Tourism Planning Elements

Elements of Tourism Planning

• Tourism planning involves several key elements that guide the development and management of a destination.

Situational Analysis

• The first step in tourism planning is the analysis of available resources to determine a destination's tourism potential.
• This analysis evaluates the destination's readiness, considering natural and cultural attractions, tourism governance, and trends.
• It also identifies the destination's strengths and weaknesses.

Goals, Vision, and Strategic Directions

• Setting goals and objectives is necessary to focus the tourism plan.
• Strategic directions provide a guide for the entire development process.
• Goals and objectives should address relevant tourism-related issues.

Action Plans

• Concrete actions are a means to achieve established goals and objectives.
• An effective action plan increases the chances of achieving desired outcomes.
• Action plans should be realistic, doable and have a specific timeline.

Budget

• A tourism plan requires a budget that details the monetary investment to carry out strategies and action plans.

Monitoring Plan

• A monitoring plan is needed to evaluate the effectiveness and efficiency of the strategies and action plans.
• It assesses whether the plan is achieving desired results.
• Successful plans can be replicated in other destinations, while unsuccessful ones may require re-planning.

Tourism Industry Profiling

• Tourism industry profiling involves creating an inventory of a destination's tourism resources and assets
• This process aims to optimize and sustain tourism resources.
• It begins with identifying key tourism industry components.
• Transportation
• Attractions and activities
• Accommodation
• Tourist facilities/services like restaurants, transport terminals, restrooms, and foreign exchange
• Institutional elements like local government, transport groups and tour guides
• Other infrastructure like roads and bridges

Profiling of Tourists

• Developed tourism areas should understand the types of tourists visiting.
• Destinations under development need a systematic process to identify current and potential visitors.
• This identification can be done using qualitative information gathering methods.

Tourist Information Guide Questions

• Key questions to gather information about tourists include:
• Where do visitors come from?
• How far do they travel to reach attractions?
• What is their average age and gender distribution?
• Do they travel in groups like families or colleagues?
• What is their income group and lifestyle?
• What are their interests and how do they book tourism products?
• Who or what influences their purchasing decisions?
• How did they find out about the destination and what activities do they engage in while visiting?

Philippine Laws Involved in Tourism Planning

• Several Philippine laws are relevant to tourism planning and development:

Tourism Act of 2009

• Declares tourism as an essential element of the national economy and an industry of national interest.
• Tourism is harnessed for socioeconomic growth, cultural affirmation, investment, foreign exchange, employment, and national pride.
• Tourism planners must comply with relevant government agencies.
• Relevant government agencies include:
• Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority
• National Parks and Development Committee
• Nayong Pilipino Foundation
• Tourism Promotions Board
• Philippine Retirement Authority
• Duty Free Philippines Corporation
• Philippine Commission on Sports Scuba Diving
• Intramuros Administration

National Integrated Protected Areas System Act of 1992

• This Act allows tourism in protected landscapes or seascapes, subject to certain restrictions.
• Restrictions include:
• Prohibiting unauthorized hunting, destruction, or possession of plants, animals, or their products
• Preventing the dumping of harmful waste
• Regulating the use of motorized equipment
• Protecting objects of natural beauty and cultural significance
• Preventing damage to roads and trails
• Prohibiting squatting, mineral locating, or unauthorized land occupation
• Regulating construction and business activities
• Violations can result in fines ranging from PHP 5,000 to PHP 500,000 and imprisonment from 1 to 6 years.

Presidential Decree 1151 (Philippine Environmental Policy)

• Requires all entities to prepare statements detailing the environmental impacts of their actions and projects.
• Environmental protection agencies must submit guidelines for environmental impact assessment.

Presidential Decree 1586

• Established the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) system and the Fisheries Code.
• EIS predicts the environmental consequences of projects and suggests preventive and mitigating measures.
• Three types of projects exist based on the Philippine EIS system:
• Projects that are neither environmentally critical nor located in critical areas
• Projects in Environmentally Critical Areas (ECA) like national parks and reserves
• Environmentally Critical Projects (ECP) such as heavy industries and infrastructure projects
• ECP and ECA projects need an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) signed by the DENR's regional director.

Climate Change Act of 2009

• Addresses vulnerability to climate change impacts and is related to the UN Framework Convention.
• It established the Climate Change Commission (CCC) to address climate change issues.

Strategic Environmental Plan for Palawan Act

• Specifically for Palawan, designating it as the Philippines' last frontier.
• Established the Environmentally Critical Areas Network (ECAN), restricting tourism to specific zones:
• Terrestrial areas, including mountains, hills, and lowlands
• Coastal/Marine areas, including coastlines for fishing and tourism
• Tribal ancestral lands

Magna Carta for Women

• Emphasizes gender equality and empowerment, ensuring women's participation in policy formulation and implementation.
• Section 11 provides the right for participation and equitable representation of women in the decision-making and policy-making processes.

Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act of 1997

• Protects indigenous peoples' ancestral lands, customs, traditions, and institutions.
• IPs must be protected from discrimination and respected.
• They have the right to participate in decision-making on policies affecting them.
• Rights to ancestral lands and domains include:
• Ownership and development of resources
• Benefits and profit sharing
• Negotiation of terms, ecological protection
• Informed participation in projects
• Staying in ancestral domains
• Regulating entry of migrants

Magna Carta for Disabled Persons

• Provides tax incentives for enterprises employing persons with disabilities (PWD).
• Requires establishments to modify facilities for PWDs, including ramps, toilets, and parking spaces.

Other Environmental Laws

• Clean Air Act of 1999: aims to maintain good air quality free from pollution.
• Philippine Clean Water Act of 2004: intended to prevent water pollution from land-based sources.
• Philippine Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2000: Implements a comprehensive solid waste management program.