Without the tourists, farm tourism operators had to repurpose their amenities, like converting swimming pools into fish ponds, to increase food production. “[Farm tourism] was accelerating. Then came COVID and suddenly, it’s all downhill,” said Josephine Costales, president of Philippine Farm Tourism Development Association. It also wasn’t too long ago since the Farm Tourism Development Act of 2016 was enacted and gave agritourism the push it needed. “Whatever [pandemic] impact there is on other tourism products, it’s the same on farm tourism,” said Chris Morales, head of the Department of Tourism (DOT) National Farm Tourism Program.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer August 29, 2020 21:00 UTC