Running Head: FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

9 ICLEHI 2018-097 Irene R. De Villa

Farm Tourism Awareness and its Integration in the Curriculum of BSIHM and
BSTO Programs

Irene R. De Villa, REB, Francia Yvette A. Magpantay,

Ma. Carolina R. Martinez
College of Tourism and Hospitality Management
University of Batangas, Hilltop, Batangas City, Philippines
E-Mail Address: [email protected], [email protected],
[email protected]

Abstract
This study sought to determine the awareness of the students and faculty of the College
of Tourism and Hospitality Management on farm tourism. Specifically, it assessed the
perceptions of the students, faculty and farm owners relative to the concepts and
benefits of farm tourism and evaluates the level of awareness of faculty and students on
farm tourism activities and products. Also, the study identified the
challenges/difficulties/problems of farm owners relative to farm tourism and how to
address them which can be included in the proposed syllabus. Statistical tools such as
weighted mean, frequency and percentage were used in determining the level of
awareness of the respondents on the concepts and benefits of farm tourism as well as
on the farm tourism activities and products. To analyze the differences on their
responses, the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized. Scheffe’s Test for Multiple
Comparison of Means was further applied to follow-up on the ANOVA and to
underscore post hoc comparisons other than just pairwise comparisons of means. The
results of the study shows that both faculty members and farm owners agreed that farm
tourism could be an avenue for educational and recreational purposes. Moreover,
respondents agreed that it educates the public about agriculture. Further, the
respondents should have awareness on the different activities and farm products that
could be found on the farm. According to the study, one of the major challenges
encountered by farm owners is the lack of government support. Thus, with the
abovementioned results, the researchers recommended integrating Farm Tourism as an
elective course for BS in International Hospitality Management and BS Tourism
Management curriculum.

Keywords: Agri-Tourism, farm tourism products and activities,

curriculum integration, Philippines

Introduction
Tourism is one of the industries that is currently on boost. It has grown into one
of the world’s major industries and has thus also become increasingly important
(Aguba, Tamayo & Barlan, 2013). Although tourism has been widespread, it cannot be
denied that problem does exist that hinder growth in every place (Buted, Ylagan &
Mendoza, 2014). It is a dynamic and competitive industry that requires the ability to
constantly adapt to customers’ changing needs and desires, as the customers’
satisfaction, safety and enjoyment are particularly the focus of tourism businesses. It is
a major factor contributing to the development of Philippine economy. Farm tourism is

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 144

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

a growing industry in the country today as they give another venue to leave the
corporate jungle and the opportunity to be one with nature.
Philippine tourism development today takes giant leaps when it incorporated
agricultural and environmental activities into its programs. The said program motivated
people to be involved and to participate in the circle of their community. Such
endeavors of institutions that may include organizations, local government units, or
even individuals uplift the promotion of agritourism and eco-tourism. In the process,
these individuals may use technologies generated and developed out of agricultural
research and development (R&D) and environmental protection and sustainability as
profitable activities for tourists, including its aesthetic valuation. However, until this
time, farm tourism has overlooked many of these processes, and while conceptualizing
the farmer as an entrepreneur, it lacks important theories on entrepreneurial skills and
competency.
The author of the House Bill 3745 AAMBIS-OWA Representative Sharon
Garin said that the fusion of tourism and agriculture would benefit both sectors as it
will boost the country’s economy by improving the income and potential economic
viability of small farms and rural communities”. Furthermore, according to her,
“milking cows, fruit-picking, horseback riding, watching butterflies, tending bees,
tasting wines or juices, and sight-seeing are just some of the exciting recreational and
educational activities tourist can do in a farm tourism spots”. (Sunstar Cebu 2014)
In the Department of Agriculture (DA), farm tourism is a welcome initiative
that opened doors for development. Since it has started several years, R&D
breakthroughs are the key factors that made the fusion of these two broad areas to
address social and economic development jointly. Agri-tourism incorporates the
benefits of research and development, particularly the innovative and modern
technologies that produce quality products. Such technologies vary from protective and
precision agriculture, organic agriculture, food processing and development,
agricultural information and communications management, and even biotechnology.
Part of the Agricultural Policy Framework (APF) of Alberta, Canada, which is
a Federal-Provincial-Territorial Initiative, is the Educational Agriculture Tourism or the
opportunity to experience rural Alberta thru events such as farmers’ markets, farm
tours, agriculture festivals or fairs, country vacation farms and market gardens where
people have the opportunity to learn more about the life outside the city. Likewise,
Formal Education (K-12) presents a relatively bright opportunity for agriculture
tourism. While the Classroom Agriculture Program has been highly successful in
coming into classrooms across the province to talk to students, it is where the producers
and farm tourism operators play an important role in broadening student awareness and
understanding of agriculture. Their teachers are required to follow official Programs of
Study, which specifies what they are required to teach. Educational Agriculture
Tourism provides an excellent way to combine educational requirements in many
subject areas with Agriculture Tourism to give meaningful and educational first-hand
rural experiences to students.
Since farm tourism sector is still largely private-sector-driven, a few challenges
in meeting Farm Tourism’s potential in the Philippines include confusion on whether
the Department of Tourism or Department of Agriculture that will lead the potential
and the limited standardization and accreditation. Prof. Fresnoza (SEARCA 2011) put
forward a few specific recommendations to meet these challenges. These include:
education and curriculum development in secondary and post-secondary schools,
improvement of access to capital, technical training and accreditation and certification,

