Creating a Statewide Model for Agri-Cultural Tourism Development: Milestones Made and Lessons Learned

	Speaker:
	Carol Kline Sustainable Communities Partnership Project Coordinator NCSU Office of Extension and Engagement
	Description: In late 2002, NC Cooperative Extension, the NC Arts Council and regional non-profit HandMade in America received a major grant from the GoldenLEAF Foundation to create a statewide model for rural tourism development. Deliberately termed "Agri-Cultural Tourism" development, this effort set out to marry the land-based and culture-based assets of 85 of NC's 100 counties into a system of integrated tourism products. This presentation is not for the faint of heart! Learning Objectives: Delegates will learn how we addressed many inherent challenges: the varying stages of visitor readi-ness, creating criteria for qualifying sites, developing regional identity, and operationalizing a system statewide. Delivery Methods: Finger puppets, of course. Just kidding. There will be a brief power point presentation for orientation to the 2003/2004 project, but an interactive discussion of regional programs challenges and lessons learned will be the overall theme of the twenty-thirty minutes session. The presenter will compile and distribute talking points from the session to the participants as a follow up after the conference.