Presentation Title

The Economic Impact of Tourism on Farmers and Fishermen

Presenter Information

Caroline Paras, University of Southern MaineFollow

Document Type

Oral Presentation

Department

Tourism and Hospitality

Faculty Mentor

Tracy Michaud, PhD, and Matthew Hoffman, PhD

Keywords

authenticity, tourism, farming, fisheries, dairy, lobstering, agritourism, working waterfront, Maine, Vermont

Abstract

The competing demands of modern society drive people to seek out “authentic” experiences through travel and tourism. For visitors to New England, “authentic” means driving around to soak up scenic views of working waterfronts and farms where they can consume lobster, cheese, and other local foods. To what extent do farmers and fishermen benefit directly from tourism? Do they have to establish a business model that relies on tours or direct sales in order to benefit? To dig deeper, a research team from the USM Food Studies and Tourism and Hospitality departments interviewed farmers and fishermen in Maine and Vermont to find out how producers do (or don’t) capture value from tourism. These findings will shed light on the positive and negative effects of tourism on working landscapes.

Open Access?

1