Tourism as a "symbiotic" relationship with agriculture.

International visitors experience rice planting during the Cam Chau Rice Planting Festival 2024. Photo: HS

Inevitability

Traditionally, agriculture has always been the dominant economic sector in rural areas. Agricultural civilization, specifically rice-farming civilization, forms the foundation for the accumulation of many unique values ​​and customs of Vietnamese rural life.

According to experts, rural tourism development should prioritize the long-term interests of local communities and provide authentic experiences for tourists. At the same time, it must respect and preserve the unique and valuable aspects of rural areas.

It is understandable that prioritizing the interests of the local community requires promoting the main livelihoods of farmers linked to agriculture . Providing authentic experiences for tourists in rural destinations must, to some extent, incorporate the agricultural values ​​of that region.

Mr. Nguyen Song Ha, representative of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Vietnam, stated that the approach to integrating sustainable development goals into agricultural tourism focuses on five key elements: food security and livelihoods, biodiversity conservation, traditional knowledge, cultural and social values, and ecosystems.

Dee Suvimol Thanasarakij, Executive Director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office, noted that the long-term benefits from the linkage between agriculture and tourism are abundant.

In the short term, tourism contributes to environmental sustainability and diversifies farmers' livelihoods by providing them with additional income from tourism. In the long term, tourism will inspire and motivate younger generations to be proud of, continue, and remain connected to their hometowns. This is a key factor in maintaining village cohesion.

Leveraging resources to elevate rural Quang Nam

The integration of agriculture and rural tourism in Quang Nam is emphasized, especially in the suburban areas of Hoi An and its surroundings.

A tourist experiences a traditional craft of the people of Cam Kim, Hoi An. Photo: HS

About a decade ago, when rural tourism was not yet strongly promoted, Quang Nam already had products that harmoniously combined these two fields, such as "A Day as a Farmer" in Tra Que (Cam Ha commune) or "A Party in the Field" in Cam Thanh commune, Hoi An city.

In recent years, several destinations linking agriculture with tourism have emerged locally and attracted regular visitors: Thanh Dong organic vegetable garden (Cam Thanh), Cui Lu village (Cam Ha), old brick kiln farm (Duy Vinh, Duy Xuyen), Cam Phu village (Dien Phong, Dien Ban)...

The common thread among these destinations is that they build their products on the foundation of distinctive agricultural values, then integrate and develop compatible tourism experiences and products that convey the agricultural values ​​of that destination.

According to Ms. Le Thi Thanh Nga, owner of the "Old Brick Kiln Farmstay" brand, experiences from integrating agriculture and tourism need to impress visitors with all five senses: sight, taste, smell, touch, and hearing. Furthermore, with a good agricultural development strategy, income from agriculture can be just as significant as that from service activities.

The perception that agricultural tourism is a quick-profit, easy-to-implement trend that requires no strategy and simply copies ideas from elsewhere needs to be re-evaluated. Only then can agricultural-based tourism models be sustainable.

When tourism products linked to agriculture establish a brand, the effects extend beyond the destination. Its positive impact can spread, prompting local communities to change unsustainable farming practices, alter sales methods, and revive traditional cultural customs, thereby revitalizing rural areas and improving farmers' livelihoods.

The current situation that needs improvement is that stakeholders need to upgrade the agricultural value chain to meet the demands of Quang Nam's tourism market, which has a large proportion of international tourists. This presents both opportunities and challenges, as this group of tourists is more "demanding," but if successful, the added value from rural tourism will be significant.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/du-lich-cong-sinh-nong-nghiep-3147171.html