Story & photo by Gelyka Ruth R. Dumaraos
The Philippines’s farm tourism sector promises a bright future with the emerging worldwide trend gaining interest among the youth.
Former Department of Tourism (DOT) chief and International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) president, Dr. Mina Gabor is optimistic about farm tourism gaining more traction in the country as more and more farm owners are showing interest in transforming their land into a viable tourism destination.
She highlights how millennials have gained interest in the union of farming and tourism as a component in the economic rise despite the common perception of farming as a less lucrative choice of livelihood.
“This is the situation now, young people are leaving farms, but they are coming back for farm tourism. That’s the beauty,” she said in a recent media conference.
Gabor stresses technology as the key component in driving millennial’s attention to farming. She added, “A lot of the millennial is actually the ones running the farms for tourism now and their marrying technology and all the knowledge in digital marketing to push their farms as destinations. So it is quite exciting.”
Starting with small farms
To date, there are 32 accredited farms sprawled around the country, with 50 percent located in Region 4A.
Gabor said, “Farm tourism is meant for small farmers, even those with a small area of 20 square meters. There are various ways of implementing farm tourism, such as putting up urban farming and farm schools.”
Gabor encourages people who are interested in farming, especially the young, to undergo training for farm tourism provided by ISST. The training courses tackle introduction on farm tourism, funding, marketing and plan for sustainability.
She underscores that funding will not be a problem as ISST’s training courses shed light on creative and effective ways on how to seek financial help.
More important, after putting up the farm and getting the necessary funds, making the income-generating avenue sustainable is the next challenge.
“You have to stay there. You have to continually bring innovation, something new,” she added, stressing how product development is important in sustaining your farm.
First global summit on farm tourism
Millennials in farming and sustainable farm tourism practices are among this year’s topics in the first Global Farm Tourism Summit set for July 17 to 19 at Summit Ridge Hotel in Tagaytay City.
With the theme “Managing Climate Risks through Sustainable Farm Tourism,” the summit aims to tackle the role of farm tourism in the achievement of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals.
It will highlight farm tourism’s contribution to the inclusive and sustainable economic growth, social inclusiveness, employment and poverty reduction.
Gabor stresses that farm tourism plays a vital role in alleviating the environmental risks of climate change. “Very few realize that the first ones to be affected by climate change are the farms and yet it is also the farms that will provide the solution to climate change.”
As it hosts the global summit, Gabor looks forward for attendees to gain best practices and learn from the success stories of local and international experts. The summit is also an avenue for networking with various farm tourism stakeholders.
Invited international speakers are Sapa O’Chau founder Tan Thi Su (Vietnam), Phutawen Farm owner Dalounny Douangpaseuth (LaoPDR), and National Institute of Agricultural Science Senior Agricultural Researcher Dr. Lock-Hwan Jo (South Korea). Also included are Ohtawara Tourism Co. Ltd. President Daisuke Fujii, and Philippine Ambassador to New Zealand Jesus Domingo.
Tourism Secretary Bernadette Fatima Romulo Puyat will deliver the keynote address, highlighting the bureau’s initiative in accordance with Republic Act 10816, also known as the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016. This act is authored by Sen. Cynthia A. Villar, who is an active farm tourism advocate.
The global tourism summit will also be attended by local farm tourism operators, local government officials, landowners, local brands, agriculturists and entrepreneurs.
Image credits: Gelyka Ruth R. Dumaraos