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 145

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

setting up of a Farm Tourism center for research, development and innovation as well
as an Farm Tourism destination marketing bureau.
At present, Farm Tourism is not included in the curriculum of BS International
Hospitality Management and BS Tourism Management of the University of Batangas.
However, in the new curriculum issued by the Commission on Higher Education No.
62 series of 2017, Policies, Standards and Guidelines for Bachelor of Science in
Tourism Management (BSTM) and Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Management
(BSHM), one of the suggested free electives is Agri-Tourism. Thus, the need to offer
this subject proved to be practicable.

Objectives
The study seeks to determine the awareness of the students and faculty on farm
tourism and its integration into the curriculum of BS Tourism and BS International
Hospitality Management courses. Specifically, it has the following objectives:

1. to assess the perceptions of the students, faculty and farm owners relative to
the following:
1.1 concepts of farm tourism; and
1.2 benefits of farm tourism
2. to evaluate the level of awareness of faculty and students on farm tourism
activities and products
3. to identify the challenges/difficulties/problems of farm owners relative to
farm tourism and how these can be addressed which can be included in the
proposed syllabus.
4. to integrate farm tourism in the curriculum of BS Hospitality Management
and BS Tourism Management as an elective course and propose a syllabus
for it.

Research Questions
1. What are the perceptions of the students, faculty and farm owners relative
to the following:
1.1 concepts of farm tourism; and
1.2 benefits of farm tourism
2. What is the level of awareness of faculty and students on farm tourism
activities and products?
3. What are the challenges/difficulties/problems of farm owners relative to
farm tourism and how these can be addressed which can be included in the
proposed syllabus?
4. How will farm tourism be integrated in the curriculum of BS Hospitality
Management and BS Tourism Management as an elective course?

Methodology
This descriptive research examined the perceptions of the respondents on the
concepts and benefits of Farm Tourism. Similarly, their level of awareness in terms of
farm tourism activities and products were also looked into. A total of 204 students out
of 584 total population of BSIHM and BSTO and 9 faculty members from the College
of Tourism and Hospitality Management of the University’s two campuses were taken
randomly. Based on the result of the reliability test, the perceptions on the concepts of
farm tourism has an α of .76, the perceptions on the benefits of farm tourism has an α
of .88, awareness on farm tourism activities has an α of .88 and awareness on farm

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 146

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

tourism products has an α of .91. At present, there are 10 farm tourism sites, which are
accredited by the Department of Tourism in CALABARZON (Region IV-A). Among
these sites surveyed, eight actively participated in this research giving the researchers
an 80% retrieval rate. The survey instrument (questionnaire) was validated by the
experts from the Department of Agriculture and the Provincial Tourism and Cultural
Affairs Office. A pre-test was also conducted prior to the actual survey.
Farm owners were interviewed on the challenges/difficulties/problems they
encountered relative to farm tourism operations and they were also asked to give their
recommendations as to how farm tourism can be integrated in the curriculum of BS
IHM and BS Tourism Management courses. The differences of responses among the
three groups of respondents were also determined for better analysis of data.
Statistical tools such as weighted mean, frequency and percentage were used in
determining the level of awareness of the respondents on the concepts and benefits of
farm tourism as well as on the farm tourism activities and products. To analyze the
differences on their responses, the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was utilized.
Scheffe’s Test for Multiple Comparison of Means was further applied to follow-up on
the ANOVA and to consider post hoc comparisons other than just pairwise comparisons
of means.

Findings and Discussion

This part of the paper presents, analyzes, and interprets the data resulting from
the study conducted by the researchers. For clarity of presentation and consistency in
the discussion, the data are presented according to the objectives of the study.

