With Rising Tourist Numbers, Localicious Pivots Marketing Priorities
With the state’s exploding tourist numbers, Localicious is changing gears from supporting Hawaii’s restaurants during the pandemic to mobilizing visitors to support local agriculture.
Localicious, a program organized by the Hawaii Agricultural Foundation, came to prominence during the COVID-19 pandemic with Food-A-Go-Go. The initiative helped keep restaurants, and the farmers, ranchers and fishermen that supply them, open for business.
But with lockdowns and restrictions on eateries in the rear-view mirror (for now), the HAF is shifting the priorities of Localicious. The program will now urge tourists to support local agriculture. The HAF will market to visitors with search engine optimization, social media platforms, and digital advertising.
According to a press release from the Hawaii Agricultural Foundation, Localicious’ new priorities will be:
1) support local businesses that buy from our local farmers, ranchers and fishermen
2) create an opportunity for visitors to contribute to our local economy
3) help create more demand for our local ag and fishing industries, and
4) provide credible information to the public on how they can help Hawaii in its efforts to support local ag and diversify our economy.
Localicious was formed in 2014 as a marketing campaign to support local restaurants and businesses, Hawaii’s agriculture and fishing industries, and to contribute to kindergarten to grade 12 agriculture education.
Photo courtesy of Localicious.