From Nannup to the world stage

For most travellers, Nannup is the sort of place you stumble across on a South West road trip — a quiet country town known for its forests, festivals and slower pace of life.

However, the town has found itself in the international spotlight after local agritourism business Chestnut Brae was invited to share its success story at the inaugural Global Agritourism Network Conference in Aberdeen, Scotland.

The event brought together almost 600 delegates from 50 countries to discuss the future of farm-based tourism, with Australia represented by 24 operators — including four from Western Australia.

Chestnut Brae owner and West Australian Agritourism Association chair John Stanley was one of the conference’s keynote speakers, recognised alongside leading operators from Scotland and England for innovative farm retail experiences.

Using Nannup as an example, John spoke about the opportunities regional destinations have to attract visitors despite being several hours from a major city, arguing that success comes from creating experiences travellers simply can’t find anywhere else.

“The key to success is being unique and offering something nobody else can do,” he says.

The conference also marked the launch of the Australian Agritourism Network and saw Margaret River entrepreneur Lara Johnson unveil the Agritourism Training Academy, an online program designed to help farmers develop tourism experiences on their properties.

The international interest is already paying dividends, with inquiries flowing in from countries including Norway, Nigeria, Uganda, India and the UK. A group of British farmers is even planning a study tour of Western Australia next year to see the State’s growing agritourism sector firsthand.