A Student’s Experience
Chloe Riley, an undergraduate student at NC State University (NC State) in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management
Chloe Riley, an undergraduate student at NC State University (NC State) in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management recently had the opportunity to work with several professors from NC State on an exciting project with EmPOWERING Mountain Food Systems. Their goal? To discover, through interviews with stakeholders, what factors would contribute to increasing outdoor agritourism for the sake of boosting rural economies and keeping communities healthy.
Chloe tells of her experience with Whitney Knollenberg, PhD, Assistant Professor of Parks, Recreation and Tourism Management. Chloe says, “Coming from an agriculture background and having an inborn fondness for agriculture, I was thrilled. I could not help but be a little cautious because I was at home with unsteady Wi-Fi, working a part-time job, taking classes, and trying to navigate life during a global pandemic. Despite my concerns, I jumped in and am happy to share my profound experience!”
Where Do Agritourism, the Outdoors and Economic Success Intersect?The project Dr. Knollenberg and I have been working on is one small part of the granderEmPOWERing Mountain Food Systems project. We have focused on interviewing tourism leaders, economic development leaders, farmers, and agritourism operators in Graham, Swain, Jackson, Cherokee, Macon, Clay, and Haywood counties, and among the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. As a result of this work, we will make recommendations for agritourism and business development initiatives in the area. Due to COVID-19, we had to conduct these interviews online or over the phone, instead of in person. Nevertheless, talking with these stakeholders was an amazing and unforgettable experience. At the end of the project, we will have analyzed each interview and developed a plan of action to help people in this region further develop agritourism and the local food system. Through our findings we aim to identify ways to feature agritourism as one more outstanding tourism asset for the western region of the state. Tourism in this region is already thriving, built upon the natural and cultural resources of the area and its exceptional outdoor recreation offerings.
Importance of the Outdoors to Health and Wellness
Through my involvement with this project, I had the opportunity to attend the Outdoor Economy Conference. The outdoor economy is a very broad topic and includes anyone who has any connection to the outdoors. On the first day of the conference, we were presented with data demonstrating the considerable importance of the outdoors to health and wellness. This set the precedent for the following weeks. Topics covered in the subsequent weeks included community building, diversity, inclusion, and entrepreneurship. Throughout all of these sessions, one thing remained clear: we, as members of the outdoor economy are responsible for bringing the outdoors to each and every person, for the good of the health of our community. The atmosphere was welcoming and warm, yet intense as we all realized our part in public health and were called to action. The outdoors are more important now than ever, for community health on multiple levels.
During this pandemic not only has our country’s physical health suffered greatly, but so has our mental and emotional health. Outdoor time has been proven to reduce stress and improve physical health. People need to get outside, and happily, they are! Outdoor recreation has seen a significant increase since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. People are seeking activities that are safe and accessible. This was a common theme mentioned throughout the OutdoorEconomy Conference. Businesses involved in the outdoor economy have seen a boost in sales and participation. In 2019, the outdoor industry generated $28 billion in spending, and with the increase in sales and participation due to COVID-19 it is expected to have been even more in 2020.
Agritourism – a Burgeoning Outdoor Recreation Activity!
Similarly, the agritourism sector has also seen an increase in participation. Throughout the interviews we conducted with agritourism operators, many shared that the number of visitors has been overwhelming since the start of the pandemic. People have been more concerned about their health, the outdoors, and food origins. Food scarcity in grocery stores has driven people to small local farms in their communities and given agritourism operators the chance to reach a new market. People have also moved to creating their own food sources through gardens and livestock. Many of the operations we talked to have outdoor activities that have grown in popularity. COVID-19 has brought people to the outdoors, and also increased interest in where our food comes from, which has helped drive the local food movement.
In such a stressful time in history, it is easy to get bogged down by all the bad news, but there is hope! While not everyone in the agritourism and outdoor industries has experienced increased participation during this time, it is encouraging that many have. Next time you get overwhelmed with social isolation please take a break, go for a walk, visit a farm, take a bike ride, or buy some fresh produce. It is good for you!