Chapter 1: Tourism Policy Planning and Development (PDF)

Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet TP 106: TOURISM POLICY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT C...

Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet TP 106: TOURISM POLICY PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT CHAPTER I I. Tourism Policy, Tourism Planning and Tourism Development Tourism Tourism is a social, cultural and economic phenomenon which entails the movement of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or business/professional purposes. These people are called visitors (which may be either tourists or excursionists; residents or non-residents) and tourism has to do with their activities, some of which imply tourism expenditure (United Nations World Tourism Organization, 2008). Policy - Policies are guides that articulate goals and identify limits for behavior and actions. Planning – the dynamic process to define and determine the goals, methodically selecting alternative courses of action to realize those goals, the executing the chosen alternatives, evaluating the alternative and ultimately concluding if it will become successful. Development – a process leading to growth, advancement, innovation as well as the improvement of the economy, environment, social and demographical variables to a current environment or framework. Tourism Policy Defined as set of rules, regulations, guidelines, directives and development/promotion objectives and strategies that provide framework within which the collective as well as individual decisions directly affecting long – term tourism development and daily activities within a destination are taken. Objectives Tourism policies combine in a diverse manner five major objectives related to the nature of the phenomenon and their different dimensions (Velasco 2004). There are differences in intensity and degree on the government aims depending on the political system, the level of overall economic development, and the level of tourism development of the destination. The first objective is to pursue tourism growth or remain competitive, in the case of mature destinations. The second objective is related to spatial dimensions of tourism and its impacts on land use dynamics. Here the central concept is the idea of planning, a process to achieve a better spatial distribution of tourism activities, promoting the use of  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet untapped resources, or improving local participation in decision-making process related to sustainable strategies. Thirdly, as tourism is also an experience or service consumed by people, there are objectives related to provide a safe, satisfying, and fulfilling experience for visitors. In the fourth place, coordination appears to be a central need due to the transversal nature of the issue. Policy Setting Process 1. First, identifying and assessing the circumstances related to the issue. This includes understanding contraints that you and/or will face. Constraints can be internal (e.g., locals’ awareness of tourism, training and education of employees in hospitality and tourism, budget) or external (e.g., economy, price of gas, natural disaster). This step in the process can also make you aware of new opportunities (e.g., an attraction to develop, new target market). 2. The next step is typically to create a policy statement to provide guidelines, goals, and initiatives to help guide the organization, destination, etc. For example, it might be to maintain and/or improve the quality of life for residents of the destination by promoting the destination for tourism and conventions, which would include an economic goal. A policy statement for this vision would be more specific with the goals and initiatives identified to fulfil the goals. 3. Consultation with government, local tourism businesses, and any other stakeholders is next. This step is to get feedback about the policy statement. Following the consultation and depending on the outcome, the policy statement might be rewritten or modified. 4. Next would be another round of consultation and then rewriting until the policy statement is approved. 5. Now is time to implement the policy statement. This will include identifying specific roles of individuals, committees, organizations, etc. This step also includes developing the budget and timeline for the initiative(s). 6. Finally, those involved evaluation of the policy. Were the goals achieved? Why or why not? However, you do not wait until the end of the established timeline for the policy to evaluate. There should be constant assessment to identify if you are likely to achieve the goals. Remember there are numerous constraints that are external (e.g., weather, natural disaster) that might dictate the need to adjust the initiatives and other efforts related to the tourism policy.  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet Tourism policy can as well take many methods or forms. Listed below are some of the basic issues that need to be addressed in policy formulation: ✓ Economic Reason – Providing employment for the local community, earning foreign exchange, increase in government revenues using tourism as an agent of growth and development. ✓ Social Reason – Encourage cross – cultural exchange, platform for education, deliver recreation opportunities. ✓ Environmental Reason – Help in the conservation and preservation of natural and cultural resources. ✓ Market-led vs. Product-led – destination development that will attract a broader market over destination development on compatibility between environment and society. ✓ Level of development allowed – Limiting tourism, maintain tourism at a medium level, or tourism be the major factor to increase economy. ✓ Growth Rate – Often a policy consideration is the growth rate if tourism intended for low, medium or fast growth. ✓ Corresponding Roles – Government, private sectors, and tourism stakeholders’ roles