San Pedro, Uruguay, transforms into Agritourist destination

The entire small farming town of San Pedro, near the city of Colonia del Sacramento (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) in western Uruguay, has transformed itself and turned to Agro-ecoTourism as a new source of livelihood, reports Luis Alberto Carro with IPS News.

This was once an area of prosperous dairy farms and small-scale agriculture. It fell onto hard times after the country's severe financial crisis in 2002 and in neighbouring Argentina a year earlier. Residents of San Pedro decided to fight their misfortune. They created the Rural Tourism Group (Grutur), made up of members such as "Vivero Yatay - a nursery and park of native plants - the Parque Brisas del Plata campground, the 'Los Tres Botones' farm, where visitors can have a ride on a horse or in a cart and eat typical rural meals out under the blue sky, and the Tourn Museum, which includes antique tools and farm machinery manufactured by the Tourns, a family of Italian immigrants." Many took courses in English, computers, basket-weaving and herb-growing, and also from doctors and psychologists. Further they have trademarked local products under "Las Sanpedrinas".

Also linked to the group are operators of dairy farms that grow organic produce, horseback riding, cabin rentals in the countryside and museums. Grutur holds rural fairs or festivals to showcase attractions and products.

Uruguay's tourism industry is a billion dollar a year industry, according to Carro. It provides "50,000 direct jobs and more than 120,000 indirect jobs, based on an economically sustainable model that is respectful of the environment and local culture. Tourism attracts mostly Urugaynans and Argentinians. About 10% of visitors are from outside these countries.

"Eighty Rural Tourist destinations are registered with Uruguay's Tourism Ministry. Also part of Rural Tourism destinations in Urugauay are wineries, guest ranches, rural bed-and-breakfasts, and even an old quarry. The Ministry is preparing a tourism development plan for 2009-2020 that will include the country's 19 provinces and Rural Tourism -- designed to benefit local residents.

Agri-tourism reality bus tour in North Carolina

Why does Rowan County in Salisbury, North Carolina, draw so many visitors each year, asks SalisburyPost.com?

The Rowan County Chamber of Commerce gave a bus tour to about 30 local officials to learn why -- to see agri-tourism sites in action. They visited William Yost's Cauble Creek Vineyard, the Lazy 5 Ranch, and Michelle and Doug Patterson's Produce Farm. They learned about agri-tourism's impact on the local economy, providing 1,500 county jobs, and the role in North Carolina's tourism draw. The sites visited rank highly on field trip destinations within the state, drawing thousands and boosting the local economy.

Local elected officials, representatives from North Carolina Cooperative Extension, members of the Rowan Chamber of Commerce and the Rowan County Tourism Development Authority were part of the bus tour.

According to Yost, agri-tourism thinking should be longer term -- not short term -- just like his vineyards.