Agri-tourism pushed as strategy to attract visitors

A-Linx Events International Inc., a company that seeks partnerships with the government to spur growth in rural areas, is pushing agriculture-tourism as a way to reel tourists in.

According to A-Linx president Kenneth Dong, the Philippines is well positioned to take advantage of this type of tourism, being a predominantly agricultural country.

“Agriculture contributes 11.6 percent of the country’s gross domestic product, while tourism is being projected to (contribute) 6.35 percent. These are two industries that can provide stability and growth to the Philippine economy,” he said in a statement.

“The Philippines remains an agriculture-based country. We intend to combine that with the increased demand in travel to create a market that can provide employment in the countryside,” Dong added.

Dong explained that for this type of tourism, the food products of each province would serve as the highlight of tours, complementing historical site visits and cultural immersion.

Tourists could also take part in agricultural activities in the provinces that they would be visiting, he said. For example, they could be given a chance to experience firsthand how it is to plant rice or harvest fruits or vegetables.

A-Linx is holding the 1st International Agriculture and Tourism Expo at the end of the month. For this event, he said the company is inviting investors from China, India, and Southeast Asia to see for themselves what the Philippines has to offer in the area of agriculture-tourism.

“We have already secured the backing of both the agriculture and tourism departments. By holding an expo, people will become aware of the potential of both industries,” Dong said.

In an earlier interview, Trade Secretary Gregory Domingo said the Department of Trade and Industry was looking at integrating its One Town, One Product (Otop) program with the country’s overall plan to boost tourism.

The idea, he said, was to make products under the Otop program available in various tourism-related establishments, using these as come-ons to prospective tourists.

“We will offer these products to hotels and other tourist establishments, possibly promote food tourism in some areas. We want to link tourism with the DTI so that we may have a synergy in our promotions,” he said.