in developing and managing tourism can be an important policy consideration. Tourism Planning It is the method of setting goals, opting for alternative development of action to attain those goals, executing the preferred alternative and evaluating the choices to find out if it is successful. Planning is vital to the success of any activity. Planning tourism at all levels is crucial in achieving successful tourism development and management. Why plan for tourism? ✓ Provides plan and strategies for areas in which the government and the private sectors have little or no experience on how to develop these areas. ✓ Tourism plan is essential to coordinate the different tourism sectors to better service the needs of tourists and the general public. ✓ Direct and indirect economic benefits of tourism can be achieved through a cohesive tourism plan. ✓ Can accomplish environmental conservation ideas through the improvement of tourist destinations, facilities, and infrastructure. ✓ Can accomplish cultural conservation objectives and product socio- cultural benefits ✓ Resource for tourism are sustained in the development process. Morrison et al. (2018) offer three primary reasons for tourism planning. The first two are related to impacts, to maximize the economic benefits and minimize  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet damage to resources (i.e., natural, environmental, cultural). Another reason for a tourism plan is that tourism is constantly changing for many reasons (e.g., visitor expectations, needs, motives; politics; economy; technology). As a result, the plan needs to be adaptable. Tourism Planning Process 1. Background analysis – including a SWOT analysis and assessments of government policies that affect tourism, inventory analysis (e.g., attractions, accommodations, restaurants, etc.), current demand for tourism at the destination. 2. Research and analyses – identify/map locations of the inventory analysis, market survey of current visitors (e.g., motivations, what they like to do) and non-visitors (e.g., why have they not visited? awareness of the destination, image/perception of the destination), competitive analysis (e.g., who are your competitors? how can you differentiate your destination from competitors? what do and can you work to improve?). 3. Synthesizing the first two steps and creating a vision – ask and try to answer the following questions: 1. Where are we now? (position statement). 2. Where would we like to be? (vision statement). Then, identify critical success factors or ways to measure and determine if you achieved your vision. 4. Setting goals, establishing strategies, and setting objectives – develop a policy or (e.g., stimulate the economy). Set goals or achievable outcomes. Identify alternative strategies to achieve goals and select the most desired of the alternatives given environment or conditions (e.g., economy, resources, politics). Set objectives which are more short-term goals to help monitor if you are going to achieve your longer-term goals. If not, remember a tourism destination plan should be adaptable, which is the next step. 5. Develop a plan – identify organizations and people to be involved and their roles, funding sources and budgets for different aspects of the plan, activities to implement your plan. 6. Implement and monitor the plan – While the plan should be developed by input and participation by numerous stakeholders, it is generally implemented by a local tourism agency or organization (e.g., CVB). But, there should be committees derived of various stakeholders to which the agency is accountable. This helps monitor progress of implementing the tourism destination plan and adapt if needed.  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet 7. Evaluate the plan – measure performant of the various parts of the plan against the goals (e.g., did you achieve the goals? Why or why not?). Use the evaluation to see if and how you might adapt the plan moving forward. Tourism Planning Approaches and Technique SYSTEMS APPROACH Computer technology is needed to collect and analyses data COMPREHENSIVE APPROACH All aspects of tourism development are analyzed and planned on a broad scope INTEGRATED APPROACH Tourism is planned and developed as an integrated system within itself and integrated into overall plan and development pattern of the area ENVIRONMENTAL & SUSTAINABLE APPROACH Tourism is planned, developed and managed in a way that the natural and cultural resources are not used up so that they are available for continuous and permanent use in the future. COMMUNITY APPROACH The local residents should be given the opportunity to participate in the planning of their community’s future development and express their opinion on the type of community they want to live in. IMPLEMENTABLE APPROACH Tourism plan, policies & recommendations are expressed in a practical & achievable manner SYSTEMATIC APPROACH Tourism planning is based on an orderly arrangement of activities Major Elements in Planning a Tourism Destination MARKET ANALYSIS Requires a thorough study of past and present trends, traveler profiles, traveler performances and habits, market position and destination images  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet ASSESSMENT OF AVAILABLE RESOURCES a. Visitor attractions b. Culture c. Manpower d. Infrastructure and Superstructure – Infrastructure refers to all underground and surface construction of a region – Superstructure are the facilities and services that are above ground such as hotels, resorts, restaurants, etc. e. Transportation f. Support Services g. Visitor Accommodation MARKETING The process of selecting a target, choosing strategies to reach a market, establishing objectives, coordinating the efforts of those involved in promoting the destination and evaluating the successes and failures ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL ANALYSIS Careful analysis of economic conditions and financial requirements such