Table 1
Profile of Farm Tourism Sites
Demographic Profile Frequency Percentage
DOT Classification
Day Farm 6 75
Farm Resort 2 25
Length of Operation
0-5 years 1 12.50
6-10 years 4 50
11-15 years 1 12.50
16-20 years 1 12.50
more than 20 years 0 0
No Answer 1 12.50
Ownership
Sole Proprietorship 3 37.50
Corporation 5 62.50
Number of Guestrooms (farm resorts only)
small-sized (less than 50 guestrooms) 5 62.50
Occupancy Rate in a year of domestic tourists
(for farm resorts only)
Less than 25% 1 12.50
41 – 55% 1 12.50
No Answer 3 50
Occupancy Rate in a year of international
tourists (for farm resorts only)
Less than 25% 2 25

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 147

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

Demographic Profile Frequency Percentage

No Answer 3 75
Tourist Arrival in a year of domestic tourists
(for day farm only)
less than 500 3 37.50
500 – 1,000 1 12.50
1,000 – 1,500 2 25
No Answer 2 25

Among the ten (10) DOT accredited farm tourism sites, eight (8) responded
positively. Six of them are Day Farms and the other two are Farm Resorts. Fifty percent
have also been operating for almost 6 to 10 years. One is operating for 11-15 years and
the other one for 16 to 20 years. Only one of them has been new in the industry.
Concerning location, all of them are located in agricultural land area, which is away
from the highway, town proper and commercial areas. Most of the farm tourism sites
are owned by corporations. For Farm Resorts, all of them are operating in small-scale
having less than 50 guestrooms. This is what they call Bed and Breakfast. Most of their
guests opt to stay at the farm away from the hustle and bustle of city life to experience
nature at its best. In terms of occupancy rate for domestic and international tourists, the
majority did not give their answers but some have less than 25% and has one is 41-55%
occupancy rate. When it comes to Day Farm, the rate of tourist arrival in a year of
domestic tourists is less than 500, two of the respondent farms did not answer while the
other two have 1,000-5,000 guests and the other one has 500-1,000 visitors in a year.
Based on the ocular visit that we had, the majority of the farms are focused on the
operations of their farm regarding food production. However, they are very much into
developing their accommodation services so that they can attract more visitors.

Table 2
Perceptions on the Concepts of Farm Tourism

Concepts of Farm Tourism Faculty Students Farm Overall

Owners
WM VI WM VI WM VI WM VI
1. Farm tourism is the practice of 3.89 SA 3.42 A 3.88 SA 3.73 SA
attracting visitors and tourists
to farm areas for production,
educational, and recreational
purposes
2. Farm Tourism involves 3.89 SA 3.42 A 3.88 SA 3.73 SA
agricultural based operation
3. Philippines is one of the 3.22 A 3.33 A 3.63 SA 3.39 A
ASEAN Countries offering
equally well-developed farm
tourism.
4. Farm Tourism is a growing 3.56 SA 3.26 A 3.88 SA 3.57 SA
sector of tourism in the
country.
5. Farm Tourism is a growing 3.33 A 3.27 A 3.88 SA 3.49 A
sector of tourism in
Calabarzon.

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 148

10th & 11th May, 2018
 FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

6. Farm Tour is a form of an 3.78 SA 3.44 A 3.88 SA 3.70 SA

educational activity.
7. Integration of Farm tourism 3.67 SA 3.36 A 3.63 SA 3.55 SA
course in the curriculum of BS
TM and BS IHM will be
beneficial to the students.
8. Inclusion of Farm Tours and 3.67 SA 3.36 A 3.75 SA 3.59 SA
other educational activities in
the farm is a must for the
students of BS TM and BS
IHM.
Composite Mean 3.63 SA 3.36 A 3.80 SA 3.59 SA
Likert Scale: 3.50-4.00-Strongly Agree (SA), 2.50-3.49-Agree (A), 1.50-2.49-
Disagree (DA), 1.00-1-1.49 Strongly Disagree (SD)

