Operators of vineyards, farmers’ markets, roadside stands, u-pick-it farms and anyone else involved in the agritourism industry now have a new online tool to exchange ideas, ask questions and learn from others.
A discussion group specific to “agritourism” has been created on www.LinkedIn.com.
LinkedIn is a social networking site. The purpose of LinkedIn is to allow registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business. The people in the list are called Connections. Users can invite anyone (whether a site user or not) to become a connection.
This list of connections can then be used in a number of ways, from building up your own direct connections, being introduced to someone you wish to know through a mutual, trusted contact, and for finding jobs, people and business opportunities recommended by someone in your contact network.
Tourism writer and consultant Greta Lint, of Asheboro, N.C., came up with the idea while working on another agritourism project. “I needed to know more about some of the issues surrounding the operation of farmers’ markets, roadside stands and u-pick-it farms. Not much showed up on the Internet, so I created a platform for discussion,” she explained.
The group, called simply “agritourism,” is open to anyone who has an interest in that particular industry. “This includes performers, crafters, promoters, organizers and teachers. Eligibility includes people who manage fairs, festivals and tourism-based attractions or who teach agriculture and horticulture business classes. This portal should help tourism product developers and promoters too,” Lint said.
Those who wish to sign up for the group must first join www.LinkedIn.com. There is no fee to join. “And you’re not bombarded with spam or unwanted emails,” Lint explained. “Once you’re a member, you can then do a search for groups in agritourism and join in.”
For more information, contact Greta Lint at gretalint@embarqmail.com or 336-626-0527.
To learn more about LinkedIn as an online networking resource, here are a couple good posts:
7 Ways LinkedIn Will Improve Your Small Business
Ten Ways to Use LinkedIn
Top 10 Mistakes People Make On LinkedIn
