Seminars

In addition to the topics below, we deliver seminars on custom topics of your choice, as well as full-day workshops. The duration of each seminar is approximately one hour (45 minutes for content delivery and 15 minutes for questions and answers).

SEMINAR #1: EAT WELL, TRAVEL BETTER
In this entertaining, fast-paced, dynamic and inspirational keynote, Erik talks about why food is the main attraction. Why do we all love to eat so much? Why is business done over meals or a drink? What does it mean to be invited to someone's home for dinner? What happens with a group of colleagues on a business trip together when one chooses a bad restaurant? These are just a few of the stories told. At the end of the keynote, attendees will have a new appreciation for food and drink and why they matter so much in our life and, society.

SEMINAR #2: CULINARY TOURISM: THE HIDDEN HARVEST
Culinary Tourism is hot! Food is an attraction - just like a museum, and food and drink are the most overlooked components of the visitor experience. Every traveler eats and drinks, and consequently, the ubiquity of that behavior is something that travel industry marketers usually overlook, largely because we all take eating for granted. Culinary Tourism is an important new industry that weds two related but distant hospitality cousins — foodservice and tourism. Hospitality businesses have an underexplored opportunity to make a significant impression on visitors with unique and memorable dining experiences. Attend this session to find out what to do to get your slice of the pie!

Learning Objectives:

        Definition of culinary tourism.
        The required ingredients of culinary tourism.
        How culinary tourism differs from agritourism.
        Culinary tourist demographics.
        How food and beverage can be regarded as attractions.
        Examples of businesses and destinations that successfully use food/beverage to increase visitor numbers and/or sales.
        The Pyramid of Lost Opportunity
        Local food products and destination branding.
        Benefits to key stakeholders.
        Why restaurants cannot develop culinary tourism alone.
        Importance of "big" and "small" business partnerships.
 
SEMINAR #3: BAKING THE CAKE: CULINARY TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
Does your area have interesting culinary products? How do you create Culinary Tourism products that will attract more visitors. Do not settle for a mere restaurant guide! What unique roadblocks are waiting specifically for hotels or restaurant management companies? What do wineries need to take into consideration when packaging for visitors? Not to worry if you do not live in New York City or Paris. Every destination has its own culinary story to tell, but your success lies in how well you package your culinary story for visitors. Attend this session and learn how to create a unique competitive advantage for your business with proper culinary tourism product development.
Learning objectives are tailored to your particular needs but may include:

        Defining and creating culinary tourism products.
        Wineries and the tasting fee debate.
        Terroir and its meaning for destination marketing.
        How culinary tourism can work for quick service establishments.
        How to package culinary products for sale to visitors.
        How food can sell meeting and convention space.
        Meeting the special needs to tourist diners.
        How to capture the drive-by market.
        How hotels can overcome the stigma of hotel dining.
        How to develop culinary tourism where few resources exist.
        Forging horizontal and vertical product and marketing partnerships.

 
SEMINAR #4: FEAST OR FAMINE: BEST PRACTICES IN CULINARY TOURISM MARKETING
You have interesting culinary products but what is the best way to market them? How do you increase your share of local, regional or national visitors? Can food and drink be sold through e-mail and on the Web? What role does a media relations campaign play in marketing Culinary Tourism? Attend this session and learn how to create a unique competitive advantage for your business with proper culinary tourism product development.
Learning objectives are tailored to your particular needs but may include:

        How to market food and travel together.
        Assessing competition and creating a competitive advantage in your marketing strategy.
        Creating a unique selling proposition (USP).
        Data collection and privacy.
        Using research to define realistic target markets.
        Creating a successful multi-tiered marketing campaign.
        Brochure design.
        Media relations (print, radio, television, cable).
        E-mail marketing.
        Successful website design.
        Funding Culinary Tourism marketing campaigns.
        Cooperative marketing and how to get a greater return on your investment.