Psych Educ, Document ID: 2022PEMJ0, doi: 10.5281/zenodo.

7071897, ISSN 2822-4353

Research Article

Assessment of Accredited Agri-Tourism Industry in Negros Occidental

Avery Jan M. Silos*, Lorena S. Diaz, Belle Joy O. Jalandoni

For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.

Abstract
This investigation ascertained the Environmental Scanning of Accredited Agri-tourism Industry in Negros
Occidental. Descriptive research employing a researcher-made questionnaire was used to accomplished study. Face
and content validation was done by experts to establish the validity of questionnaire. Pilot test was conducted to
determine the reliability of instruments, and the data collected was analyzed using the Cronbach’s alpha test.
Considering the vast area of the province, the study had given a clear direction towards the accredited agri-tourism
industry in the Province of Negros Occidental to develop best and suitable approaches of its internal and external
environmental conditions. From the analysis, list of possible strategies was summarized, and the most suitable and
practical alternatives were evaluated and selected to address the challenges that the industry was ultimately facing.
A sequential process which efficiently and timely to achieve its goals and objectives were presented accordingly.
Further, the result revealed that the Local Government in the province had little attention to the feasible enrichment
of the agri-tourism industries to which will considerably affect its prospective growth. The agri-tourism
destinations were managed and owned by private individuals. The private business owners have the capacity to
invest and finance accreditation. This study was considered effective source for management and operations of the
agri-tourism industry in the province. A collaborative effort for both public and private sector were recommended.

Keywords: Agri-tourism, Internal Environment, SWOT, External Environment, Strategies

Introduction in the province of Negros Occidental as follows: the

Agri-tourism was the practice of attracting travelers or
visitors to an area or areas used primarily for
agricultural purposes. It offered on working farms and
other agricultural settings for entertainment or
educational purposes (Rich et al., 2012). This practice
has been a provider of entertainment as well as an
avenue to people to understand farm life and become
more respectful of it.
In the Philippines, agri-tourism has been present since
the 1990s but was not institutionally defined. It
includes the 32 agri-tourism sites and 27 protected
areas of organic farms and plantation in Benguet and
Bukidnon.
Meanwhile, Negros Occidental had a vast agricultural
province which displays its potential for agri-tourism
development. Moreover, the people’s elevating
consciousness to acquiring and maintaining good
health fuels the promising future of Negros Occidental
in the agri-tourism industry. It was in this line that the
researcher believes that agriculture together with the
tourism industry can be beneficial to the economic
sustainability of the province.
Thus, this research was aimed to generate necessary
data that may help to form a strategic plan for
sustainable development of accredited agri-tourism
industry in Negros Occidental. This study focused on
the assessment of the accredited agri-tourism industry
Peñalosa Farms in Victorias City, the Owataks Herb
Farm & Resort in Talisay City, and the Rapha Valley
in the Municipality of Don Salvador Benedicto. It also
examined the external environment in the areas of
economic, technological, political, government and
legal factors, demographic and environment. It
similarly evaluated the internal environment which
consisted of management, marketing, finance/
accounting, productions, and operations, as well as
research and development. This research endeavor also
identified the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and
threats of the industries. Lastly, it discussed the
problems encountered by the accredited agri-tourism
industry for the past three years.
Research Questions
This paper discussed the agri-tourism industry external
and internal environment and assessed its workability
to the agricultural landscape of the province focusing
on its strength, weakness, opportunities, and threats
(SWOT) and the strategies to meet challenges that may
come in the future. The proposed output of this
research endeavor was a three-year strategic plan to
aid the accredited and non-accredited agri-tourism
industry in Negros Occidental. The purpose of this
study was to assess the Accredited Agri-tourism
Industry in Negros Occidental basis for a three-year
strategic plan. Specifically, the study sought to answer
the following questions:
1. What is the external environment of the accredited

