Dong Nai fruit 'hub' in the festival season

Refurbishing gardens to welcome tourists

As the summer harvest festival approaches, gardens in Dong Nai's fruit hub have undergone a hasty refurbishment to welcome tourists. 

Gardens in the area are undergoing renovation in preparation for the upcoming tourist season. The improvements aim to enhance the visual appeal of the gardens and create a welcoming atmosphere for visitors.

As the summer festival approaches and the fruits begin to ripen, farmers are busy decorating and rehabilitating their gardens. They are meticulously taking care of each fruiter and preparing to welcome tourists. 

Pham Van Hoang, the Head of Long Khanh Municipal Committee's Publicity and Education Commission, has announced the incorporation of several popular gardens in this year's fruit festival. These gardens have been carefully selected and will be part of a tour that will be organized for visitors. According to Hoang, each gardener has collaborated with other gardens to create a natural and enjoyable experience for visitors. The ripening of fruit is currently taking place, resulting in a diverse and appealing landscape that is drawing in tourists seeking to experience and savor the bounty.

Dozens of ecotourism garden houses models are currently available in Binh Loc commune, located in Long Khanh City. Farmers in this area are not only cultivating various types of fruits, including the java rambutan which has received a geographical indication, durian, and mangosteen, but they are also making the most of the potential for home garden tourism with food service. This has resulted in a boost in their income.

Tran Quoc Phong, the owner of Ut Tieu fruit garden located in Binh Loc commune, has been occupied with gardening work and receiving visitors for tours alongside his family members. The family has been working hard to accelerate the renovation of their garden while also extending a warm welcome to their guests.

According to Phong, the peak season falls between early June and August annually, drawing the largest crowds. As the Long Khanh fruit festival season approaches, several groups of tourists have already signed up for services to visit the picturesque Ut Tieu Garden. Ut Tieu Garden, with its extensive experience in implementation and a significant number of visitors in the past, has recently invested in additional leaf huts to provide visitors with a comfortable space to eat, drink and relax while enjoying the garden's serene setting.

Tripling profits thanks to the garden linkage

Long Khanh, a town in Dong Nai, has earned the nickname "fruit hub" due to its abundance of fruit-producing households. Over 100 of these households have come together to explore opportunities in tourism and eco-gardening. Every gardener possesses the benefit of cultivating various types of fruits. Approximately 20 garden houses are currently operating as direct hosts and service providers for visitors. These include Ut Tieu, Hai Phuong, Tam Le, Uncle Loc La, Uncle Anh, and the Cau Dau Glamping eco-tourism area, among others. 

In recent years, the eco-tourism industry in Long Khanh has seen a significant boost, particularly in the field of fruit garden tours. In the fruit haven of Long Khanh, local gardeners have been making strides in catering to tourists with a heightened level of professionalism, resulting in an increasing feeling of connection between visitors and locals.

The Cau Dau Glamping eco-tourism area located in Hang Gon commune, Long Khanh city has recently opened its doors to groups of tourists seeking to indulge in its services and savor the delectable fruits of the first season.

Nguyen Van Hung, the proprietor of the Cau Dau Glamping eco-tourism area, took us on a tour of the orchard, which is now in a full season. He expressed his excitement, stating that despite being established for just over two months, Cau Dau Glamping has already gained popularity among young people. The goal is to transform the location into a prime destination for picnics, meetings, training sessions, and relaxation. The broad fruit garden and picturesque lake spanning over 100 hectares make the natural surroundings particularly appealing.

Hung, who is associated with the Thanh Nien Agriculture - Service - Trade Cooperative in Hang Gon City, has stated that Long Khanh, a region established in 2017, was primarily focused on cultivating pure agriculture with a focus on low-income communities. The combination of agriculture and ecotourism services has generated excitement among people as it has been observed that this approach can lead to better sales of agricultural products and fruits, thereby increasing the value of the garden manifold.

Several cooperatives and cooperative groups in the city have adopted the garden eco-tourism model due to its promising economic outcomes in recent times. Long Khanh is making a strategic investment in expansion with the goal of establishing sustainable development links in promising regions. The initiative also seeks to connect local gardeners and enable them to create their own unique brands, thereby highlighting the potential of these models within the community.

Truong Dinh Khanh, the Director of Thanh Nien Long Khanh Commercial Service Agriculture Cooperative, expressed the cooperative's aim to establish a connection between gardeners. The cooperative's objective is not only to promote tourism, culture, and rural landscapes but also to link agricultural products to the residents of Hang Gon commune in the near future. Since its opening, Cau Dau Glamping has attracted a multitude of visitors eager to partake in the unique services offered. Thousands have flocked to the site daily to indulge in the experience.

In an interview with VAN, Dong Tang Quoc Lap, the Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee of Long Khanh, expressed that the city is striving for comprehensive development in every field, including the upcoming fruit festival events that will enhance the residents' quality of life. 

In 2022, Lap reported that garden spots have attracted more than 170,000 tourists who have consumed over 65 tons of agricultural products, resulting in an estimated revenue of VND 45 billion. In 2023, it is expected that additional garden ecotourism cooperation groups will be formed with the aim of creating a successful ecotourism garden model and boosting economic productivity for agricultural products.

Long Khanh City has announced that it will be hosting the OCOP Fruit and Product Honor Week in Dong Nai province in 2023. The festival is scheduled to take place from June 15 to 23 at Long Khanh Victory Beer Park. 

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Thang, Deputy Director of Dong Nai Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, the Fruit Honor Week has been organized with the aim of promoting trade promotion activities, connecting supply and demand for OCOP products and typical agricultural products, and introducing them to tourists both within and outside the province. The event also seeks to connect garden eco-tourism in localities.