as feasibility studies, cash flow, available capital and interest rates ENVIRONMENT The aim of tourism planning is to develop the natural resources of the area without destroying them and to improve the natural beauty of the area SOCIAL IMPACT The reason why many countries plan and develop resort areas away from population centers is to avoid congestion and to be able to distribute tourism resources over a wider area. Tourism Development Tourism development refers to the growth and maintenance of the tourism industry in a given locality. Tourism planning is a very important part of tourism development. The Benefits of Tourism Development ✓ Increase income and jobs from tourist spending ✓ Helps preserve cultural and natural heritage for tourists and locals ✓ Increase understanding of other culture ✓ Builds new facilities and infrastructure. The tourism destination plan helps guide development of tourism. Destinations will be at various stages of development. So, it is not that the tourism plan is just for a destination just getting involved in tourism. As suggested by Mason (2003).  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet development and change for destinations occur as time progresses. The characteristics, motives, preferred activities and attractions, and many other things change over time and destinations redevelop to remain competitive. A fairly common way to view this is commonly referred to as “Butler’s Tourism Area Lifecycle”. There are five main stages to Butler’s Life Cycle (Butler, 1980): Exploration – at this stage there might be some tourism but not really an effort to provide traditional or common tourism attractions, facilities, etc. This stage mostly include tourists visiting facilities and local resources used by residents. Involvement – this is the beginning of the destination offering some facilities for tourists. The destination begins to more formally organize and provide or improve infrastructure, some attractions, and facilities for tourists at a local level. Development – the destination begins marketing and promoting the destination. This stage also begins development from outside organizations and/or businesses. The destination will begin to develop and look more like a noticeable tourist destination. More and more tourists will likely visit the destination as development progresses. Consolidation – at this stage the rate of increase in visitors will begin to decline. The rate of development will also begin to decline. Residents may become opposed to tourism with all of the non-locals who are in the community and there is more traffic and congestion. Some of the older attractions, facilities, etc. may also begin showing degradation. Stagnation – the maximum number of visitors possible will be reached in the stagnation stage. The destination might begin to lose appeal to visitors. The destination might become too reliant on repeat visitors. At the stagnation stage the following can occur: o Decline – number of visitors will be begin to decrease as competitor destinations might have more appealing attractions, infrastructure, etc. The degradation of attractions, infrastructure, and other aspects of the destination will continue and possibly turn into what Butler (1980) refers to as a “veritable tourist slum” (p. 9). o Rejuvenation – this outcome can occur by development of a new man- made attraction, which is likely to be followed by improvement of surrounding attractions, facilities, and other tourist needs. However, if competitor destinations also rejuvenate, the competition will remain and rejuvenation might be much less or possibly not rejuvenate and potentially decline. Another way Butler (1980) suggest rejuvenation can occur is to utilize natural resources that might not have been part tourism  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet product throughout previous tourism development and marketing and promotion. Sustainable Tourism Development Tourism development should also be sustainable and include the three impacts of tourism (i.e., economic, environmental, social/cultural). The United Nations (n.d.) proposes 17 goals to consider for economic development, which include economic (e.g., “No Poverty”, “Decent Work and Economic Growth”, environmental (e.g., “Clean Water and Sanitation”, “Affordable and Clean Energy”), and social/cultural (e.g., “Good Health and Well Being”, Quality Education”) goals. The 17th goal is “Partnerships For the Goals”, which are very important for tourism destinations, not only in tourism destination planning and development, but other aspects such as marketing and promotion. Social – include residents, be sure development improves or at least maintains locals’ quality of life. Environmental – protect resources, educate visitors and residents of ways to protect resources. Economic – new employment opportunities, increase spending of visitors, find ways to have businesses purchase locally to minimize leakage. Stages of Destination Development The product life cycle characterized the stages of destination development. This theory includes four stages of the product development. These stages are the following: I. Inception – discovery (start) II. Growth – local response and initiative III. Maturity – institutionalization IV. Decline – saturation and alienation  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet INCEPTION – discovery During stage 1, tourists are generally welcomed by the residents. There is a great amount of interpersonal contact between the tourists and the residents. The tourists adjust to the local environment and the people. During this stage of development, a few adventurous tourists visit the area. These are the allocentric type of tourists. Some of them decide to stay in the area and become expatriates. These expatriates establish restaurants, guest residences, souvenir shops and tour services. Their business usually succeeds because they offer services that are more modern, more sanitary