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agri-tourism industry in Negros Occidental regarding
a. Economic, b. Technological, Political, Government
and Legal Factors, and Dem o graph ic and
Environm en t?
2. What is the internal environment of the accredited
agri-tourism industry in Negros Occidental regarding
Management, Marketing, Finance/Accounting,
Production and Operations, and Research and
Development?
3. What are the identified Strengths, Weaknesses,
Opportunities, and Threats of the accredited agri-
tourism industry in Negros Occidental?
4. What are the problems encountered by the
accredited agri-tourism industry in Negros Occidental
for the past three years?
Literature Review
Self-Concept and Academic Performance
This research study was based on the Strategic
Planning developed by David (2013). This theorist
defined a strategic plan as a criterion for performance
excellence that examines how an organization
developed strategic objectives and action plans.
Simerson (2011) supported the strategic planning of
David (2013) wherein it takes full advantage of
inevitabilities, diminishing threats, and mobilizing
outcomes wherein the team in an organization takes
internally and externally focused information for
decision-making.
According to David (2013), the economic environment
in agri-tourism consists of various strategies which had
a direct influence on its potential attractiveness in the
cost-effective status of the firm. Economically, farm-
based can boost additional income to the farmers as
well as the opportunity to market their farm products
(Choo, 2012). Agri-tourism was not promoted as an
economic diversification strategy around the world but
also to pursue a complicated set of entrepreneurial
economic and non-economic goals (Tew & Barbieri,
2012) and added to promote rural development
(Barbieri, 2013).
Nasers and Retallick, (2012) emphasized that with the
agri-tourism, owners/operators able to educate the
general public about agriculture’s contribution to the
local economy. The quality of life showed which lead
to agri-tourism positive economic impact for both farm
operation and the local community. Agri-tourism in
Karnataka, India, has improved farmers’ income which
contributed to educating the visitors and local
communities on sustainable agriculture (Hamilpurka,
Silos et al.
2012).
Furthermore, altering the historical adjustment
between standardization and flexibility of production,
these include firms and activities involved in
developing current knowledge and changing it into a
new output, products, process, and material (David,
2013). Mahmoodi et al. (2014) revealed that still there
was lacking investment in infrastructures related to
agri-tourism accommodation and new technologies. In
this regard, a private-public partnership to build
infrastructures and facilities can also be beneficial to
organize and to create capacity in agricultural
communities.
Political, government and legal. Political, government
and legal factors signified could represent genuine
opportunities on threats for both small and large
organizations. These activities like changes in patent
laws, tax rates, government supports and interventions,
and lobbying activities can significantly affect the
business firm (David, 2013). Based on the study of
Mahmoodi et al. (2014), both private sector and non-
government organizations have different areas of
expertise and experience concerning providing market
information, marketing proficiency, capacity building,
financial resources, as well as establishing a favorable
policy structure for trade. Likewise, in the Philippine
setting, according to Nicavera (2016), the office of
provincial agriculturist primarily set goals for
development of agri-tourism predicted was likely to
create 14 million jobs by 2020. Furthermore, Santos
(2013) explained that the Philippines has to focus more
on the basics, particularly agriculture, tourism and
high-value exports, marketing if the government
wanted to sustain its status as a growing economy.
The Demographic and Environmental factors are
changes have a significant impact on virtually all
products, services, markets, and customers (David,
2013). Thus, environmental factor was the primary
concern of the agri-tourism industry. Valdivia &
Barbieri (2014) noted that the phenomenon was
inevitable; however, there were still challenges to the
livelihood in agriculture of local communities in the
form of losses in productivity of crops compounded by
the elevating pressure from farm pests and plant
diseases. Bwana et al., (2015) considered the primary
project supply a platform for local farmers to acquire
alternative tangible and intangible income benefits.
Recio et al., (2014) expressed that farm owners in
Batangas, Philippines may think of many ways on how
to attract more tourists or visitors. Bradshaw (2016)
