Downtown
Idea Exchange
Essential Information for Downtown Revitalization
Economic Impact
Local foods and culinary offerings basis of
downtown tourism niche
Many communities are reconnecting to their
as those that offer authentic experiences to make
agricultural roots and culinary traditions as a
the community or business a true destination.”
way to revitalize downtowns, promote economic
A first step is to assess the unique foods and
development, and build stronger, more resilient
food resources in the community. “According to
local food systems. According to Laura Brown, a
the International Culinary Tourism Association,
community development specialist with the Cenculinary tourism is the pursuit of unique and
ter for Community & Economic Development at
memorable eating and drinking experiences,” says
the University of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension, “Increasing conCulinary tours allow downtown to put best foot forward
sumer and tourist interest in local,
A food tour introduces visitors to multiple downtown businesses and
sustainably raised and authentic,
place-based food and cultural expeallows them to sample just a taste of what they might enjoy during a subriences may represent a significant
sequent visit. Newport Gourmet Tours in Newport, RI (est. pop. 24,672),
new market niche for downtowns.”
allows guests to enjoy the walkability of downtown, highlights historical
Think beyond restaurants and
sites along the way, and provides introductions to business owners and
markets, Brown advises in an article
chefs as well as fine food and drink at several locations.
for Downtown Economics, noting
Asheville Food Tours in Asheville, NC (est. pop. 83,393), invites guests
that most communities have some
to
“Walk,
Taste, Savour” the city, which is promoted as the “Paris of the
experience with food system develSouth.” The walking tour winds over antique cobblestones and past fidopment, whether it is building an
event around a regional food, develdling street musicians and includes enough food and beverage tastings to
oping a farmers market, or supportqualify as a meal for most participants. The tour also includes a discount
ing a new downtown grocery store.
passport to downtown merchants and seasonal take-home recipes.
“Building a strategy around local
And in California, Six Taste Tours offers specialized tours including a
foods, however, provides an opportuHollywood
Food Tour that invites participants to stroll down Hollywood
nity to take a broader look at foodBoulevard sampling some of the best foods that the neighborhood has to
related issues and assets,” she says.
offer, including dishes at some lesser-known gems. Guests learn about the
“This doesn’t mean wooing expensive
history and local food scene as they stroll. During the Little Tokyo Food
five-star restaurants or fancy vineTour, participants sample food from eight neighborhood restaurants while
yards. Tourism research indicates that
communities and businesses should
learning about the history of Little Tokyo, Japanese culture, and the local
focus on assets that build on their
culinary scene.
uniqueness and sense of place, as well
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© 2012 Alexander Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
Brown. “These experiences typically take the form
of diverse restaurants that rely on locally grown
products, but may also include farm stands, community suppers, sugar houses, cooking demonstrations, tours, festivals, and even specialty gardens.”
Developing a food asset map or conducting a
community food assessment can
“allow you to define your area’s unique foodrelated strengths, locate potential partners, and
identify opportunities for other forms of economic development such as food entrepreneurship or
distribution and processing infrastructure,”
Brown says. “The goals of your program may be
to increase sales in the downtown, develop a new
tourist base, encourage entrepreneurship, or
address food access issues.”
Consumer Trends and Culinary Travel
Brown notes that a report released by the
National Restaurant Association revealed that the
hottest menu trends of 2011 included locally
sourced meats and seafood, locally grown produce, sustainability as a culinary theme, nutritious
kids’ dishes, hyper-local items, children’s nutrition, sustainable seafood, gluten-free/food allergy
conscious items, and back-to-basics cuisine and
farm-branded ingredients.
“And the 2007 Survey of U.S. Culinary Travelers found that 17 percent of all American leisure
travelers (27.3 million people) considered themselves to be serious culinary travelers who intentionally sought out wine and food experiences,”
says Brown. The majority of travelers in the study
were between the ages of 35 and 50, and tended
to be better educated and more highly paid than
non-culinary travelers.
Experiential tourism also ties into food
and culinary travel
“Organizations that sponsor cooking education
programs, farm-to-school programs, or master gardeners may be willing partners in your local foods
or downtown culinary tourism effort,” Brown says.
“These educational programs can also serve as
venues for connecting local culinary tourists to
local food producers. Farmer in the Classroom
programs, for instance, not only educate young
people about eating local seasonal foods but also
connect producers with new potential customers.”
These types of programs can be adapted for downtowns via cooking classes at restaurants or businesses that sell food items, farmers markets, and
presentations by local producers during downtown
events. Brown says that creating a seasonality
chart indicating which foods are available and in
season can be a valuable first step in educating
retailers and consumers. These charts make great
handouts at downtown food events, as well.
Making connections for growth
“To strengthen connections between food
producers and restaurants, many downtowns have
established programs in the ‘buy local’ tradition,”
she says. “These programs typically include
branding and marketing, but may also include
chef education about food safety, or how to best
use seasonal foods, establishing product databases, or providing marketing training for producers.” Successful examples of
such programs include the
A program focused on
Vermont Fresh Network and
a unique culinary or
many Buy Fresh Buy Local
local food niche can
campaigns.
serve as an effective
“For food-conscious consumers, getting to know a
way to generate
producer or chef adds value
income downtown.
to a product because the consumer learns how and where
the food is produced,” Brown says. “Farmers markets have been a successful way for communities
to generate consumer traffic downtown and
encourage additional sales through side promotions such as farmers market breakfast specials
that feature a fresh seasonal item.”
As food assets are assessed, a need for training programs to build the skills and profitability of
local food producers, chefs, or entrepreneurs may
be revealed.
“Business networking organizations like
inventors and entrepreneurs clubs or small farmer
networks have been effective in encouraging both
business skills training and creating a peer network where businesses can share resources and
best practices,” says Brown. “Across the country,
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© 2012 Alexander Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
communities are also establishing downtown
food business incubators that provide affordable
office, retail or food processing space, and may
additionally provide access to shared equipment,
business support with logistics like labeling and
distribution, recipe development, ingredient
sourcing, or even labor.”
To assess the effectiveness of local food programs, gather information from local buyers,
tourists, restaurants, retailers and entrepreneurs.
“While some culinary tourism research is
being conducted at the national level, the data you
collect in your community will help you make the
best decisions,” says Brown. This may take the
form of surveys of tourists at food-related festivals
and events, and of restaurants and retailers regarding their current or future interest in using locally
produced foods, and of farmers market attendees
and food entrepreneurs.
A downtown program focused on a unique
culinary or local food niche can “serve as an
effective way to generate income downtown, motivate the community, grow new regional partnerships, and build a stronger local food system,”
says Brown.
Contact: Laura Brown, Center for Community & Economic Development, University of Wisconsin-Extension,
DIX
(608) 890-0008, [email protected].
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© 2012 Alexander Communications Group, Inc. All rights reserved.