In its ongoing efforts to boost the UAE’s position on the world tourism and ecotourism map, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) has launched an agritourism page on its multi-page ‘Ecotourism UAE’ application linked to the national ecotourism project ‘The UAE’s Natural Wonders’, that was launched in 2018. In addition, the MOCCAE website also has a dedicated page on Agritourism offering the same information.

Agritourism is a form of ecotourism that provides nature enthusiasts with the opportunity to stay at a working farm and learn firsthand about agricultural practices. Visitors can also enjoy recreational activities and purchase high-quality, fresh local food products directly from the source at a reasonable cost. Types of agritourism include direct sales agritourism, such as pick-your-own-produce trips, educational agritourism aimed at gaining agricultural expertise, and leisure agritourism focused on entertainment, such as petting farm animals.

In phase one, as part of the application, the dedicated agritourism page features information on 23 private farms across the country – including photos and videos of the farms, as well as lists of activities available in the area, types of products sold, terms and conditions for visitors, opening hours, location maps, pricing, and contact details.

Through adding this new page to the exciting ecotourism app, MOCCAE seeks to provide an exceptional tourism experience, connect people with nature, and educate them about sustainable practices, such as community farming. The Ministry also aspires to support the UAE’s agricultural sector through raising awareness of the country’s local food produce and quality, as well as highlight its efforts to re-introduce certain crops. Through doing so, the Ministry is confident that the agritourism page will further drive demand for locally grown food products and enable farmers to expand their businesses.

The agritourism page, accessible through the Ministry’s website   https://www.moccae.gov.ae/en/knowledge-and-statistics/agritourism.aspx , is also focused on making available detailed statistics of the key agricultural landmarks in the country to facilitate the task of protecting and preserving them through an integrated legislative and regulatory framework. Via the agritourism page, the Ministry is keen to launch initiatives to develop these landmarks and ensure their sustainability for future generations.