Tourists visit a farm in Lai Vung district, southern province of Dong Thap. (Photo: VNA)Hanoi – Minister of Agriculture and Rural
Development Le Minh Hoan on March 15 said that agritourism should be turned
into an integrated economic sector with agricultural products and typical
characteristics of rural areas being used as resources to serve the tourism
industry.
Speaking at a teleconference on tourism, Hoan said
that the National Strategy for Sustainable Agriculture and Rural Development
for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, already approved by the Prime
Minister, affirms that rural tourism development is identified as one of the
fundamental solutions, a driving force for promoting sustainable new-style rural areas, contributing to bringing into play the advantages and distinctive
values of agriculture, rural areas, and farmers.
At the same time, the
development of new-style rural areas is the foundation to support and create
favourable conditions for the diversified and sustainable development of
agritourism. The National Target Programme on building new-style rural areas
for the period of 2021-2025 has also added components to the development of
agritourism.
Hoan said over the past time, agritourism has recorded strong growth, bringing new “fresh air” and vitality to rural areas.
Preliminary statistics showed that Vietnam currently has about
500 agritourism and rural tourism models.
Thanks to the models, people in remote areas become more
confident and active, many villages got prosperous and values of agricultural products as well as One Commune One Product (OCOP) products have increased thanks to
tourism businesses.
Rice fields, terraced fields, orchards, rivers, streams,
ponds, lakes, and fishing villages are all connected to unique destinations on
the visitors’ journey of experience. Knowledge, indigenous culture, folk
cuisine, and traditional rituals are awakened thanks to tourism.
Agritourism does not only brings higher incomes to people, and
economic benefits to localities, but also creates other intangible values
that help popularise images of Vietnam’s agriculture, and promote agricultural
products right at the farms.
Agritourism also introduces and promotes images of Vietnam’s rural
areas with diverse cultural identities and hospitable rural people. It
also helps increase community connectivity, calling for jointly building green,
clean, and beautiful countrysides and preserving its values.
However, Hoan said agritourism still faces difficulties as
many localities have not yet seen the potential of this type of tourism and
paid insufficient attention.
Many models were developed spontaneously, without making
differences, he said, adding that supporting mechanisms and policies have not yet become the
driving force to develop a tourism industry that brings both economic and
social values.
Hoan said
that it’s time to change the attitude towards the importance and values of
agritourism so that it can become a part of the tourism industry.
He suggested the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism
consider adding agritourism to the National Tourism Programme to promote and
enrich tourism resources.
Agritourism must be developed in a sustainable, inclusive,
and multi-valued way. It effectively makes use of and promotes traditional
values, production and farming practices, agricultural activities, and the
typical ecological environment, associated with digital transformation. The
community should be placed at the centre when developing tourism products, according to the minister.
It is necessary to strengthen the connection in agritourism,
and form high-quality, diversified, and attractive tours and routes, he added./.
