Agricultural expos, conventions and field days are an important part of the event landscape in Australia, and an important part of many regional event portfolios. In 2019, there were over 50 Field Days in Australia attracting an average of 10,000 visitors and 300 exhibitors to each event. One of the largest is Agquip, held in Gunnedah which attracts over 100,000 visitors.
Many Field Days have been operating for 40 years or longer, offering important opportunities for local farmers, communities and agri-businesses to connect. Our evaluation and research at Field Days show that visitors attend with intentions to find a good deal from a local dealer, and to purchase new products. Others find the event an entertaining day out for the whole family.
Like any business, Field Days are constantly finding ways to innovate and meet the changing needs of visitors. Events such as Tocal Field Days combine opportunities for agri-business with family entertainment to create an engaging event for local and visiting audiences.
Over the past 10 years, our event evaluations have assisted Field Day organisers to understand the changing needs of their visitors, and their exhibitors to create an event that meets and exceeds expectations. In 2021-22 we will be evaluating 20 field days across Australia to identify the profile of visitors to the event, their levels of satisfaction and their purchasing preferences. The results will be presented to all members of the AAFDA at their next conference.
DESTINATION RESEARCH 