identified the poor predictors of a consumers’
inclination for buying products which were made
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organically through a community supported
agriculture programs, roadside stands, and farmers’
markets.
Moreover, the management forces were concerned
with human beings whose performances were highly
unpredictable. Planning, organizing, motivating and
staffing were among the basic responsibilities in the
firm (David, 2013). These factors able to explicitly
adopted by Eshun et al. (2014) about Ghana’s agri-
tourism recommended that one should establish an
association of agri-tourism professionals towards
positioning of agri-tourism destination as a variable
business in the country as one of the management
strategies. This was beneficial to lessen the visible risk
adverse posture exhibited by the farmers towards agri-
tourism as a significant and viable venture. Food
tourists are typically more experienced travelers,
between the ages of thirty and sixty, and are equally
represented among men and women (U.S. Travel
Association, 2014)
Marketing means defining, anticipating, creating, and
fulfilling, customer’s needs and wants for products and
services. (David, 2013). Brown and Hershey (2012)
showed that it mostly addresses the analysis related to
consumer origins, motivations and preferences used to
improve own business marketing. Veeck et al. (2016)
stated that the amenities and facilities presented
wherein the smaller farms once able to remain solvent
producing grain, grain/dairy mix, or horticultural crops
for sale to wholesale buyers or cooperatives were
facing increasingly competitive markets. Similarly,
Karampela et al. (2016) expressed that the marketing
perspective appeared that there was an agri-tourism
demand because islands are categorized by a "cultural
capital." This was connected with the improvement of
alternative tourism products.
According to David (2013), the financial or accounting
forces was often considered the single best measure of
firm’s economic situation and overall desirability to
investors. This was seen as the lone excellent measure
of the company's competitive positions and may attract
investors. This area in agri-tourism can boost the
inherent quality of life advantages that will heighten
employment and earnings. Thus, it can play a role as
an indispensable source of tax revenues, in which may
result in more top public services and lesser local tax
rates (Choo, 2012).
The production and operations consist of all those
activities that transform inputs into goods and services.
It was the product, and design quality and production
skills yield reliable products. This serves the biggest
Silos et al.
portion of the firms (David, 2013). The agri-tourism
operations based on working condition of the
agricultural landscape, the type of encounter between
the tourist and agricultural activity, and the
genuineness of the visitor’s experience authentic or
staged (Phillip et al., 2010). Eshun et al. (2014) noted
that tourism involved in farm setting either additional
tourism activities. It was the primary focus of the agri-
tourism owners or workers' complementary as a
tourism activity share equal footing with the
agricultural activity or maybe primary because leading
business to the farming operation was travel purpose.
The Research and Development environment provide
competitive advantages may lead to the formation of
greater products. In this venture, the outlays were
directed by developing new products before other
competitors do. Improvement of the quality of
products, and refining manufacturing processes to
lessen expenses. Thus, this research and development
include supporting existing businesses, helping launch
new businesses, developing new products, improving
product quality, improving manufacturing efficiency,
and deepening or broadening the company's
technological capabilities (David, 2013). Vizconde &
Felicen (2012) suggested that residents and other
private sectors should be part of the planning and
organizing of programs and projects for the continuous
development of the province in Batangas without
destroying the resources instead preserving its culture
and heritage. The statement of Aguda, et al. (2013)
stressed that the national and local government might
continue assisting by way of financial support in the
development of tourism infrastructure. Active
participation of the private sector may be encouraged
in the development of tourism infrastructure
(Malkanthi & Routray, 2012).
Furthermore, this research endeavor used the
Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
(SWOT) according to David, (2013). Thus, all
managers would like their organizations to be in a
position in which inner strengths can be used to make
use of external trends and events. The weaknesses-
