Argentina Agricultural Association
Finca Maria José features cleared trails, signalized areas, access road, sewage system, electricity, farm managed trash collection, and a residential house.
-
Agrotourist
- Traveler
Biodigestores, Organic fertilizers, Medicinal plants, Agro Products, and Teas
Finca Bella Vista also has cleared trails, sewage system, farm managed trash disposal, electricity, signs, built farm structures such as barns and others
- Clear trails, sewage system, farm managed trash disposal, electricity, signs, built farm structures such as barns and others
Medicinal Plants, Wild Orchids, Trails, Coffee Production, Fertilizers, and Biodigestores
Finca La Virgen Cleared trails, signs, sewage system, one accommodation, farm owned trash collection, a mirador, easy road of access and a natural pool
- Agrotourist,
- Ecotraveler, and Leisure Traveler
Cacao and coffee production, fertilizers, medicinal plants, rustic plant house, organic vegetable garden, coal and banana
Finca Las Almendras Sport areas, a restaurant, rustic cabins, clear trails, farm signs, sewage system, farm owned trash disposal and collection, and a plant house
- Ecotraveler and Leisure Traveler
Tilapia Tanks, Medicinal Plants, Horse Rides, and River Access to Rio dos Novillos
Finca Los Laureles Farm signs, farm run sewage system, farm owned trash disposal and collection, easy road of access and a barn
- Agrotourist
Biodigestores, Organic Fertilizers, Traditional Cheese Production, Farm Trails, Horse Rides and Tilapia Tanks
Finca Los Manantiales Sewage System, electricity, and farm established sewage system
- Ecotraveler
Primary and Secondary Trails, Banana Production, Tilapia Tanks, Medicinal Garden, and River Access
Finca Mi Trapiche Sewage System, electricity, farm established sewage system, easy road of access, clear trails, existence of signs for lmost everything, one mirador, paration of trash lements, and built farm structures (barns)
- Agrotourist and Ecotraveler
Coffee Production, Sugarcane Production, Medicinal Herbs Garden, Palmito Trees, Orchids, Citric Fruits, Biodigestor, Horse Rides, and a Traditional Costa Rican Chariot
2 . Recommendations
The Association of Agroecotourism of La Argentina de Pocora has a variety of agricultural products and natural resources that have the potential to be used as agrotourist attractions because of their uniqueness on the tourist market. The latter is always looking for new attractions to cater to its clients' needs and tastes; therefore, nowadays agrotourism is a growing market need of tourists. This agrotourism need on the market comes primarily from Europe because this market has a profile of wanting to be more in contact with farm techniques and lifestyle. As a result, some recommendations must be made, so its members can improve their tourist product:
- Place a bigger focus on one or two main agricultural productions so as to have a constant source of revenues to create infrastructure for tourism
- Set up a schedule of at least two hours every week to work on maintenance of current tourist infrastructure
- Practice tourist tours with a watch at least two weeks before any tours
- Have Earth students give farm owners technical information on agricultural practices every week so as to update them for tourist visits
- Create a workshop with associated farms to train them as better tour guides with a focus on agro practices because that is their main product that can differentiate them on the market
- Research funds from organizations and small business lenders to set up appropriate infrastructure on farms
- Have an Earth engineer design sustainable structures such as toilets, bridges, trail paths, varandas, and others that are compatible with the local terrain and climate
- Keep an agenda of activities that were done every week, for example, write it down all things that were executed throughout a certain week that relate to this association, i.e., clear paths, better bridges, and others
- Meet with local government office to demand better roads and trash collection activities because it is necessary to explain to local officials that this area could benefit economically speaking from tourism
- Research an insurance plan that can cover a non-profit association against business incidents
- Contact agencies that came to our familiarization visit and ask them when they would be willing to start working with us and what conditions do they offer us (price, percentage, and other logistic issues)
- Create a marketing campaign (slogans, billboards, and others) that feature their main differential product, which is the knowledge of agricultural practices, as their campaign focus
- Define a tourist target market, i.e., agrotourist between 20-50 years old and other information
In short, these are recommendations for the general product of this business, which is agrotourism farms, and not for their farm practices. However, it is important to note that tourism is a business and like any other, it needs financial investment and time. Therefore, it is important to sit down with associated farm owners and ask them to take this activity as a serious business. Consequently, they should be trained and informed about current agrotourism investments and techniques on the market that can be recreated by them to better suit to their needs as a small company. The formula below summarizes what is mainly recommended for this association to compete on the tourist market:
Tourist Enterprise + Trained Skills + Infrastructure =
Business Success
Costa Rica Rural Travel
Argentina Agricultural Association
PO Box 2535-3000 Heredia, Costa Rica
(506) 237-3400 from USA / (506) 262-1891 fax
