an existing business into tourism.
wairarapanz.com

JOANNA FOUNTAIN - Head of Centre of Excellence Sustainable Tourism for Regions, Communities and Landscapes, Lincoln University.
Joanna looks at Agritourism as a tool for optimising rural resilience, community networks, and consumer/tourist experiences. Joanna takes us on a step-by-step journey, identifying agritourism opportunities, helping us understand what we have to offer in the region, encouraging the development of regional networks and a shared vision for agritourism, and sharing tips on how to develop a successful
agritourism business.

RENÉE HOGG - Inside New Zealand Ltd
Renée is the owner of local rural advisory business, Inside New Zealand. A growing arm of her business is around exploring farm
business growth and diversification. During this process, your business strengths and weakness are assessed against a range of
influential factors, looking at areas for growth and diversification.
insidenewzealand.co.nz

BOOK YOUR TICKETS NOW ! :-)

$80pp or $120 for a group of up to four people. Lunch will be provided.