opportunity strategies aimed at improving internal
weaknesses by taking advantage of external
opportunities. The strength-threat strategies use a
company's strengths to avoid or reduce the impact of
external threats. The weakness-threat strategies were
defensive tactics directed at reducing internal
weakness and avoiding external threats. Dudovskiy
(2016) supported the SWOT of David (2013) which
states that it as a strategic analytical tool for assessing
strengths and weaknesses of the business, analyzing
opportunities available to the firm, as well as threats
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faced by the company.
The IPO Model by Zwikael & Smyrk (2011) was used
in the study which stated that when linked to a
diagram, inputs, processes, and outputs provide us
with a simple but extremely potent conceptual view of
a project. This model used extensively in the
operations management area.
Methodology
The descriptive-correlation method was employed in
this study. This design was simply the way to describe
individual variables' characteristics as they occur in the
natural setting (Gravetter et al., 2009).
Participants
The participants in this study were the 40 farm
owners/managers and farm workers of the accredited
agri-tourism industries in Negros Occidental.
Instrument of the Study
This study used descriptive research design using a
researcher-made survey questionnaire. The reliability
of the instrument was pre-tested using among ten (10)
randomly selected participants who were not included
among the actual participants, but only to find out if
the instrument would obtain information needed or
would give unreliable data in response to the
questionnaires presented. It was then analyzed using
the Cronbach's alpha test for reliability.
Procedure
The participants in this study were the farm owners or
managers and farm workers of the accredited agri-
tourism industries in the province of Negros
Occidental. Official letter by the researcher had been
furnished to all identified accredited agri-tourism
owners and workers in the province asking permission
to conduct the actual survey before distribution of the
instrument. The questionnaires were later gathered for
the data to be analyzed summarized, interpreted,
discussed, and described based on the responses given
in determining appropriate strategies of the accredited
agri-tourism farm in the province.
The statistical tools employed were mean and
percentage method. The weighted mean was used to
determine the external such as management,
marketing, finance/accounting, production, and
operations, research and development. Similarly, the
Silos et al.
external condition such as economic, technological,
political, government and legal factors, and
demographics as well as demographic and
environmental. The Percentage Method was used to
determine the problems encountered by the accredited
agri-tourism for the past three years in Negros
Occidental through common answers to the problems
responded by the participants in the questionnaire.
SWOT Analysis was utilized as an environmental
scanning to determine the current internal and external
environment of the accredited agri-tourism industry in
Negros Occidental to develop appropriate Strength-
Opportunity, Strength-Weakness, Weakness-
Opportunity, and Weakness-Threat strategies suitable
for the industry.
Ethical Considerations
The investigation of this study adhered to proper
ethical considerations. The researcher asked consent
from the respondents (agri-tourism owners and agri-
tourism workers) for the collection of data using a
printed document using a written letter addressed to all
participants covered in the study. The researcher
ensured that the language used in the content of the
letter stipulated therein was clear and understandable.
All needed information remained at the discretion of
the participants whether to be included or not in the
survey proper. Thus, all data gathered from the
participants and used in the study remained
confidential.
Results
This part is composed of the different tables for the
findings of the study using statistical tools in the
treatment of the descriptive data. It includes three
tables, Tables 2 to 11, with the essential information
about the respondents' External Environment on
Economic factors, Technological factors, Political,
Government and Legal factors, Demographic and
Environmental factors: and the Internal environment
on Management, Marketing, Finance/Accounting,
Production and Operations , Research and
Development of the accredited agri-tourism industry in
negros occidental.
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Table 1. External Condition of the Accredited Agri- Table 5. Internal Condition of the Accredited Agri-
tourism Industry in Negros Occidental regarding tourism Industry in Negros Occidental regarding
Economic Management

