Ask someone why they chose to visit a particular destination a few years ago, and most will probably say because of the location, the sights and the scenery. Ask a tourist today the same question and chances are, food will feature in their answer.
Food tourism – where people book their holidays based primarily on the food experiences they can have during their trip – is becoming increasingly popular around the world. It’s always been there, albeit in a much smaller form, but in recent years, has started to gather momentum.
According to Skift – ‘the largest industry intelligence platform providing media, insights and marketing to key sectors of travel’ – food tourism “tells the story of a destination’s history, culture, and people.”
So, it’s more about just eating food – it’s about learning about where it comes from, how it’s grown/made, who makes it, where it’s sourced from, what traditions surround the food. Think food and drink tours, heritage and culture. In 2015, Skift launched a report entitled The Rise of Food Tourism, along with the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance (OCTA), a non-profit organization that consults on food and beverage-themed tourism development worldwide. According to the Telegraph, this report was the most downloaded tourism report in the industry last year and you can access it here.
So, food tourism is on the rise, but how do you as a food producer market to this group of people? How do you get them to visit your restaurant or buy from your shop? Why should they come to Northern Ireland – to the Causeway Coast or anywhere else – for a food tourism experience?
2016 is The Year of Food & Drink in Northern Ireland – a celebration of all our great local produce and a year to champion the wealth of culinary delights we have to offer. Every month has a theme and April was Brewing and Distilling month, so quite fittingly, featured a tourism trade event at the Old Bushmills Distillery. With speakers from Tourism NI, Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council, Causeway Coast & Glens Food Network and the Naturally North Coast & Glens Market, attendees also heard from local producers themselves, as well as from renowned food critic, Trish Devine.
The key takeaway was this: To get a slice of the food tourism action, we need to shout about what we have. And this is where content marketing comes in.
So, how do you go about marketing to food tourists?
– Blog: If you’re a B&B, restaurant, food producer, brewery or otherwise, blogging is a great way to get the attention of food tourists, both close to home and further afield. Last week, we looked at Blogging tips for B&Bs. Hotels and B&Bs can blog about great restaurants in the area, they can feature local suppliers from whom they source their ingredients for the hearty breakfasts they serve up. They can create a story around the heritage and the culture of the food and create something that’s interesting to their customers – the food tourists.
– Website content: If you work in the food or tourism industry and don’t champion local produce and food tourism experiences on your website, then you’re missing a trick. If you’re a hotel, then mention what’s in the area to visit, including food and drink experiences as well as the usual sightseeing locations. Link to local restaurants, detail how you use locally sourced fresh produce on your menus – give visitors to your site a mouthwatering reason to come and stay with you.
– Social media: Share your blog posts on social media like Twitter and Facebook. Use Instagram to photograph carefully prepared dishes and be sure to use relevant hashtags to boost exposure. Food bloggers and journalists are scouring these forums every day, and you never know who’ll see or share your posts. Indeed, food bloggers are the new food critics and have the power to promote your business to thousands or more people. Check out this list of the top 10 British food bloggers to follow.
Simply put – it’s all about sharing the story of the food and drink experiences that are around you and that are part of your business. It’s about writing with intent when it comes to creating web content and blog posts – adding in all those wee details that someone else might omit.
These are the keywords people are searching for online and by writing content centred on your industry, you’re leaving a tantalising trail of virtual breadcrumbs that just might bring those food tourists to your door…
If you need help writing blogs, website content or anything else for your business, just email Claire at: claire@cseditorial.co.uk