The Regional Farm Tourism Association will hold a two-day Farm Tourism Convergence at the Davao Convention and Trade Center slated on October 17 to 18, 2018. Said event seeks to develop farms in the region to become destinations for tourist.
Val Turtur, DAFTA President, said on Monday that the convergence aims to gather farmers all around the region whose farms have the potential to become farm-tourism sites.
“To make this kind of tourism strategy effective, farmers should not only actively cultivate their farmers to improve productivity but also enhance aesthetic value that tourist,” Turtur said.
He added that tourism activity itself and direct purchases from tourist will benefit the farmers economically.
Turtur said the farm tourism convergence includes a farm tour, where farmers will get a hands –on experience and learn about best practices they can duplicate in their own farms.
“We can work together to form a sustainable plan and program relative to the region’s farm tourism,” he added.
The registration fee for this two-day activity will be free for the first 150 participants.
According to Turtur, the event is a joint project of Department of Tourism XI (DOT 11) and DAFTA, which aims to motivate farmers to continue cultivating their lands because of the additional income that may be derived from tourism activities in addition to crop production.
He added that the convergence also seeks to strengthen the regional campaign on farm-tourism as part of the implementation of Republic Act 10816 or Farm Tourism Act that provides for the development and promotion of farm tourism in the Philippines.