Table 2. External Condition of the Accredited Agri-

tourism Industry in Negros Occidental regarding Table 6. Internal Condition of the Accredited Agri-
Technological tourism Industry in Negros Occidental regarding
Marketing

Table 3. External Condition of the Accredited Agri-

Table 7. Internal Condition of the Accredited Agri-
tourism Industry in Negros Occidental regarding
tourism Industry in Negros Occidental regarding
Political, Government & Legal Factors
Finance/Accounting

Table 4. Demographic and Environmental Condition Table 8. Internal Condition of the Accredited Agri-
of the Accredited Agri-tourism Industry in Negros tourism Industry in Negros Occidental regarding
Occidental Production and Operations

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Table 9. Internal Condition of the Accredited Agri-
tourism Industry in Negros Occidental regarding
Research and Development
Discussion
The economic status of the accredited agri-tourism
industry in the province was unpredictable due to non-
involvement or participation of the local government
to the agri-tourism industry which was operated by
private individuals. Behind its instability was either
the weak government response to the agri-tourism
prospective or unstable sustainable development plan
for destinations.
The findings regarding the economic status were in
contrast with the study of Rich et al. (2012), which
states that farmers were statistically more mindful than
the residents of the role of agri-tourism in providing
additional income for farmers and landowners.
However, it opposes in the same way with the study of
Tiraieyari and Hamzah (2011), which stated that their
agri-tourism has a significant impact on the local
community with regards to revenue and employment.
The supply of water in all accredited agri-tourism
destinations was abundant and stabled. However, the
limitation of location to produce long shelf-life
commodities were not potentially active due to the
absence of sufficient infrastructures. Similarly,
transportation facilities cannot sustain the operations'
production. The locations were not easily accessible
for product deliveries.
According to Barbieri (2013), agri-tourism appeared as
a strategy that could bring additional incomes without
excessive investments in farm infrastructure, labor or
equipment rather than obliging to have other capital
investments. On the other hand, the Mpiti & Harpe
Silos et al.
(2015) that the modernization of information
technology in agri-tourism sector can provide farmers
access to Information Communication and Technology
(ICT).
The results evidently show that there was little
attention to the legal aspects mandated by the
government. Thus, the legal issues or aspects about the
accredited agri-tourism in the province was reasonably
present and implemented. The laws regarding the
accountability on threats to the farms were slightly
securely ensured. Although the agri- tourism industry
complied with their requirements of the LGU, the
coordination and cooperation between the agri-tourism
owners and local leadership were weak, nor does the
industry seek help from the LGU for they were mostly
privately owned businesses.
Malkanthi and Routray (2012) supported the results of
this study when he stressed that among those studies
conducted related to agri-tourism wherein
"Cooperative farming" was truly lacking in the
Philippines. There was no push from the government,
neither in the form of subsidies and incentives.
Budiasa & Ambarawati (2014) further supported the
results which state that the public sector as one of the
stakeholders revealed that there was an insufficient
provision of policies, site plan, other planning
documents, and functioned generator of the present
governing body of the agri-tourism industries were
formed.
The agri- tourism industry in the province had various
difficulties to fully maximize production especially for
some of its organic and non-organic commodities in
the farm. Nonetheless, not all farms maintained and
observed eco-friendly operations.
Zoto et al. (2013) stated that the seasonality caused
another dilemma for agri-tourism destinations. Almost
half of the demand was concentrated in the summer. It
leads to a lack of capacity in summer and very high
prices. Thus, the natural resources, rural scenes with
old structures, and a combination of both were
becoming more appealing to visitors (Gao et al.,
2013). The minimal changes to the environment would
be tolerable, but not the things that could be
detrimental to their natural resources (Tuzon et al.,
2014). Moreover, the benefit, especially the
preservation of farms was significantly higher than the
provision of quality products was considerably more
important (Rich et al., 2012). In contrast, Tiraieyari &
Hamzah (2011), stated that although agri-tourism
preserved the environment and natural resources. Agri-
tourism require infrastructure, transportation, and
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facilities which caused environmental pollution;
affects land stability and water resources that
ultimately degrade the tourist area.
The management was consistently providing their
personnel with reasonable benefits despite lack of
education reached by their employees. There was a
strong stimulating benefit for their personnel.
Moreover, there was no thorough knowledge and
application of an effective business plan, and it
appears that the nature of the viability of business
created and developed by the management was weak.
Phelan & Sharpley (2011) supported the findings of
this research on the basis that lack of business skills
and the failure to conceptualize the diversification as a
business had dire implications for the long-term
survival of the agri-tourism firms and farmers. Th lack
the fundamental business competencies to qualified
personnel which was required for an agri-tourism
business to be successful. Furthermore, the result of
this study was also supported Mnguni (2010), who
posited that there was an enormous potential for
development in rural areas that may sustain rural
economy, hence rural economy was outshined.
However, Tew & Barbieri (2012) proposed that if an
agri-tourism venture was profitable, it requires a full-
time commitment from the farmer and the farm
employees.
The result pointed out that there a harmonious
relationship between customers and employees, but
there was an unstable platform of the marketing plan
to enhance the level of publicity measures for the agri-
tourism destinations. This marketing strategies could
be available but not felt with regards its effectiveness
as there were inadequate resources that only limit the
