Apr 7, 2007

Hawaiian Farm Cruise Will Study Exotic Agritourism

Quick quiz: Name a state with more than 5,500 farms, 50 percent growth in agritourism in the last three years and a jump in sales from $26 million in 2000 to $34 million in 2003?

OK, how about naming a state accessible only by boat or plane, that continues to grow in land mass and is known for niche crops like exotic fruits, coffee, macadamia nuts, flowers and foliage?

I’m talking about Hawaii, of course, our 50th state. While it may take a little more effort to visit, Hawaii has a growing agritourism industry. You are invited to join me for a tour of this fascinating state.

The story begins in August, when I was contacted by Stacy Davis, the Big Island Farm Bureau agritourism leader, about bringing a group of farmers to Hawaii. She thought mainland farmers might enjoy a little vacation while touring the working agritourism farms of Hawaii to see how the islanders cater to tourists and maintain a farming operation.

I have spoken there a couple of times in recent years and have met some hard-working farmers. I believe they have a real message to share with each of us. The Big Island Farm Bureau has 450 members and started a division called Hawaii Ag Ventures as a marketing effort to bring more people to the islands to visit farms.

I decided Hawaii might be a pretty good place to work in January. So, now that we have handpicked the farms to tour, I want to invite you to join me Jan. 15, 2007, for the Aloha AgriTour! We’ll begin with a pre-cruise land package in Honolulu Jan. 13-15, followed by a cruise to four islands Jan. 15-22.

For many, it may be a once-in-a-lifetime vacation experience, but it is also a great opportunity to be with new, as well as familiar, farm friends as we explore agritourism stops to discover unique and useful marketing techniques. You will come to appreciate that these farmers rely exclusively on tourism for their business, and you’ll understand why and how they encourage tourists to include farms as part of their Hawaii vacations.

Let me tell you about a few of the farms we will be visiting. On Maui, we are going to visit The Surfing Goat Dairy and meet the owners, Thomas and Eva Kafsack. Winners of 13 national cheese-making awards, they sell more than half their cheese at their 42-acre farm. Even more important, they have spent time building a network with island chefs, so that Surfing Goat cheese is featured in many hotels and restaurants. They also work closely with the Culinary Academy on Maui, and students of every class are spending a day at the dairy to learn about goats and goat cheese.

In addition, Thomas and Eva host events and tours, including one called “Evening Chores & Milking Tour.” Island chefs prepare meals at their dairy. The Kafsacks are truly creative marketers and a must-see when on the island of Maui. Visit www.surfinggoatdairy.com for more information.

Another great stop on Maui will be the Ali’i Kula Lavender Farm, owned by Alii Chang, an 8.5-acre farm with more than 50,000 lavender plants. I wrote about Alii in this column last year, talking about his Internet marketing savvy to encourage visitors to continue to purchase his products from his Studio Gift Shop Web site after returning to the mainland. He also has a unique promotion associated with the Hawaiian Airlines Elite membership. Alii makes the Hawaiian culinary connection by hosting lunch and dinner on his property for pre-arranged groups and offering his beautiful farm as a site for weddings. You won’t be disappointed when you visit (www.aliikulalavender.com).

We are also going to experience a new specialty niche in the tourism industry, similar to agritourism. It’s called “culinary tourism.” There is no better place to taste and hear how these linkages have been made than in Hawaii.

Hawaii is one of the first places to create a strong farmer-chef program through its Hawaii Regional Cuisine program. We will stop for lunch at Peter Merriman’s restaurant. Peter is known throughout the islands as the program innovator, working with farmers to grow the top-quality produce featured on all the islands. The chef will share with us his thinking about how important local foods are to his menu and to the tourists visiting the islands (www.merrimanshawaii.com).

Naturally, a trip to Hawaii must include a visit to a tropical cut-flower producer. We will go to Green Point Nursery, one of Hilo’s largest flower producers, to meet Eric Tanouye. We will visit his greenhouses and see how they handle their custom flower shipments to the mainland. These greenhouses are absolutely awesome, with colors and fragrances almost beyond imagination.

We’ll also see a farm where the crop sells for $190 a pound. The Reddekopps, proprietors of the 8-year-old Hawaii Vanilla Company, produce Grade A vanilla beans. (Did you know that vanilla comes from an orchid?) Jim and Tracy Reddekopp not only grow vanilla beans, they also have a commercial kitchen and dining room and offer gourmet luncheons, afternoon tea and vanilla tastings. Jim understands the tourism business and was one of the first to offer tours for cruise ship passengers (www.hawaiivanilla.com).

A visit to Hawaii would not be complete without stopping at a coffee plantation, a commercial banana plantation or a working ranch. I don’t have the space to tell you about all of the stops, but trust me, we will have a full sampling of the Hawaii agritourism experience.

The trip begins in Honolulu. You can choose to come two days early for the pre-cruise part of the tour. An earlier arrival will allow you to spend time on beautiful Waikiki beach, see Diamond Head and Pearl Harbor, enjoy a luau and, of course, visit some farms – including the Dole Pineapple plantation, an organic orchard and the busy Oahu Mililani Farmers’ Market. The pre-cruise in Honolulu is strictly optional, but a great way to get your bearings before setting off on the cruise.

The cruise departs at 8 p.m. Jan. 15. We’ll spend seven days aboard the ship, debarking back in Honolulu at 9 a.m. Jan. 22. Due to limited bus parking at several of the farms, our group will be limited in size and accommodated as the deposits are made.

To obtain a cruise brochure, call Dehoney Travel at (800) 325-6708 and ask for Angela, or call me at (314) 862-6288. You can also e-mail me at [email protected]. Additional cruise information will be posted at www.eckertagrimarketing.com.