Nueva Ecija – The province of Nueva Ecija, known as the ‘Rice Granary of the Philippines,’ is embarking on an ambitious plan to become a leading farm tourism destination.
According to Philippines News Agency, the Nueva Ecija provincial board council recently approved Governor Aurelio Umali’s proposal to partner with the University of the Philippines (UP) to create a comprehensive tourism development framework plan. This initiative is aimed at enhancing the province’s tourism potential.
San Pedro, in a radio interview, emphasized the significance of the collaboration with UP. He noted that UP’s technical expertise in developing supporting documents and gathering data will be instrumental in refining the province’s tourism plans, particularly in the areas of marketing and promotion.
The tourism officer also highlighted the importance of collaborative efforts involving various tourism stakeholders, including local government units (LGUs), hotel and resort owners, restaurant operators, travel agencies, and owners of tourism farms. He stated that a series of consultations and meetings would be held to gather suggestions and feedback from these stakeholders.
San Pedro pointed out the necessity to assess the potential of the LGUs and the infrastructure needed to support the growing tourism industry. Identifying programs and projects essential for the development of tourism in the region is a key focus of the initiative.
He mentioned that several farm tourism sites in the province, including a farm village project in Palayan City, are currently under development. This initiative is expected to significantly benefit the Novo Ecijanos, many of whom rely on tourism as their primary source of income.
San Pedro also shared that the reported day tourist arrivals in Nueva Ecija from January to September this year reached 1.7 million, marking an increase from the 1.2 million recorded during the same period last year.