We’re pleased to bring you the final event in Te Whare Wānaka o Aoraki Lincoln University’s 2026 Excellence Series, exploring how research and fresh perspectives can help shape a more sustainable future for Aotearoa New Zealand.
How can agritourism create new opportunities for regional economies while protecting the landscapes, ecosystems and communities that make these places unique?
Associate Professor Joanna Fountain will explore the potential of agritourism to support wine, food and tourism enterprises, helping local producers and regional agencies diversify income streams, develop new markets and strengthen regional resilience. The presentation will consider how these ventures can create lasting value while restoring and protecting the natural environment and supporting the social and cultural values of destination communities.
The discussion will consider how agritourism can connect local producers, regional agencies and destination communities to create new opportunities for growth, while ensuring that economic development goes hand in hand with environmental stewardship and the values of the places people call home.
Join us to discover how wine, food and tourism can work together to support thriving rural communities and more resilient regional futures.
Wednesday 18th November 2026
4.00pm-5.30pm
Inaka, Waimarie Lincoln University
Timings
4.00 pm - Networking
4.15 pm - Welcome & introduction from LU Vice-Chancellor
4.20 pm - Presentation from Speaker
4.50 pm - Summary
5.00 pm - Networking and questions over drinks and nibbles
5.30pm - Event Ends
About Our Speaker
Assoc. Prof. Joanna Fountain
Dr Jo Fountain, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Environment, Society and Design is a rural social scientist with three decades of research experience broadly focused on the analysis of change and resilience in tourism systems, rural communities, and the wine industry. Current research interests include destination and tourist resilience in the face of natural hazard risks and intensifying climate variability; exploration of the changing shape of the wine industry in the context of climate change and shifting consumer demand; and the potential of agritourism as a pathway to regional diversification. Jo has collaborated on research with academic colleagues and industry practitioners in settings including China/Hong Kong, Australia, Canada, the United States and France.
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