UPDATE: Tourist group samples VI ‘Agri Tourism’ product
The tour, which is being dubbed “Agriculture Tourism”, is coordinated by Mr. Henry and members of the Farmers on the Move group and got underway today December 27, 2012 at Paraquita Bay, Tortola.
The tour group comprised predominantly of family members from Oklahoma, United States of America who reportedly discovered the tour through the internet after searching for something different than the regular tours being promoted alongside the cruise that they had opted to take.
Guided by President of Farmers on the Move, Khoy Smith, the group was shown various aspects of the agricultural product of the Virgin Islands such as livestock, fruit and vegetable crops as well as elements of the fishing industry.
The group spent roughly one hour being shown areas of the plant nursery at Paraquita Bay, greenhouses, sheep and goats that roamed in the pasture and were offered samples of the different fruits grown in the area as well.
They were also given a brief insight of the culture and history that surrounds the VI agriculture sector and were shown some of the start-up and endings of agricultural produce such as the sorrel and passion fruit that go into the making of the popular juices in the local and overseas markets.
The tour is available exclusively through www.bvi360.com on the internet.
See previous story posted December 5, 2012:
Julio S. Henry pioneers bold ‘Agricultural Tourism’ initiative
ROAD TOWN, Tortola, VI – Commentator and taxi driver Julio S. Henry has embarked on a bold initiative for diversification in the local tourism market which he dubbed as Agricultural Tourism.
Speaking with Virgin Islands News Online Mr Henry explained that the initiative was targeted at both locals and foreigners but was particularly set up for overseas tourists.
He revealed that after doing an interview on his TV program, Speak Your Mind, with Farmers on the Move President Khoy Smith and member Natalio Wheatley aka Sowande, he made a pledge to embark on the endeavour. The entrepreneur explained that he felt that “those guys were doing something big”.
Convinced that the move would be a hit, he revealed that there have already been several bookings for the planned 3-hour long tours. The tours are being offered exclusively through www.bvi360.com for the moment. “It’s mostly catering to tourists because it’s a new adventure for a lot of them, a lot of these tourists don’t get close to animals, they don’t really go into farms and plough food and things like that,” Henry disclosed.
According to Mr Henry, he will be partnering with the Farmers on the Move agricultural group in the endeavour and related that Mr Smith would be handling the agricultural and educational sides of things for the most part. He also hopes to partner with persons dealing with iguanas so that this aspect could be included in the tour as well.
The guided tour is billed as servicing hotels, villas and cruise ship passengers and will accommodate approximately 18 persons per tour with the first batch booked for December 27, 2012. It will be centred on agriculture in the community of Paraquita Bay, Tortola.
One of the first things to be done on the tour, he explained, is an introduction to Lower Estate Sugar Works, petting farm animals at Paraquita Bay and an agricultural farm tour among other things. Local fishermen will also be included as the history and construction of the native fish trap plays a key role in the entire scheme.
The objective of the initiative is to prove that persons are seeking more diverse tourism products in the Territory as well as to bring further awareness to agriculture while working with Farmers on the Move in the process. Noting that it gives the group additional exposure he added, “… local people can see the significance and importance of food preservation, growing food on the island and being able to [practice self-sustenance] with some of the food products.”
Henry wanted locals to know that agriculture was alive and well, “not only locally should we be interested in it, but it’ll show that people are coming from across the world to take part in our agricultural tourism product,” he said. He further stated that he wanted to see more youths involved in agriculture. “Farming is a sustainable and reliable source of employment,” he related.
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