'Sitting' in the village to make a lot of money from agricultural tourism?
Developing agriculture in association with tourism is considered a new potential for farmers to get rich in their own villages, increasing the value of agricultural products. When will Vietnamese villages really become attractive destinations for domestic and foreign tourists with agricultural production, rural industries and cultural activities like Taiwan tourism is doing now?!
At the Taiwan - Vietnam Agricultural Tourism Development Experience Sharing Workshop on the afternoon of September 12, Mr. Nguyen Duy Luong - Vice President of the Vietnam Farm and Agricultural Enterprise Association, stated that Vietnam has abundant potential to develop agricultural tourism.
Tourists from Europe are very interested in exploring the production and traditional cultural life of ethnic groups in Mai Chau (Hoa Binh). Photo: IT.
According to Mr. Luong's explanation, our country has 3/4 of its land area being hills and mountains, many scenic spots, diverse agricultural production, many occupations, friendly people, as well as the depth of production and culture to develop an agricultural tourism model. Currently, many regions across the country have models of both agriculture and tourism development such as in the Northwestern provinces: Son La, Hoa Binh or Sa Pa, Tay Nguyen, Da Lat...
Stroll on the pasture and watch cows at Flying Cow Farm (Taiwan).
However, Vietnam's agricultural tourism is just the beginning, not commensurate with the potential we have. "Developing agricultural tourism for farmers is extremely favorable. It helps people get rich on their homeland, increasing the value of agricultural products. People can live decently and prosperously on their land without having to migrate to find work elsewhere, and have conditions to be close to take care of their families...," Mr. Luong said.
According to Mr. Luong, currently, to develop agricultural tourism, farmers need to develop deeply, make good use of the agricultural products they have, and preserve local identity, from products with regional characteristics to traditional customs.
According to Mr. Luong, currently Vietnamese farmers still follow the old way, fragmented production, unconnected production, each family's lamp is lit by its own light. If you want to do agricultural tourism, you need to create links between farmers and farmers, with collectives such as cooperatives. Individuals and businesses that have the conditions to develop agricultural tourism also need to have measures to connect farmers, instruct them on how to do agricultural tourism.
Foreign tourists enjoy the rose garden grown by local people for community tourism in Cat Cat village (Sa Pa, Lao Cai). Photo: IT.
At the workshop, many agricultural tourism models of Taiwan were introduced. According to representatives of farm owners in Taiwan, to develop agricultural tourism successfully, farmers need to work deeply, well, and refine the agricultural products they have. Many farms in Taiwan have been successful thanks to the diverse and sophisticated development of their agricultural products.
Like the Flower House Farm (Taiwan), which has grown up to 400 species of flowers for tourists to see, people visiting the Flower House can experience many activities such as flower viewing; admiring and trying nearly 150 types of essential oils extracted from flowers and leaves; making essential oils by themselves; eating dishes made from flowers; bathing in flowers and enjoying a life full of nature and flowers.
At the Flying Cow Farm (Taiwan), in addition to walking on the vast grasslands and watching the cows leisurely graze, tourists can experience a variety of dairy products such as food, drinks, even milk shampoo, milk hotpot...
Experience making essential oils yourself at Flower House Farm (Taiwan)
“Diversified, deep, unique, clean, beautiful, friendly, cozy, family-friendly development, nurturing the spirit, preserving culture” is what agricultural tourism is aiming for. At that time, agriculture combined with creating experiences of farming work, folk games, traditional food processing... will attract tourists. Currently, agricultural tourism has helped many Taiwanese farmers increase their income from 4-16 times compared to traditional agricultural production on the same land.
According to many delegates, the current trend is that urban people will increasingly want to return to the origin of life, the most natural life, of the countryside, of national identity. Therefore, agricultural tourism is the current great advantage of farmers.
Traveling to see the sights, experience and make natural products by hand is the trend of agricultural tourism today.
Mr. Nguyen Quy Phuong - Director of Tourism Department - Vietnam National Administration of Tourism assessed that Vietnam has had many agricultural tourism models such as garden tourism, farms, homestays, etc. However, this development is still fragmented, small, unoriented, duplicated, lacking its own identity, the experience activities and agricultural products provided to tourists are not really attractive, and do not focus on branding. Farmers are only familiar with agricultural production and do not have enough skills to serve tourism.
Most of the new products only meet the needs of sightseeing, resting, eating and experiencing of tourists at a simple level without taking full advantage to attract customers as well as increase the spending ability of customers through exploiting other supporting services. Besides, the infrastructure and supporting facilities at many agricultural tourism destinations have not been fully invested.
The number of foreign tourists choosing tours to explore the countryside and agriculture of the Mekong Delta provinces is increasing. Photo: Hanoimoi Newspaper.
According to Mr. Phuong, farmers who want to develop agricultural tourism need to change their traditional production mindset, not chasing quantity but producing refined, clean products, especially clean, natural factors.
Agricultural tourism will help people exploit and make the most of the values of their agricultural products, profit from letting tourists see, visit, experience and enjoy agricultural products, and sell their products at high prices.
The needs of tourists today, especially Vietnamese tourists, also want to live in green spaces, eat clean food, enjoy an environment suitable for both the elderly and children, and experience interesting and strange activities.
With the highly effective agricultural tourism model, people can live a prosperous life with farming. Because currently, despite many policies to support farmers, in reality, people still have difficulties, selling their products at low prices. Farmers always have to suffer the paradox: "good harvest, low price, and good price, bad harvest".
"Bringing tourists to "farm together" helps people increase the value of their products, bringing them year-round income. At the same time, developing agricultural tourism makes farmers no longer chase after quantity to sell more but invest in clean, delicious, and unique products to sell directly to tourists, creating income on the spot. To do agricultural tourism, the most important thing is that people need to have a vital commitment to preserve the ecological and natural environment, and produce clean products, otherwise they cannot attract tourists" - Mr. Phuong recommended.