accredited agri-tourism destinations to advertise and
attract clients.
Gao et al. (2013) supported the result of the study
stated that the identification of visitors’ landscape
preferences helped the marketing ability of the
destinations. Thus, strengthening the tourism product
of the province provide more development. The agri-
tourism entrepreneurs should employ ongoing
customer relationship management (e.g., through
regular newsletters) to enhance customer loyalty,
repeat visit, and farm brand recognition.
The existence of bookkeeping in financial
management was felt by the farm owners and workers
which means that management of finances through
bookkeeping experts were consistent enough to
demonstrate the good management operation in the
aspect of financial/accounting. However, regarding
Silos et al.
performance, it could be inferred the financial aspect
was not maximized possibly due to high operating
expenses and average revenue.
Kuhmbar (2012) emphasized that in financial strategy
implementation, there was a definite role of the
financial institutions that support the agri-tourism
enterprise because they were the primary source of
finance for more development of agri-tourism industry
today. Meeker (2016) confirmed that most agri-
tourism enterprises were small, but have a potential for
growth. Producers said the added revenue helped them
keep their farms viable, but it was also about sharing
their lifestyle with other people, and by creating an
atmosphere or theme, it allows customers to take away
something special from experience. Veeck et al.
(2016) argued that many small farms be uncompetitive
due to fair or limitations of labor, financial resources,
or scale have turned to agricultural tourism to keep
land in agriculture.
The results show that there was little production for
the market because organic and non-organic
commodities were not always available for the entire
year. There were only a few products available for
production and available for their target market. The
availability of the raw materials was also limited,
which may result in lower productivity or output
Tiraieyari & Hamzah (2011) posited that based on the
agricultural industry’s point of view, agri-tourism was
a tool for expanding farm operations as perceived as a
tool and the regeneration of local facilities for visitors.
However, new visitors to agricultural tourism
operations might also brew beer and cider, produce
cheese, make soap or organic yarn, blend perfumes,
create chocolates, or bottle wine, with all the
ingredients and training provided on the farm. When
taken together, all of these activities represent a fast-
growing and profitable component of the U.S. tourism
sector with significant horizontal linkages to other
tourism-related businesses (Veeck, et al., 2016).
The products and services need improvement through
innovation and product development or services and
that the industry needs the financial support from the
government for its activities, sustainability, and facility
to address its changing needs.
The study of Kumbhar (2012) which stated that the
agriculture department had the research endeavor in
identifying potential agri-tourism destination wherein
new and different agri-tourism sites had established
with financial aid that reserved the best destination
discovered by the government sector. This result was
opposed to the study of Lukic (2013) wherein
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supporting the farming growth for the destination was
of great importance for maintaining cultural landscape
and promoting rural development. Hence, building on
this conceptualization the papers contends that
plurality of rurality was the progressively attractively
significant factor in researching farm tourism
development.
On the contrary, through an environmental evaluation
conducted by the researcher, the SWOT Matrix
Analysis was developed creating different suggested
alternative strategies for the Accredited Agri-tourism
Industry in the province of Negros Occidental.
The Strength-Opportunities (SO). Strategies were
made by putting attention to the analysis of these
approaches. It was to create media partnership
programs for advertisement; Enhancement of water
irrigation system for organic plants and animals to
alleviate undesirable environmental effects; Implement
customer relationship management for establishing
strong community; develop product and services
logistics management partners to exploit market
demand; and collaborate with academic institutions,
agriculture, and tourism sectors to exploits its
advantages as the source of knowledge from different
sectors.
Under Weaknesses-Opportunities (WO) Strategies, the
weight of weakness with the strategies by constructing
allocation of parking space for tourist/visitors;
participating in the trade and expos of the private and
public sector; pursuing a public-private partnership for
funding to able develop new projects; developing
research projects for product development that will not
harm the environment; and propose a program that will
benefit from the government, community and the farm
operations.
Moreover, the suggested Strength-Threats (ST)
Strategies was to formulate marketing programs to
increase health awareness of the community; conduct
in-house seminar and team building activities for
employees to sustain healthy relationships with the
customers; acquire new transportation facilities to
improve distribution for the target market through
networking; and Enhance inventory management to
identify storing capacity of products and service.
The Weaknesses- Threats (WT) Strategies were
determined to overcome threats needs by collaborating
with the government for construction of roads from the
national highway to the agri-tourism sites; creating
agriculture and tourism cooperative programs that will
benefit the farm and the residents; and providing
seminars, training, and immersion to motivate
Silos et al.
employee and additional competencies
The date revealed that the problems encountered by
the agri-tourism owners/managers and workers for the
past three years were lack of recreational facilities for
tourists was the highest problem encountered by all 40
respondents with a percentage of 100%, followed by
Poor utilization of available spaces with 39
respondents and a total of 97.50 % and the farm had
poor maintenance and lack of façade, landscapes,
gazebos and huts observed by 38 respondents and a
total of 95%.
The problems encountered by the respondents was
similar to the result of the study of Jose (2014), who
stated that there was an inadequate infrastructure
facility, there was lacking government budgetary
