Food seen as new tourism fuel

THE tourism industry has been advised to learn from how other Pacific Islands nations that are promoting agri-tourism.
Port Moresby Chamber of Commerce and Industry president Rio Fiocco recently returned from a workshop in Fiji which discussed how to improve links between agriculture, trade and tourism.
He said the tourism industry was “booming worldwide”.
“Culinary tourism – from farm to form – as well as agriculture tourism and wellness tourism offer high potential in the country and the Pacific,” he said.
The workshop was told about strengthening the local agricultural-food sector and promoting healthful food in agriculture tourism.
“Many visitors to the Pacific want to taste local food. Some visitors wish to do culinary courses to learn how to cook local seafood and vegetables,” he said.
“Vanuatu is leading the Pacific with their agri-tourism plans. Fiji is also actively promoting agri-tourism by providing more local fresh food in hotels as well as wellness spas and village farm stays. This has led to a decrease in imports of fruits and vegetables as well as benefiting local farmers.”
Fiocco said mobile applications had been developed to link farmers with chefs who knew what produce would be available locally and when they would be harvested.
He said the Tourism Promotion Authority planned to hold a workshop on the subject in the country shortly.