Risk-Mitigation in Agritourism Operations - GIS and Farm-Assessment Tools for Stimulating Micro-Cluster Development Doolarie Singh-Knights 1, Brandy Brabham 2, Daisy Fryman 2, Jodi Richmond 2, Barbara Liedl 3, and Cindy Martel 4 1 Extension Specialist, 2 Extension Agent, West Virginia University 3 Associate Professor, West Virginia State University; 4 Marketing Specialist, WV Department of Agriculture 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 place- destination 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. INTRODUCTION RESULTS  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. CONCLUSION/IMPLICATIONS OF THIS STUDY 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? RATIONALE Porter, 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 SCORE per Category (25) PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS SCORE per Category (25) 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 1.Natural or Farm Features 2.Built Features and Cultural Artifacts 3.Site Infrastructure 4.Business Potential and Human Resource Features 5.Business Skills and Personal Qualities Regional Characteristics Gross Total Max 200 Property Characteristic Gross TotalMax 125 Divide Gross Total by Standardizing Factor 20 Divide Gross Total by Standardizing Factor 12.5 NET REGIONAL CHARACETRISTIC SCORE Max 10 NET PROPERTY CHARACETRISTIC SCORE Max 10 Assessing your Agritourism Cluster Development Potential based on your Regional and Farm/Property Characteristics, and Regional Infrastructure LOCATION CHARACTERISTICS (BASIS FOR GIS MODEL) FARM/PROPERTY CHARACTERISTICS REGIONAL/INFRASTRUCTURE CHARACTERISICS 1.Natural Amenities Index (in Region and around Agritourism Property) 2.Regional Population Density 3.Proximity to Non-Farm Population Threshold of 5,000 to >10,000 (40 mile radius) * 4.Public Infrastructure to Support Tourism 5.Clusters of Complementary Offerings – ( mile radius) * 6.Proximity to Major Roadways 1.Viable and Profitable Agritourism Operations – Business Acumen 2.Aesthetic Quality of Individual Farm 3.Amenities Offered on Farm 4.Authentic, Differentiated and Complementary Operations 5.Mix of Cooperation and Competitiveness – ‘Coopetition’ 6.Collective Branding and Marketing Focus 7.Standardized Employee Trainings 8.Culture of Customer Service 1.Social Capital – Networking and Partnerships 2.Technical and Business Assistance 3.Educational Infrastructure – Source of Skills and Knowledge 4.Public Infrastructure 5.Supportive Public Policy and Inter- agency Collaborations  Baskerville, Brian G., "Building a GIS Model to Assess Agritourism Potential" (2013). Theses and Dissertations in Geography. Paper  Novella, M., Schmitz, B. & Spencer, T. (2006). Networks, clusters and innovation in tourism: A UK experience. Tourism Management, Vol. 27, pp  Porter M. (1990, 1998): The Competitive Advantage of Nations. Macmillan, London; ISBN  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  Sonnino, R. (2007). The power of place: embeddedness and local food systems in Italy and the UK, Anthropology of food. html. Accessed July 14 th, REFERENCES *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). Incorporating Location-Based Characteristics into a GIS Model for Assessing Agritourism Potential – The Case of Nebraska (Source – Baskerville, 2013) Incorporating Farm/Property and Regional/Infrastructure Characteristics to Model Agritourism Cluster Patterns in High Potential Areas