LA TRINIDAD, Benguet – A visit here will never be complete without going to the famous strawberry farms.
But the influx of tourists here also resulted in traffic congestion just like what neighboring Baguio City experiences, especially on weekends, long holidays, and the Yuletide season.
“We were told by many tourists who visited the swamp (strawberry farms) that their trip to Baguio will not be complete if they do not have a strawberry picking activity,” Mayor Romeo Salda told town hall employees during the flag-raising ceremony on Monday.
Salda issued echoed the statement in last Monday’s flag raising ceremony where he thanked policemen who helped manage the traffic during the recent holidays.
“We cannot send them (tourists) away just because it was causing traffic in La Trinidad,” the mayor said.
La Trinidad is located less than six kilometers away from the Baguio central business district.
Social media posts of residents during the holidays said it took them two hours or more before they were able to reach their homes if coming from Baguio City.
This was due to the thousands of tourists who went to La Trinidad to pick strawberries at Km. 6 and to have their pictures taken at the Colors of Stobosa mural art at Km. 3.
The Department of Public Works and Highways said 60,000 vehicles entered Baguio via Kennon Road, alone.
The Municipal Tourism Office estimated that around 240,000 tourists visited the strawberry farms during the holidays in December.
Municipal Tourism Officer Valred Olsim said this is a conservative estimate and not a headcount because it is impossible to have everyone sign their names.
The estimate was based on the parking fees received by the municipal government in an area of the strawberry farm multiplied by an estimate of five passengers in each vehicle.
“That is conservative because there were several vans carrying more passengers that arrived, not just cars,” Olsim said.
Strawberry picking has become a sought activity and is a top agri-tourism attraction in La Trinidad.
In the fourth quarter of 2019, La Trinidad received 322,000 tourists with 240,000 arriving during the December holidays, most of whom visit the strawberry farms.
La Trinidad has several tourist destinations with the strawberry farms as the most visited site with 282,200 visitors; Stobosa – 32,125; Trading Post – 6,350; Mt. Yangbew – 1,788; Benguet State University – 1,552; Mt. Costa – 520; Bahong/Alapang Rose Garden view deck – 440; and Lily of the Valley organic agri-tourism garden – 422.
For the third quarter of the year, record shows visitors also visited Mt. Kalugong – 2,112; Bell Church – 1,506; and Benguet Museum – 212.
The fourth quarter of tourist arrivals is estimated in 2018 at 185,419.
Strawberry-related activities have also resulted in income-generating activities.
Olsim said more than 400 farmers grow strawberries and earn money directly from selling them or providing strawberry picking activities.
There are also 150 families engaged in selling souvenir items at the strawberry farms and about 100 who are engaged in the production of wine, jam, and other strawberry derivatives.
La Trinidad is one of the towns in the Philippines that pioneered agri-tourism, long before it became a catchphrase.
In Republic Act 10816 or the Farm Tourism Development Act, the State recognizes that tourism, coupled with agriculture extension services, can disseminate the value of agriculture in the economic and cultural development of the country, serve as a catalyst for the development of agriculture and fishery communities, and provide additional income for farmers, farm workers, and fisherfolk.
The law created the Farm Tourism Development Board, which is tasked to formulate plans and programs for the development of farm tourism in the country. – PNA
April 25, 2024
