Promoting the connection of OCOP products with tourism development

Mr. Vo Van Lap, Deputy Head of the Department of Quality and Rural Development (Department of Agriculture and Environment of Tien Giang province), said: The unit has coordinated with functional departments to support community tourism and agricultural tourism spots, introduce, promote and sell OCOP products on the provincial tourism information portal to create favorable conditions for businesses participating in OCOP; support the completion and improvement of the quality of community tourism models, agricultural tourism, rural tourism, homestay, farmstay, etc. Booths displaying and selling OCOP products at community tourism spots are supported with funding for construction, decoration and upgrading, including construction, repair, purchase of shelves, product display shelves, signs, decoration of points of sale and other necessary and suitable items inside the points of sale and integration of support policies for implementing the OCOP program, etc.

Foreign tourists shop for OCOP products at tourist attractions.

At the Ky Lan honey tea tourist site in Thoi Son commune, My Tho city, Tien Giang province, there is a booth displaying and selling the province's OCOP products. Mr. Nguyen Van Thanh Son, owner of the Ky Lan honey tea site, shared: Thanks to the booth displaying local OCOP products, tourists visiting the tourist site have the opportunity to shop and learn about the province's typical products, contributing to making sightseeing and tourism activities in Thoi Son more diverse and rich. The Ky Lan Honey tourist site has many existing products and services to serve the needs of visitors, including: Visiting a Southern garden house made from coconut wood; visiting the fruit garden; enjoying coconut candy and watching the coconut candy production process; taking pictures with pythons and discovering the process of raising bees for honey; a souvenir stall selling local specialties; operating throughout the week.

At the Thao Nguyen orchid garden tourist site in Thoi Son commune, My Tho city, Tien Giang province, the first OCOP tourist site in My Tho city was successfully certified in 2022. Operating since 2013, the Thao Nguyen orchid garden tourist site is similar to other eco-tourism sites in the province such as enjoying honey and listening to traditional music, so the number of visitors is low. After becoming the first site in Thoi Son commune to be certified as a 3-star OCOP, it opened up new prospects for tourism in the area in the context of tourism recovering. Thao Nguyen orchid garden was designed and decorated with eye-catching landscapes from ornamental flowers and landscapes, combined with the addition of other service activities such as a large space to display and promote the province's OCOP products, enriching service activities, especially international visitors are very interested in exploring and experiencing the process from growing raw materials to processing and enjoying local products on the spot. Mr. Le Hoang Anh Huy, owner of Thao Nguyen orchid garden tourist site, shared: We are improving the overall quality of the project, proactively coordinating with entities with OCOP products to link together to serve tourists, on the one hand enriching tourism activities; on the other hand promoting and boosting the consumption of OCOP products, contributing to the development of the local agricultural economy.

At Thien An green medicinal tourism site, located in Phu Qui hamlet, Vinh Huu commune, Go Cong Tay district, Tien Giang province, it is organized according to a pilot model of developing green tourism towards nature. The tourist site is built on a garden with more than 100 types of medicinal plants and herbs, which are effective in treating and taking care of the community's health; at the same time, it provides green vegetables and herbs to prepare dishes and drinks for tourists as well as a place for tourists to experience reality.

The highlight of this tourist destination is also the space displaying the company's OCOP products made from Cordyceps so that visitors can enjoy and buy them as gifts. In addition, the services to serve the needs of visitors are very diverse, including: Visiting the medicinal plant garden, medicinal herbs, incense production activities, Cordyceps mushroom cultivation process, visiting the Cordyceps wine cellar; participating in practical activities such as making cookies, making incense, planting rice, folk games, etc. Ms. Tran Thi Luon, Deputy Director of Thien An Cordyceps Company Limited (Go Cong Tay district, Tien Giang province) said that through the display of OCOP products at the company's tourist destination, it has contributed to introducing and promoting products as well as connecting products with consumers.

Dong Nghi Agricultural Cooperative (Tam Hiep Commune, Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province) combines a production farm model with the development of sightseeing and experiential tourism at the goat farm. Visitors can also see the display of 6 OCOP products of the cooperative made from organic goat milk. These are also OCOP products that have been and are being favored by consumers, with purchasing power increasing sharply in recent times.

At the Ba Duc ancient house tourist site, a famous destination of Dong Hoa Hiep ancient house village, Cai Be district, the owner also combines tourism with the display and consumption of ancient house rice paper products, which have been recognized as 3-star OCOP products. Mr. Phan Van Duc, the owner of the ancient house, said: Domestic and foreign tourists when visiting the ancient house like to buy ancient house shrimp crackers as gifts for relatives, as well as experience the production process of the cakes here.

Mr. Dang Van Tuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Industry and Trade of Tien Giang province, shared: In order to create conditions for cooperatives and enterprises to consume OCP products, the Department of Industry and Trade in coordination with relevant departments and branches has organized sales points to display and introduce OCOP products to introduce local specialties to consumers, especially tourists.

The organization of points for introducing and selling OCOP products and typical products of Tien Giang province also aims to find solutions to support the consumption of OCOP products in order to create conditions for production and business of enterprises and production facilities in a more sustainable manner. Thereby, encouraging OCOP facilities to actively invest, improve quality, build product brands, thereby increasing the quantity and value of consumed products and people's income.

By June 2025, Tien Giang currently has 351 OCOP products with a total of 178 participating entities (33 cooperatives, 58 enterprises, 86 production and business households and 1 cooperative group) including: 1 5-star product (Vinh Phat soursop fruit tea); 17 potential 5-star products (including: Dong Tam Snake Farm Tourist Site and 16 chocolate products that have sent their dossiers to the Central Government), 64 4-star products (including 15 products that have been evaluated at the district level and are waiting for provincial assessment) and 269 3-star products (including 10 products that have been evaluated at the district level and are waiting for a decision).

Article and photos: NGUYEN PHUNG LONG

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/day-manh-gan-ket-san-pham-ocop-voi-phat-trien-du-lich-a187222.html