backing, sizeable commercial rate. The result of this
study was supported by the statement of Samjetsabam
& Kaur (2014) as they stated that there was an
insufficient fund for publicity and advertisement,
unwillingness of the farmers to renew their registration
and placing of tourists as some of the major problems
followed by poor cooperation from the farmers
observed by the 66.67% of the participants in
promoting agri-tourism among the farmers. Moreover,
Chadda & Bhakare (2011), Malkanthi & Routry
(2011) supported the result of the study which stated
that the respondents (owners and employees) of
accredited agri-tourism revealed that majority or 80%
of the participants conveyed the lack of training as
considered to be their primary problems, the
insufficiency to finance advertisement and publicity
were encountered by the 73.33% of the participants as
major problems in an agri-tourism venture. It was
followed by more than 60.00% of the respondents
reported lack of knowledge and skills and weak
communication skills as problems of an agri-tourism
venture.
The findings of the study imply that the Department of
Tourism Office of the City had little assistance in
promoting the accredited agri-tourism industry to
prospective customers and tourists. They focus more
on other tourism destinations like eco-tourism or the
publicly managed tourist sites. It can also be inferred
that the Local Government Unit (LGU) through
Department of Agriculture (DA) Office lack assistance
to operational areas of these sectors, which implied
that these industries are depending more on their
capabilities and income in running the business. The
city also has less intervention to their operational,
productions, and services procedures possibly because
they are mostly privately owned.
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Research Article
Based on the findings, it is implied that the income of
these agri-tourism industries is enough for their
maintenance operation and expansion are at their least
of priorities. If their management still opts to cling to
their sole income in operating their business, then
development is still far to achieve, which implied that
external linkages and connections could offer them
significant opportunities to expand their financial
reservoir. These industries need to find appropriate
funding institution to help them together with the risk
of finding outside assistance.
The research and development team of these industries
were present but are not actively functioning as
revealed in the findings. It was also found out that the
government lacks financial support for their research
endeavors, which would likely to result in slow
progress of their expansion. Research could help these
industries to innovate and keep pace with the new
advances in the field of agri-tourism. However, if this
scenario continues, the agri-tourism industries in
Negros Occidental will be the same.
This investigation created a clearer picture of the
situations of the agri-tourism industries in Negros
Occidental regarding their external and internal
conditions. The findings in each area gave positive and
negative implications to agency and persons
concerned. Though there were conditions which
considered poor, it is still imperative to owe these
industries much credit due to their benefits and
services to the government and most especially to the
tourists. The result further implied that agri-tourism
industries offered many advantages specifically
regarding environment preservation and healthy
lifestyle to their customers and clients.
Conclusion
The status of external environment conditions of the
accredited agri-tourism industry in Negros Occidental
in terms of economic, technological, political,
government, and Legal factors, and Demographic and
Environment were moderately implemented at a level
that demonstrates good practices. Thus, it was not
entirely felt by the community since it was
permanently owned by private individuals or
operators. With the emergence of new technology, the
accredited agri-tourism destinations in the province of
Negros Occidental were clearly behind in terms of
technological advancement. On other hand, the
government sector does not intervene in ruling the
entire operations of the accredited agri-tourism.
Furthermore, there are potential liability and risk for
Silos et al.
the downfall of the industry could intimidate further
development. The engagement for various activities of
the people in the nearby accredited agri-tourism farms
was weak. Consequently, the accredited agri-tourism
industries in the province had little attention to the
feasible enhancement of a community which will
significantly affect its potential development as well.
Similarly, the status of external environment
conditions of the accredited agri-tourism industry in
Negros Occidental in terms of management,
marketing, finance or accounting, production, and
operations, as well as research and development were
moderately implemented at a level that demonstrates
good practices. Thus, it inferred that they value the
employees for they provide them due salary, benefits,
and incentives for their own security. The management
also set the right direction by implementing their
goals, mission, and vision in their business
undertaking. The employees considered to have
effective customer management skills. Marketing
programs and other related practices was effective, but
some appeared ineffective which vary on different
aspects.
The identified strengths of the accredited agri-tourism
industry in the province are evidently at its best in
terms of a high quality and healthy foods, products and
services offering, management-customer relationship,
financial strategy implementation, and hosting of
seminars and seasonal gatherings. The weaknesses of
these agri-tourism industries are generally observed
needs improvement in terms of implementation of
Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), knowledge of
marketing strategy implementation, funds for research
and expansion, seasonal products, equipment, space,
amenities, and government funding. In addition, the
potential opportunities for these agri-tourism industries
are greatly affect the firm in terms of supplying
various products and services for different market,
strong implementation of health benefits for
employees and customers, and abundant supply of raw
materials. However, the threats that were determined
centered more on the job security of the employees,
inconsistency of the products, weak distribution of
farm earning, inadequate infrastructure.
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