It is evident that both faculty members and farm owners strongly agreed (WM=
3.89 and 3.88, respectively) that Farm Tourism can be a venue for outdoor recreation
and accessible family outings. It can also be a venue for educational and recreational
purposes, which involve any agricultural or fishery-based operation. Moreover, all
respondents strongly agreed that Farm tourism is a growing sector of tourism in the
country and it is a form of an educational activity. An overall weighted mean of 3.57
and 3.59 means that respondents strongly agreed that Farm Tourism course can be
integrated in the curriculum of BS in International Hospitality Management (BSIHM)
and BS Tourism Management (BSTM) and inclusion of Farm Tours and other
educational activities in the farm is a must for the students of BS TM and BS IHM
respectively.
The students also agreed that Farm Tourism can be integrated in the curriculum
of BS IHM and BSTM and it can be a venue for outdoor recreation and accessible
family outings for educational and recreational purposes, which involves any
agricultural or fishery-based operation as shown by the composite mean of 3.36.
Though, the perception of the respondents on Farm Tourism has an overall
weighted mean of 3.59 or strongly agreed it is evident that the students need more
awareness about Farm Tourism. Based on the result of their responses, they only agreed
on the factors under the concepts of Farm Tourism.

Table 3
Comparison on the Perceptions on Farm Tourism Among the Three Groups
Source of Sum of df Mean f- Probability Significance
Variation Squares Square value Value
Between 3.348 2 1.674 11.809 < 0.01 Highly
Groups Significant
Within Groups 32.041 226 0.142
Total 35.389 228

Multiple Comparisons Using Scheffe's

Test
(I) VAR00009 (J) Mean Probability
VAR00009 Difference Value
(I-J)

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 149

10th & 11th May, 2018
 FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

Students Farm -0.43964 < 0.01 Highly Significant

Owners

The table shows that there is a highly significant difference in the means of
between groups based on the f value of 11.809 in the result of ANOVA test on their
perception about Farm Tourism. To further determine which pair it is, the result of
Scheffe’s test revealed that the responses of the students and farm owners have a highly
significant difference. Thus, the null hypothesis is rejected. Looking at the results of
Table 2, there was a significant gap in the answers given by students and the farm
owners specifically on the following: The Philippines is one of the ASEAN countries
offering equally well-developed farm tourism and Farm Tourism is a growing sector of
tourism in the country and in Calabarzon. An owner of one of the farm sites revealed
in an interview that guests from Thailand will undergo seminar, training and immersion
in their farm concerning its operations and how to do farm tourism.
DOT launched the travel guidebook highlighting Calabarzon’s farm tourism
destinations (Business World, 2017). The DOT Secretary said that although Calabarzon
is one of the highly urbanized regions in the country, abound with rural areas where
tourists could feel the cool breeze and experience the diversity of living things. The
Department will continue to promote agri-tourism in the country for this is a unique
experience for visitors in the farm fields. It was also emphasized that Calabarzon is one
of the country’s agricultural haven. The DOT Region IV-A Director likewise cited the
importance to educate the non-farming public about farms and farm products, as well
as the maintenance of the rural landscape. Agri-tourism or farm tourism is seen to be
an alternative option to usual sun and beach activities and contributor to sustainable
source of income for farmers.

Table 4
Perceptions on the Benefits of Farm Tourism
Benefits Faculty Students Farm Overall
Owners
WM VI WM VI WM VI WM VI
1. Farm Tourism offers a 4.00 SA 3.35 A 3.75 SA 3.70 SA
path to economic development in
rural areas.
2. The state can achieve a 3.89 SA 3.32 A 3.75 SA 3.65 SA
balance in tourism development
between urban and rural areas;
3. More farmers are 3.78 SA 3.34 A 3.75 SA 3.62 SA
encouraged to preserve their land
and prevent agri-land
conversion.
4. The harvest season in the 4.00 SA 3.29 A 3.63 SA 3.64 SA
Philippines spells a boon
(blessing/bounty) for farmers
5. The influx of tourists calls 3.56 SA 3.23 A 3.75 SA 3.51 SA
for better modes of transportation
to bring them to and from their
destinations.

