DOT holds Benguet farm tours to boost tourism

LA TRINIDAD, Benguet -- The Dept. of Tourism Cordillera recently held the Fun Farm Circuit for La Trinidad and Tublay as part of “farm tourism circuit development for tourism recovery in the region.
    DOT regional director Jovita Ganongan said the Fun Farm Circuit focused on farms within the BLISTT or the Baguio – La Trinidad - Itogon – Sablan – Tuba and Tublay that offer experiential tours and outdoor experiences.
    Tourism officers of BLISTT, tour operators and media joined the tour.
    The farm tour dry run started at the Cosmic Farm in Beckel, La Trinidad that advocates organic farming.
    They grow organic plans and animals here and teach farmers different methods of organic farming.
    It is accredited by TESDA with a certification of Organic Agriculture Production NC II while the Cosmic Farm Dormitory is accredited by the DOT under the Mabuhay Accommodations category. 
    The   group proceeded to Ambassador in Tublay to visit two sites.
    At the two-hectare Amando’s Lemon Farm, [articipants enjoyed picking fresh lemon straight from the trees in an area with an amazing view of the sunrise. They also had taste of a specially prepared lemon dessert and fresh lemonade. 
    The next destination was Polig’s Farm which landmark is a giant kettle cafeteria with diameter of 24 feet and height of 20 feet.
    The farm offers breathtaking view of mountains and picking of different varieties of   berries and other seasonal fruits.
It was intended for family gatherings only but DOT Secretary Bernadette Puyat saw its potential for tourism and encouraged the owners to open it to the public.    
    The Winaca Eco Cultural Village in Acop, also in Tublay, is a combination of culture, nature and adventure. The village promotes sustainable farming and has been supplying flowers and ornamental plants to different establishments nationwide.     The team had a chance to pick flowers at the anthurium garden and at the poinsettia plantation. 
Winaca also showcases traditional Ifugao house, Sagada-Bontoc house and the Bakun house of Benguet.
    The tour ended at the DIY Brew Bar in Pico, La Trinidad which promotes Farm to Cup Program.  The team started the farm experience with experiential tour showing the process of coffee production- from the nursery to the storage, roasting and packing area then a demonstration of Arabica and Robusta coffee preparation and the do-it-yourself coffee experience. The enterprise grows most of their different coffee beans in their own farm.

    The DOT and the different stakeholders will again have a workshop and look at how to improve the product offering.

Ganongan said the DOT earlier conducted a dry run of the Green Tour Circuit connecting farms and other tour destinations in the municipalities of Sablan and Tuba to Baguio City.

    Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the restrictions being imposed, she said the DOT with the different tourism stakeholders are exploring and developing tour circuits within the BLISTT which are safer and in adherence to the health and safety protocols of Covid-19. 

     These are safer things to do and we hope that when things are better and when finally Baguio and Benguet will open for tourism, we are ready to welcome the visitors and tourists to explore our farms, Goninan said. – PIA Cordillera