NAFDMA Food Tourists spend money

Is there any money to be made by the food tourist?
One of the busses on today's Foody Tour had 23 NAFDMA members on it. They spent over $1200 shopping on the Foody Tour.
Hum, you do the math.

Jamie and Bobby Dean pose with Lane and Charlotte at the Paula Deen Store. This is Lane McConnell's first NAFDMA Convention. What did Lane Learn? I asked her for her top three take home points from the Foody Tour. Here they are:

Education: Savannah Bee Hive focused educating their consumer through educational videos from the youngest shopper to the eldest. The honey tasting room was an ingenious idea.

Word of Mouth Marketing: Back in the Day Bakery was a perfect example of positive word of mouth advertising. The business provides a premier product and doesn’t skip on ingredients for their products. They only use high quality ingredients to make their quality product – and their customers know that.

Know Your Customer: According to the American Express Travel Survey (2008) even though the economy may be bad, 87% of vacationers are searching for a culinary experience that reflects their passions. These are the customers of direct marketers and we must know our customers needs and preferences. Customers today want to put a face to their food – culinary tourism fills this need.
Lane McConnell mailto:Lane.McConnell@mda.mo.gov