2023-12-01

The 112th Year of Special Agricultural Tourism Site Certification and the First National Innovative Food and Agriculture Education Experience Activity Competition Awards were held on 12/1 at the Taipei International Convention Center.

Group photo

Taipei, Taiwan---The Rural Development and Soil and Water Conservation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture held the " 112 Years of Special Agricultural Tourism Site Certification" and the "First National Innovative Food and Agriculture Education Experience Activity Competition" at the Taipei International Convention Center today (1st). ” event gathered 116 certified operators and 50 competition award-winning operators across Taiwan to participate in the event, warmly inviting people across the country to experience the fun of agricultural tourism at certified and award-winning sites !

Characteristic agricultural tourism sites are deeply rooted in Taiwan and moving towards the international market

The Rural Water Conservation Department stated that the "Specialized Agricultural Tourism Site Certification" ( SAS ) is an identification certification construction with "agricultural characteristics" as the core. It is currently the only tourism certification system in Asia and the only one in the world that integrates the theme of agriculture, forestry, fishery and animal husbandry industries. Certification system. The certified sites are all tourism experience sites that emphasize agriculture as the theme. It is expected that consumers can easily choose and arrange during the travel planning. During the journey, they can feel the agricultural atmosphere and experience special experiences full of agricultural characteristics.

In 2012 , 64 agricultural tourism sites applied for certification for the first time, and 35 of them passed the review and obtained certification; 84 agricultural tourism sites applied for renewal of certification, and after review , 81 of them obtained the renewal certification. A total of 116 operators passed the specialty agricultural tourism site certification Domain certification, Director Li Zhenyang personally awards medals and encouragements, allowing operators to feel the moment of glory, and is given the mission to promote agricultural tourism in Taiwan. Jointly establish an agricultural tourism brand identity that "emphasizes farmer-oriented service quality and cultural taste", and integrates international development and market demand trends to promote the development of "characteristic agricultural tourism" into an "agricultural tourism industry" with lifestyle competitiveness. Guide the industry to develop in the direction of establishing local characteristics and improving quality, becoming a common brand and synonym for agricultural tourism, and enhancing the overall competitiveness of Taiwan's agricultural tourism in domestic and foreign markets.

Since the launch of the special agricultural tourism site certification system in 2018 , 291 agricultural tourism sites in Taiwan have obtained certification. Starting this year, the specialty agricultural tourism site certification has also begun to go international, promoting Asia's first and Taiwan's unique agricultural tourism certification system to countries that love Taiwan's agricultural tourism, and establishing a promotion office in Malaysia in cooperation with local tourism units. This year, we accepted applications from 3 Malaysian farms and went through special overseas certification reviews. Two of them passed the certified farms and went to Taiwan to receive the issuance of the Special Agricultural Tourism Certification. This officially opened the road to international promotion of the Special Agricultural Tourism Certification and provided a good foundation for Asian agriculture. Tourism injects new impetus.

Agricultural tourism, food and agriculture education experience activities, competitions, mutual observation and sparks

The Rural Water Conservation Department pointed out that with the promulgation of the "Food and Agriculture Education Law" in 2011 , people are encouraged to eat local agricultural products and promote food and agriculture education in schools at all levels. In addition, the most pressing transformation issue in the tourism industry recently is "sustainable development". "As for the issues of circular agriculture and carbon reduction discussed in agriculture, agricultural tourism is about learning through play, enjoying seasonal food, and eating locally. It is the best place to practice food and agriculture education, sustainable tourism, and carbon reduction. Food and agriculture education is a form of education that allows people to have a deeper understanding of food production, agricultural processes, and the relationship with the land through travel to production areas and practical experiences.

The Rural Water Conservation Department added that this year, the "First National Innovative Food and Farming Education Experience Activity Competition" was specially held. After more than 200 agricultural tourism venues in Taiwan participated in food and agriculture education-related workshops, 85 of them Show your creativity to participate in the competition, exchange and learn from each other, and finally select the top 10 and the best 40. Each selected agricultural tourism site has demonstrated outstanding performance in terms of food and agricultural education implications, experience activity innovation, etc. The creative performance is remarkable. Among the 50 selected units, a whopping 44 are agricultural tourism sites that have obtained characteristic agricultural tourism site certification. They have complementary effects on improving the service capacity of the agricultural tourism industry and deepening the connotation of food and agriculture education. Through food The agricultural competition allows Chinese people to deeply experience and happily read the stories and tastes of various rural areas in Taiwan through local agricultural tours.

At the certification ceremony and competition award ceremony, a display wall will be used to present Taiwan’s existing characteristic agricultural tourism site operators and competition award-winning units. We also invite tourism industry operators to communicate and interact with each industry, hoping to let Chinese people and travel industry operators understand and strengthen their willingness to consume and travel in the agricultural tourism field. Li Zhenyang, director of the Rural Water Conservation Department, emphasized that the certified and award-winning operators will receive key guidance in the future from overall environment creation, industrial resources, experiential activities and local characteristic marketing, so that tourists will know that the operators have brands and services when they see the certification. Quality, travel and taste. It also continues to inject endless vitality into Taiwan’s rural areas. Chinese people are welcome to visit the countryside !