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 150

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

Benefits Faculty Students Farm Overall

Owners
WM VI WM VI WM VI WM VI
6. It is vital to have 3.67 SA 3.35 A 3.63 SA 3.55 SA
appropriate accommodation
arrangements for tourists visiting
the Philippines.
7. Farm Tourism educates 4.00 SA 3.42 A 3.88 SA 3.77 SA
the visitors and public about
agriculture.
8. Farm Tourism preserves 3.78 SA 3.38 A 3.75 SA 3.64 SA
farms and farmland.
9. Farm Tourism shares 3.89 SA 3.33 A 3.63 SA 3.62 SA
agricultural heritage and rural
lifestyles with visitors.
10. Farm Tourism preserves 3.78 SA 3.41 A 3.88 SA 3.69 SA
rural heritage and traditions.
11. Farm Tourism generates 4.00 SA 3.40 A 3.63 SA 3.68 SA
quality local products and
produce.
12. Farm Tourism improves 3.89 SA 3.44 A 3.63 SA 3.65 SA
relationship between farmers and
local community.
13. Farm Tourism develops 3.89 SA 3.33 A 3.88 SA 3.70 SA
interaction between visitors and
farmers.
14. Farm Tourism preserves 3.89 SA 3.47 A 3.88 SA 3.75 SA
natural resources and ecosystem.
15. Farm Tourism enhances 4.00 SA 3.43 A 3.75 SA 3.73 SA
the tourism appeal of rural areas.
16. Farm Tourism revitalizes 3.89 SA 3.38 A 3.63 SA 3.63 SA
local economies.
17. Farm Tourism provides 3.89 SA 3.37 A 3.63 SA 3.63 SA
job opportunities for farm
household members.
18. Farm Tourism enhances 3.78 SA 3.51 SA 3.63 SA 3.64 SA
the quality of life of local people.
19. Farm Tourism provides 4.00 SA 3.45 A 3.75 SA 3.73 SA
scenic beauty and landscapes.
20. Farm Tourism provides 3.67 SA 3.42 A 3.63 SA 3.57 SA
recreational activities for
visitors.
Composite Mean 3.86 SA 3.38 A 3.71 SA 3.65 SA
Likert Scale: 3.50-4.00-Strongly Agree (SA), 2.50-3.49-Agree (A), 1.50-2.49-
Disagree (DA), 1.00-1-1.49 Strongly Disagree (SD)

As shown on the table, it can be underscored that both the faculty and the farm
owners strongly agreed that Farm Tourism educates the visitor and public about
agriculture (WM= 4.00 and 3.88, respectively). However, the students’ perception has
the weighted mean of 3.42 with the verbal interpretation of Agree. Furthermore, both

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 151

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

the faculty and farm owners as well strongly agreed that the influx of tourists calls for
better transportations system to bring them to and from their destinations (WM= 3.56
and 3.75, respectively). On the other hand, the students’ perception has the weighted
mean of 3.23 with the verbal interpretation of Agree.

The overall perception of the respondents about the benefit of tourism has the
weighted mean of 3.77, and the verbal interpretation of Strongly Agree. It can be
concluded that the students still need more knowledge about the benefits of farm
tourism.

Table 5
Comparison on the Benefits of Farm Tourism among Three Groups
Source of Sum of df Mean f-value Probabili Significance
Variation Squares Square ty Value
Between 2.452 2 1.226 121.28 < 0.01 Highly
Groups 6 Significant
Within Groups 0.576 57 0.01
Total 3.029 59

Multiple Comparisons Using

Scheffe's Test
(I) VAR00009 (J) Mean Probabili
VAR000 Difference ty Value
09 (I-J)

Faculty Student 0.48 < 0.01 Highly Significant

Faculty Farm 0.14 < 0.01 Highly Significant
Owner
Farm Owner Student 0.34 < 0.01 Highly Significant

The table above shows that regarding perceptions of respondents on the benefits
of Farm Tourism, there is a highly significant difference in the means between groups
based on the f value of 121.286 in the result of ANOVA test. The result of the Scheffe’s
test revealed that there are highly significant differences in the responses between the
faculty and students, faculty and farm owners and student and farm owners.
When farm owners were interviewed, they mentioned that education on the
latest technologies in organic farming, giving inspiration to go back to agriculture, and
showing them the opportunities to earn more in farming compared to other careers in
the city are some of the benefits that the students will gain from visiting day farm/farm
resorts. They are all in agreement that the students should be brought back to the farm
as they need to have experiential learning or actual lessons from the farmers regarding
the essence of food production.
According to Randall (2011), Agri-tourism gives educational value by creating
awareness about rural life and knowledge about agricultural science among urban
school children. It provides opportunity for hands on experience for urban college
students in Agriculture. It is a means for providing training to future farmers. It would
be effectively used as educational and training tool to train agriculture and line
department officers. This provides unique opportunity for education through recreation
where learning is fun, effective and easy. Seeing is believing, doing is learning and
most importantly, experiences are the USP or unique selling proposition of agri-tourism

