Western Visayas pushes farm tourism

Western Visayas strongly advocates farm tourism, and other regions should take the cue from it. Mina Gabor, a former tourism secretary, said farm tourism not only gives visitors an experience to remember, but benefits local farmers and communities as well.

Speaking at the recent the 5th Farm Tourism Conference in Iloilo City, Gabor said Western Visayas can expand and open aqua-culture facilities to visitors.

As founder of International School for Sustainable Tourism, Gabor encouraged those in the agricultural sector to study the benefits of farm tourism as it trickles down to the grassroots.

Department of Tourism Director for Western Visayas Helen Catalbas noted the region is only second to Calabarzon with seven accredited farms. Four of the farms are in Negros Occidental and three are in Iloilo province.

Negros Occidental’s Supervising Tourism Operations Officer Cristine Mansinares, who also attended the conference, said the accredited agritourism sites in Negros Occidental are Peñalosa Farms in Victorias City, May’s Organic Garden and Restaurant in Bacolod, Owataks Herb Farm and Resort in Talisay City, and Rapha Valley Place of Wellness in San Carlos City.

Mansinares said each farm tourism site in the province offer something unique.

To ensure that more farm sites are created, she said farmers attended the annual national tourism conference to help them know the requirements and linkages they need to establish their own farm tourism site.

Provincial Agriculturist Japhet Masculino said the establishment more tourist-oriented farms in the province will help the farmers increase their profit.

He said the Office of the Provincial Agriculturist is identifying more areas in the province that could be converted into eco-farms and will offer technical assistance like landscaping, training on farm guiding, turnover of equipment and seeds, and even financing.