Rural towns urged to qualify for ‘Best  Tourism Villages’

CEBU, Philippines —   The Philippines should aspire to have UN-World Trade Organization-named “Best Tourism Villages” that would help sustain the rural economy and cultural traditions as well as support livelihood in the outskirts.

“We can use tourism as a powerful driver. People are discovering new routes.  They do what they have not done before like harvest crops,” said Antonio Lopez de Avila, UNWTO Tourism for Rural Development Programme coordinator.

During a tourism forum hosted by the Southeast Asian Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA), Lopez de Avila noted that farm tourism will play a significant role in post-Covid rural development.

As borders have started to open since countries imposed movement restrictions at the height of the pandemic, farm tourism will now play a big role in the recovery of economies, he added.

One way to encourage rural towns to invest in tourism development is to provide incentives for rural areas to strive to qualify for the Best Tourism Villages, a United Nations WTO program.

The Alula Framework for Inclusive Community Development through Tourism has been set up by the WTO, the G20 Tourism Working Group and the G20 Saudi Presidency with a vision to improve the livelihood of many people.  The Alula Framework has a vision that livelihood generation can be achieved through education, investment, innovation, and technology in the farm tourism sector.

 In the same SEARCA tourism forum titled "Unleashing Untapped Opportunities of Agrifood Tourism,” Keneth de Gracia of the Department of Tourism (DOT) 4-A said the Philippines has already emerged as a top farm tourism destination.

This has arisen due largely to the ratification of Republic Act 10816 or an "Act Providing for the Development and Promotion of Farm Tourism in the Philippines."

 Even more, farm tourism is becoming popular, especially among the youth who are exposed to a new face of agriculture.  The pandemic has brought about awareness of agriculture's role in sustaining food production, nutrition, and health. 

According to De Gracia DOT has engaged in technical cooperation with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (UN FAO).  This will come up with a standard module for capacity development in farm tourism.  I will train people on farm tourism sites in Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas Rizal, and Quezon).

 Dr. Siti Fatimahwati Pehin Dato Musa, professor at Universiti Brunei Darussalam, also said at SEARCA's agritourism forum that the current fast food culture has become a threat to food traditions.  This is why there is a hunger for agritourism and farm-to-table (FTT) activities.

 SEARCA has engaged in discussions on agritourism even as SEARCA Director Glenn B. Gregorio said “agritourism is an innovative pathway to ISARD or inclusive and sustainable agricultural and rural development.”

ISARD is the mandate of SEARCA when it was founded as a treaty organization in 1966.

Through the farm tourism sector, new markets are created for agricultural products, said Pehin Dato Musa. 

Traceability of food sources is strengthened, and transport of goods becomes shorter in distance and cheaper as communities get to be aware of farms' presence.

 "FTT groups have been taking responsibility for promoting local artisans, local farmers, and local flavors through regional events such as taste workshops, wine and food tasting, and farmers' markets."

 To qualify for the “Best Tourism Villages,” a candidate site should have a population of a maximum of 15,000 inhabitants.  Its location should showcase traditional activities, particularly agriculture, forestry, livestock, or fishing. 

 As not all can be Best Tourism Villages winners, UNWTO gives support to candidates through partnerships that help improve a site after an evaluation.

Among the benefits of the UNWTO program are training, sharing of good practices, participation in international events, networking, mentoring, and financing.

 The Best Tourism Villages provides guidance to governments and the private sector on putting up tourism policies through education, investment, innovation, and technology to "transform the livelihoods of millions while preserving our environment and culture."

 UNWTO advances the role of tourism as it preserves "landscapes, knowledge systems, biological and cultural diversity, values and activities" in rural areas.

 De Avila said UNWTO's secretary general  Surab Pololikashvili stated that "tourism has proven to be a lifeline for many rural communities, but its true potential has yet to be realized."

 According to the WTO, tourism accounts for seven percent of world trade.  It is among the most resilient sectors of the economy and generates millions of jobs.

Pehin Dato Musa said farm-to-table activities in Southeast Asia for instance include cooking classes, events, tours, markets, and school or organization activities.

Tourists get to value their heritage. People realize it is much safer to tour locally where farms are.

 Farm tourism can develop infrastructure in rural areas. A big gap has been observed in the absence of electricity in rural areas compared to urban areas.  The absence of electricity affects 638 million rural compared to 121 million urban people. Such a big difference is true too in sanitation services and drinking water and financial services.