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 152

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

Table 6
Awareness on Farm Tourism Activities
Activities Faculty Students Overall
WM VI WM VI WM VI
1. Dining 3.11 MA 3.35 MA 3.23 MA
2. Accommodation/Staycation (bed and 3.11 MA 3.37 MA 3.24 MA
breakfast)
3. Team Building Activities 3.00 MA 3.28 MA 3.14 MA
4. Art of Doing Nothing Lessons 3.11 MA 3.20 MA 3.16 MA
5. Soul Searching and Relaxation 3.44 MA 3.38 MA 3.41 MA
Activities
6. Organic Training and Workshops 3.33 MA 3.27 MA 3.30 MA
7. Farm Tours/Educational Tour 3.44 MA 3.30 MA 3.37 MA
8. Healing Power of Touch 3.33 MA 3.24 MA 3.29 MA
Composite Mean 3.24 MA 3.30 MA 3.27 MA

Table 6 shows that both faculty members and students are more aware of the
different activities that tourist can do in farm as shown by the composite mean of 3.27.
The highest weighted mean of 3.41 suggests that the respondents believe that soul
searching and relaxation activities are what farm activities are about. Since farm
tourism connotes nature, the respondents thought this the best venue to relieve stress
and to unwind.
According to a review by Larson and Kreitzer, (Healthway and Wellbeing 2016)
humans regardless of age or culture, find nature pleasing. Researchers also found that
more than two-thirds of people choose a natural setting to retreat to when stressed. This
explains why there is an increase of Farm Owners who are developing their farm into a
farm tourism destination. As more and more farms exist, it helps increase the awareness
of students and faculty members on farm tourism also increases.
The International School of Sustainable Tourism (ISST) President and former
DOT Secretary said that, “farm tourism attracts visitors and travellers to farm areas,
generally for educational and recreational purposes that encourage economic activity
and provide income to the community.” Moreover, according to her, the country’s
sunshine industries which can be developed because of the agricultural nature of the
economy. It also augments the farmers’ income when an activity in an area is used or
visited by foreign or local tourists. She added that farm tourism encourages the younger
generation to eventually venture into farming, which has been stereotyped as a low-
level kind of job.
Jack Randall, (2011) emphasized that Agri-tourism is a viable income
generating activities in many developed countries, which would provide lead to
promote the same with modifications suiting to our conditions.

Table 7
Awareness on Farm Tourism Products

Products Faculty Students Overall

WM VI WM VI WM VI
1. The Apothecary 3.00 MA 3.20 MA 3.10 MA
2. Country Store (handmade wares and 2.78 MA 3.22 MA 3.00 MA
linens)
3. Herbal Plants 3.11 MA 3.37 MA 3.24 MA

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 153

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

4. Organic Farm Products 3.33 MA 3.49 MA 3.41 MA

5. Honey, Bee Pollen, Royal Jelly and Bee 3.44 MA 3.37 MA 3.41 MA
Venom
6. Household Products 3.33 MA 3.30 MA 3.32 MA
7. Beeswax Products 3.33 MA 3.21 MA 3.27 MA
Composite Mean 3.19 MA 3.31 MA 3.25 MA
Likert Scale: 3.50-4.00- Most Aware (MA), 2.50-3.49-More Aware (Ma), 1.50-2.49-
Less Aware (LA), 1.00-1.49-Not Aware (NA

Table 7 reveals that in terms of Farm Tourism products, the faculty and students
are more aware on the different products of Farm Tourism. However, among the
products of farm tourism, organic farm products and honey, bee pollen, royal jelly and
bee venom got the highest rating with a weighted mean of 3.41. These products are
vegetables and herbs, organic eggs, organic poultry, organic pork and water, organic
coconut and dairy products. This may be because many of these items are already being
sold in the supermarket and grocery stores. On the other hand, the Country Store such
as handmade wares and linens got the lowest mean of 3.00 even though it got the verbal
interpretation of More Aware.

