“Food tourism is the pursuit of unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences that reflects the local cuisine, heritage, or culture of a place.”

- The Culinary Tourism Alliance

In 2019 LGV is partnering with the Culinary Tourism Alliance, one of the world's leading experts in food tourism development, to explore how we can combine our regional strengths in agriculture with travel and hospitality to drive new market opportunities in our region.

why food matters for rural development

Getting visitors to stay longer in our communities as well as attracting high-return and strategic market segments is important for future economic growth and sustainability. In LGV’s 2017 visitor survey, two of the top five areas visitors cited for improvement, dealt with a lack of local and farm-to-table restaurant options and events celebrating local food and culture. Based on these findings as well as the region’s strong agricultural industry, LGV’s strategic priorities in 2019 will focus on addressing the need for more farm-to-table and locally inspired food options.

program activities

Leveraging the branding process and digital investments made in 2018, LGV will use a similar approach for defining and raising visibility for the unique food and agricultural assets in the Letchworth gateway region in 2019. Program activities will focus on four key areas, laying the groundwork for growing food tourism in the Letchworth gateway region in 2019 and beyond. These activities include the following:

  1. Increasing awareness and visibility for existing farm-to-table ventures and local food and beverage producers 

  2. Building the capacity of local restaurants to integrate and market local products in their businesses

  3. Promoting and strengthening linkages between local farmers, restaurants, and education and training providers

  4. Conducting a food tourism assessment to inform future strategic directions and opportunities for new food and beverage ventures in the Letchworth gateway region. 

anne-preble-SAPvKo12dQE-unsplash.jpg

WHAT IS FOOD TOURISM?

Food tourism development is an increasingly popular approach used to attract more visitors, get them to stay longer, and spend more locally. Learn about pursuing food tourism as a rural economic growth opportunity in the Genesee Valley.

Download the Paper →

CulinaryTourismAlliance_REV_BLUE-276x300.jpg

MEET OUR EXPERTS

LGV has engaged the Culinary Tourism Alliance (CTA) out of Ontario, Canada to support this project. CTA specializes in cultural tourism, including food and agri-tourism, local, sustainable food systems and sustainable economic development.

Learn More →

Food Tourism Workshop

LGV, in partnership with the CTA, is hosting an interactive, online storytelling workshop on Tuesday, January 26th from 10am-12:30pm for food industry professionals. Learn to leverage work happening in your region, make smart use of the tools available to you, and build your audience while staying true to your brand identity.

Register Now →