Agritourism brings new sources of income to farmers in Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh is largely an agricultural province, with more than 70 percent of its population living in rural areas, and has a long history of agricultural production, said Pham Duy Phong, Deputy Director of the provincial Department of Tourism.

This has paved the way for the development of agritourism in the province, increasing tourist arrivals over the past few years.

The province's breathtaking paddy fields have appeared in a number of internationally-renowned magazines. Tam Coc and the surrounding paddy fields were named among the world's Top 15 "beautiful but little known" destinations by readers of the UK's The Telegraph in 2015, while the province was featured in Business Insider after ranking first among 50 must-visit places in 2018.
Ninh Binh is implementing new farming models that encourage domestic and foreign tourists to snap photos, such as the Dong Giao pineapple orchard, the Ninh Phuc flower garden, and the Dong Son peach blossom village, Phong said. It also boasts many craft villages and signature farm produce.

With such advantages, the development of agricultural and rural tourism is becoming a trend in its sustainable economic development.

The provincial Department of Tourism has requested that its units facilitate the expansion of agri-tourism, offering visitors the opportunity to experience rural life or become a farmer for a day, Phong said.

In the past, people living around popular tourist sites such as Tam Coc - Bich Dong, Trang An, Van Long, Cuc Phuong, and Bai Dinh lived only on cultivation and animal breeding, said Vu Nam Tien, Director of the provincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Thanks to tourism development, they can now earn 6 million VND (260 USD) a month from tourism services, he said.

(Source: VNA)