Challenges/Problems/Difficulties Encountered by the Farm Owners

Part of this research was an interview with farm owners concerning the
challenges/problems/difficulties they have encountered in their operations. They have
identified the following: 1.) Lack of government support in marketing, finance,
technology and exposure to social media, youth education, tourism, farm to market road
networks, buying stations for farm produce, security, utilities, communication,
transportation and lower taxes; 2.) Lack of Awareness among people about the beauty
of organic farming; 3.) Financial constraints; 4.) Resistance of the farmers on the new
technology in farming; 5.) Lack of genuine commitment of farm workers; 6.)
Availability of budget for expansion activities; Development of the farm is too costly;
7.) Workers are not being used to using organic practices; 8.) Sudden changes of
weather or abnormal weather conditions; 9.) Different groups booked at the same time.
They find it difficult to handle groups and thus the need to have training on customer
service; and 10.) Maintenance of the property.
Given the above challenges, the farm owners have also identified the following
courses of action to overcome those challenges/problems/difficulties, to wit: 1.)
Constant dialogues, communication, visits to government offices, nearby educational
centers, going to exhibits, training, conference, market penetration efforts, use of
internet, FB, and other multimedia outlets; 2.) Partnership OFW to address the issue
on finances and capitalization requirements; 3.) Creation of motivational activities for
the local farmers, for them to be encouraged to also adopt new technologies on farming;
4.)Dividing projects into phases and co-funded by government agencies; 5.)
Networking with government agencies, farmers/farming enthusiasts, attending
seminars/training, getting involved in community development, spearheading the set up
of farmer and women association to empower them; 6.) delaying the tours in case of
adverse whether condition 7.) Time management and additional facilitators and; 8.)
Hiring additional manpower.

Conclusions
Among the DOT accredited farms surveyed in CALABARZON, six are day
farms and others are farm resorts. Fifty percent of them have been operating for almost

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 154

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

6 to 10 years, two of them have been operating for almost 15 years and only few are
new in the industry. For farm resorts, all of them are operating in small-scale having
less than 50 guestrooms. This is what they call Bed and Breakfast. Most of their guests
opt to stay at the farm away from the hustle and bustle of city life to experience nature
at its best.
Regarding the concepts of farm tourism, both faculty members and farm owners
strongly agreed that farm tourism can be a venue for educational and recreational
purposes. All the respondents also strongly agreed that farm tourism is a growing sector
of tourism in the country and it is a form of an educational activity. The responses of
the students and farm owners have a highly significant difference. Since the students’
generation today is what is known as the “age of the millennial” they are not that aware
anymore of organic living but are more into instant technology. However, farm owners
are those older people who witness the way their ancestors lived before. They are
longing for the organic living they were used to. It is also evident that the students need
more awareness about Farm Tourism.
When it comes to the benefits of farm tourism, both faculty and farm owners
strongly agreed that farm tourism educates the visitor and public about agriculture.
However, on the part of the students, they only seem to agree. This has the same
outcome on the perception that the influx of tourists calls for better modes of
transportation to bring them to and from their destinations. The result of the Scheffe’s
test revealed that there are highly significant differences on the responses between the
faculty and students, faculty and farm owners and student and farm owners. Therefore,
the students still need more knowledge about the benefits of farm tourism.
Farm Owners must likewise bear in mind that when they fully venture into farm
tourism, their respective farms must have these for their visitors: things to see (tourism
sites), things to do (activities) and things to Buy (local produce). Another interesting
point that came out from the interview with the farm owners is the need to conduct
seminars on customer service for the staff (front liners) of farm sites. Farm Tourism
requires people skills. Tourists expect to be greeted with a smile and that all staff will
be warm, friendly, and helpful (Curtis, 2015). In this regard, the university can help
farm owners in coordinating with the Department of Tourism to come up with seminars
and in providing resource speakers in customer service. The said government agency
can partner with educational institutions and farm owners to intensify the campaign on
farm tourism awareness.
All farm owners strongly agreed on integrating Farm Tourism in the curriculum
and they specifically cited the following reasons for doing such: 1.) The key to the
country’s success are the young generations. They emphasized the need to bring people
back to basics in terms of food production and protection of environment; 2.) There is
a need to teach the millennial about the beauty of farming by being business-minded
and innovative and not just the traditional/conventional farming; and 3.) There is a need
to secure the country’s food and use of natural resources. According to them, the young
generations must wake up and must be taught agri entrepreneurship to inculcate the
value of money by teaching them the technical aspect.

Recommendation
We strongly recommend the integration of Farm Tourism in the curriculum BS
International Hospitality Management and BS Tourism Management courses in the
Philippines

