7th Farm Tourism confab honors industry advocates

Advocates and champions of Asia’s growing farm tourism industry were given the prestigious Lakbay Bukid Awards in the recently concluded 7th Farm Tourism Conference organized by the International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) in Panglao, Bohol.

With a US$ 1,000 cash prize from the family of the late tourism stalwart Bobby Joseph, the award was first given in 2016 to individuals, institutions, and groups who have contributed significantly to the growth of the farm tourism industry in the continent.

This year’s awardees are Francis Joseph Perdigon of Perdigon Farms in Butuan City, I Wayan Alit Artha Wiguna of Cau Chocolates in Bali, Indonesia; Tan Inong Asin Tibuok Manufacturing of Alburquerque, Bohol; Borneo Eco Tours of Sabah, Malaysia, and Malagos Agri-Ventures Corp. of Davao City.

According to ISST president and former Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Mina Gabor, the accolade showcases the creativity and resiliency of the awardees in helping empower disadvantaged communities and mainstreaming sustainable agricultural and tourism practices.

The Farm Tourism Conference is hosted by the Province of Bohol and supported by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (Searca), the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), and the Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport). It is also backed by the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity, the Department of Tourism, the Tourism Promotions Board, the Department of Trade and Industry, and Philippine Airlines.

Last February 26 to 28, 2024, ISST held the Philippine Farm Tourism Conference. Themed “Farm Tourism: Consciousness for Healthy Living and New Experiences,” the conference showcased learnings from the pandemic, and shared best practices that seek to provide social and economic empowerment to communities.

Topics to be discussed included, among others the hospitality industry embracing the sustainable farm-to-table concept, processing fruits and vegetables – key to food security, right marketing and revenue, value-added benefits of artisanal fisheries, the revival of the country’s multi–million seaweeds industry, the pampano fish as the upcoming star of aquaculture, and green investment in agriculture and tourism in the Asian setting.