The first Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Summit will be held March 30-31 in Wisconsin Dells.
“LUV-R-AG” will bring together leaders in tourism and agriculture, ag tourism business owners, marketing professionals and industry experts. The event is sponsored by the Wisconsin Agricultural Tourism Association.
Program topics include liability laws, safety, marketing opportunities and public relations, understanding customers, farm business succession planning, ag tourism success stories and event planning.
WATA will also introduce its new “Field Trips” initiative to promote bus group visits to ag tourism destinations throughout Wisconsin. The initiative will be promoted in partnership with Midwest Itineraries Magazine and the Wisconsin Department of Tourism to reach more than 12,000 tour operators.
A highlight of the summit will be a sneak-peek premiere of the ag tourism episode set to air on Discover Wisconsin TV in April. The episode showcases the educational aspects of visiting a family farm and also highlights a unique field-to-plate dining experience at a WATA member’s farm.
WATA membership is open to farms, farm markets, cheese factories, wineries, corn mazes, breweries, distilleries, food discovery centers, wedding barns, rural bed and breakfasts, farm stay vacations, orchards, rural arts initiatives, agricultural heritage museums and festivals that celebrate locally sourced Wisconsin products.
Membership also includes visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, growers associations, and rural or ag service businesses. Membership is $100 per year.
To register for the summit, visit www.luv-r-ag.com. The rate for WATA members is $130, which includes three meals and a banquet. The rate for nonmembers is $180. Lodging is available at Ho-Chunk Conference Center for a special rate through March 15.
For more information, contact Kelly Murray, WATA executive director, at 608-343-0201 or director@wiagtourism.com.