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 155

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

References
Ager, M. (2017, June 29). Lawmaker pushes farm tourism in school field trips.
Newsinfo.inquirer.net. Retrieved from
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/754412/lawmaker-pushes-farm-tourism-for-school-
field-trips
Aguda, L. A. E., Tamayo, M. R. B., Barlan Jr., L. (2013), Effects of Heritage Tourism to
The Municipality of Taal, Batangas, Philippines, Educational Research
International, 2(1), 91-95.
Asia Market Research. (2017, June 20). The rise of agri-tourism in the Philippines
Spire Research and Consulting. Retrieved from https://www.spireresearch.com/spire-
journal/yr2013/q3/the-rise-of-agri-tourism-in-the-philippines/.
Buted, D. R., Ylagan, A. P., Mendoza, E. (2014).Promoting the Tourism Industry of
Calatagan Batangas, Philippines, Journal of Research in Business and
Management, 2(5), 1-4
Cabi.org. (2017, June 27). The concept of agritourism. Retrieved from
http://www.cabi.org/ cabebooks/ ebook/20093120381.
Curtis, K., Slocum, S.L., and Allen, K. (2015). Farm and Food Tourism. Exploring
Opportunities. Logan, UT: Utah State University Extension. Retrieved from
http://diverseag.org/html/farm-and-food-tourism
Dodds, R. & Graci, S. (2010). Sustainable tourism in island destinations, UK and USA:
Earthsan
Dwyer, L. & Edwards, D. (2010). Sustainable tourism planning. Oxford, UK: Good
Fellow Publishers.
Government of Alberta, A. (2017, June 26). Educational agriculture tourism.
www.agric.gov.ab.ca. Retrieved from
http://www1.agric.gov.ab.ca/$department/deptdocs.nsf/all/aet11830.
Hall, M., Gossling, S., & Scott, D. (2015). The routledge handbook of tourism and
sustainability. New York: Routledge.
Jamieson, W. (2011). Tourism and hospitality in 21st century. India: Discovery
Publishing House PVT. LTD.
Jamieson, W. (2008). community destination management in developing economies. New
York: Routledge.
Jauhari, V. (2014). Managing sustainability in the hospitality industry: paradigms and
directions for the future. Canada: Apple Academic Press.
Jedlicka, W. (2009). Packaging sustainability. New Jersey.
Joe. (2017, June 14). “The sustainable farm tourism: understanding and managing
environmental impacts of visitor activities”. Retrieved from Joe.org. N.p. 2017.
Kebreab, E. (2017, Jan. 9). Sustainable animal agriculture. Cabi.org. Retrieved from
http://www.cabi.org/bookshop/book/9781780640426 .
Library, W. (2017, Nov.23). World eBook library - ebooks | read ebooks online.
Ebooklibrary.org. Retrieved from
http://www.ebooklibrary.org/articles/eng/agritourism
Nuthall, P. (2017, Dec. 23). Farm business management: the fundamentals of good
practice. Cabi.org. Retrieved from
http://www.cabi.org/bookshop/book/9781780646572
Pressreader.com. (2017, June 20). Pressreader.com - connecting people Through News.
Retrieved From https://www.pressreader.com/philippines/business-
world/20170417/281921657917567
Randal, J. (2011). Agriculture tourism. New Delhi:Discovery Pub House.

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 156

10th & 11th May, 2018
FARM TOURISM AWARENESS AND ITS INTEGRATION IN THE

Rappler. (2017, June 20). Agri tourism, exports key to PH sustained growth. Retrieved
from http://www.rappler.com/business/industries/30784-agri-tourism-exports-
govt-priority-marketer
Sare, W. (2017, June 28). Farm and food tourism. Western.org. Retrieved from
http://www.westernsare.org/Learning-Center/SARE-Project-Products/Books-
Case-Studies-Guidebooks- and-Manuals//Farm-and-Food-Tourism
Simeon, L. (2017, June 14). “Farm tourism: a new bright spot for Philippine economy”.
Philstar.com.
The Theoretical Basis Of Agritourism. (2015, March 23). Retrieved February 12, 2018,
from https://www.ukessays.com/essays/tourism/the-theoretical-basis-of-
agritourism-tourism-essay.php
https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/enhance-your-wellbeing/environment/nature
and-us/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing
http://hilo.hawaii.edu/news/stories/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Ag-and-Food-Tourism-
Syllabus-2017.pdf
http://www4.ncsu.edu/~cebarbie/papers/gilarroyo_definition_2013.pdf
http://industry.traveloregon.com/content/uploads/2017/02/01_Benefits_Challenges_Agr
itourism.pdf [Accessed 21 Jun. 2017].
http://www.tourism.gov.ph/Downloadable%20Files/IRR%20of%20RA%209593.pdf
[Accessed 20 Jun. 2017].
http://www.searca.org/index.php/knowledge-management/seminar-series/568-
agritourism-in-the-philippines-untapped-potential
http://www.pressreader.com/philippines/sunstarcebu/20141014/281943131129402
http://www.searca.org/index.php/component/content/article/30-events/knowledge-
events/seminar-series/568-agritourism-in-the-philippines-untapped-potential

9th International Conference on Language, Education, Humanities and Innovation 157

10th & 11th May, 2018