1. Yesterday’s Tradition, Today’s Taste: The Potential of Craft Beer to Bolster Tourism in Peripheral Regions
Neil Reid
University of Toledo
Presented to the Associazione Italiana di Scienze Regionali, XXXVIII Conferenza scientifica annuale, Cagliari, Italy, September 20-22, 2017

2. Traditional & Craft Breweries, 1873-2016
Over 5,200 craft breweries
3,480 added since 2010
12.3% market share by volume
21.8% market share by sales
Source: The Beer Institute and The Brewers Association

3. Beer consumption trends

4. Neolocalisim Neolocalism
“deliberate seeking out of regional lore and local attachment by residents (new and old) as a delayed reaction to the destruction in modern America of traditional bonds to community and family” (Shortridge 1996, 10).
Craft Breweries
Craft Breweries
represent a desire on the part of increasing numbers of people to “reestablish connections with local communities, settings, and economies” (Schnell and Reese 2003, 46)
Source: Brewers Association
Wineries
Source: Wine Institute

5. Beer Tourism Culinary tourism
People traveling to a particular destination to experience the unique foods and beverages of that destination (Robinson & Novelli, 2005)
Beverage Tourism
Wine Tourism (Charters & Ali-Knight 2002)
Whisky Tourism (Spracklen 2011)
Sake Tourism(Kobe 2003)
Beer Tourism (Kraftchick et al. 2014; Pezzi 2017)
Beer Tourism
Visitation to breweries, beer festivals, and beer museums for which beer tasting and experiencing the attributes of beer are the prime motivating factors (adapted from Plummer et al. 2005)

6. Beer-related Attractions
Purpose
Brewery
Not designed to attract tourists
Beer Museums and exhibits
Designed to attract tourists
Beer Festivals
Beer Trails
Source: After Plummer et al. 2006

7. Beer Tourism – Economic Impact
Kent County, Michigan
Mean length of stay – 2.3 days
Mean number of breweries visited – 3.7
Beer Tourists’ Average Daily Spending
North Carolina Study
38 years old
61% male
61% Bachelors degree
60% married

8. Beer Tourist - Motivation
Source: Kraftchick et al. 2014

9. Typology of the Craft Beer Drinker
Explorer
Not interested in educating themselves on craft beer
Wants to try new styles and flavors
Makes an effort to visit many breweries
Experience of going to the brewery is second only to the quality of the beer
Enthusiast
Strong appreciation for the brewing process and its history
Strives to educate themselves on all aspects of the industry
Loyalist
Loyal to certain beers or brands
Know what they like
Does not strive to try new styles and flavors
Convenience important – local retailers
Novice
New to the craft beer scene
Learning about craft beer
Influenced by friends
Source: Carpenter at al. 2013

10. “Food is about much more than food”
2011 study by Stephen Schnell; Covered period
Found enormous expansion in promotion of local food and agriculture to tourists as a means to experience the “authentic” nature of place
Use of word
Local 10X increase
Farms/Farmers 4X
Agriculture 3X
Place narrative behind food is as important as the food itself
Being produced locally is important
Connection to place is important
Explicitly promoting “localness” to people who seek an “authentic” interaction with place and people, because they feel alienated from such connections in their everyday lives
“To see and experience the world as one ruled not by impersonal networks of capital, but rather by networks of local, personal connections”

11. Pure Michigan
Source:

12. Countering geographic isolation
Geographic isolation is perhaps the greatest challenge facing rural breweries
Plumber et al. (2005)
multiple breweries within a region should work and promote beer tourism together to increase each brewery's network and word-of-mouth advertising
create cooperative marketing materials to bring more tourists to their establishments
establish partnerships with companies outside of the brewing sector - restaurants, accommodations, and tour operators
Breweries become part of a network, rather than existing as an isolated brewery

13. Develop Ale Trails
Provide tourists with information about breweries in a region
Location
Contact information, including website
Opening hours
A map is a critical part of the information provided
Shows relative location of all the breweries
Suggested itineraries often provided
Passport and a gift for visiting certain number of breweries

14. Tasting place
Boiler Brewing Company
Nebraska Native

15. Conclusions
Craft breweries can enhance the attractiveness or rural locations, especially when:
Marketed as a network of different attractions that a rural region has to offer
Marketed as part of an Ale Trail that presents breweries as part of a network of breweries
Emphasize uniqueness and authenticity of taste and connection to place
Has the potential to attract new generation of tourist to rural areas

16. Thank You