Help me to help you: Finding synergies between Destination Marketing Organizations and agritourism stakeholders

A qualitative study conducted in North Carolina (USA) revealed synergies between agritourism stakeholders and destination marketing organizations to enhance the promotion of agritourism experiences. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 13 agritourism stakeholders and 12 destination marketing organization leaders. Interview data revealed that many agritourism experiences align with existing destination brands, such as those related to natural resources or well-being. There is also evidence that destination marketing organization leaders recognize opportunities to diversify agritourism experiences to help operators stand out and compete in a global marketplace. Agritourism stakeholders are seeking knowledge and skills related to promotion, which destination marketing organization leaders can provide. Lastly, these two groups can collaborate to establish and maintain infrastructure (e.g., toolkits or maps) to bring together regional partners that will strengthen local food systems and tourism experiences. This study reveals a need to further explore the potential relationships between agritourism stakeholders and destination marketing organizations