and more reliable than those offered by the local population. These are the reasons why a greater number of allocentric are encouraged to visit the destination. GROWTH – Local Response and Initiative The increased interaction between the tourist and residents results in a desire of residents for better education, increased awareness of the outside world, trend toward equality, and a change of traditional lifestyles For stage II, the number of tourists increases. The area has developed a good reputation by word of mouth. Although tourism is growing, the facilities and services are owned and controlled by the residents. There is a lack of standardization of facilities. Tourism development is uncoordinated and spontaneous instead of planned. Tourist continue to adapt the local culture. However, these are signs that the tourist industry is beginning to adapt to the needs of the tourist. Motorboats replace manually propelled boats. Increase attention is given to sanitation and visitor comfort.  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet MATURITY – Institutionalization During the Maturity - Institutionalization stage facilities and procedures are standardized which results in greater efficiency. The diets of the local residents improve because they are exposed to new foods. Native crafts are revived since they are in demand by the tourists. The increased production of native crafts generates more income for the resident population. Maturity is characterized by the increase in the number of tourists and the formalization of services, itineraries, and roles. There is a loss of local decision- making and control in the tourist industry. Many hotels, airlines and other services are associated with international corporations who make corporate decisions from offices outside the country. Hence, the local population are economically dependent on individuals or corporations who do not reside in the area and yet own and control many tourist services. This creates a feeling that outsiders have taken control. DECLINE - Saturation and Alienation In the final stage, the destination has become saturated. The residents have become disillusioned because tourism has not produced all the benefits they expected. For the visitors, the factors that were responsible for the earlier success of the destination, such as the hospitality of the residents, the clean and uncongested environment, and the appeal of the new destination have disappeared so the tourists begin to look for other unaltered destinations. A destination is not expected to pas through all these four stages. Some do not move beyond stage I. There are destinations that move directly from Stage I to Stage III as in the case of Guam and Fiji. Even in the decline stage, measures can be taken to rejuvinate a declining destination. An example of this is the repositioning of Miami, Florida as a gateway city to and from Latin America. Formulating and Approach to Tourism Policy and Planning There are six golden rules that should be applied when formulating an approach to tourism planning and policy, as outlined by Inskeep (1991) ✓ Goal Oriented – Clear recognition of tourism’s role in realizing an extensive national and community goals ✓ Integrative – Integrating tourism policy and planning into the core of planning for the economy, land use and infrastructure, conservation and environment  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet ✓ Market driven – Planning for tourism development that crafts effectively in a viable global marketplace ✓ Resource Driven – Developing tourism which shape the destination’s intrinsic assets while protecting and enhancing the attributes and experiences of current tourism assets. ✓ Consultative – Uniting the broader community attitudes, needs and wants to determine what is suitable to the population. ✓ Systematic – Drawing on primary or secondary research to provide conceptual or analytical support for planners including experiences of other tourism destinations. The need for Tourism Planning and Development To avoid eventual decline of a destination A tourism plan and development program can provide guidelines for areas, in which the government and the private sectors, with little or no experience, on how to develop these areas A tourism plan is necessary to coordinate the different sectors to better service the needs for tourism and the general public Through an integrated tourism plan, the various direct and indirect economic benefits of tourism can be achieved. II. Tourism Planning Dimensions The complexity of tourism plans varies according to level, time frame, scope and space. A. Levels – Depending on the scope and detail involved, a tourism plan may be carried out at the international, national, regional, local, municipal/city, or site level. ✓ International Tourism Planning – Typically involves: international transportation services, the movement and schedule of tours among different countries, the development of major tourist attractions and facilities in neighboring countries and the working strategies and promotional programs of many countries. ✓ National Tourism Planning – It is concerned with tourism policy, infrastructure facilities and physical structure plan which includes important tourist attractions, selected tourism development regions, international entry points, facilities and services. ✓ Regional Tourism Planning – aspects including regional policy, regional entry points and transportation facilities and services, kinds of tourist attractions and their locations, services of tourist development areas including resorts. ✓ Local Tourism Planning – Local level participants will consider tourism planning goals/objectives, analysis, plan preparation, outputs, outcomes and evaluation at grass roots level.  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet ✓ Site Planning Level – Refers to planning for specific site of buildings and structures, recreational facilities, conservation and landscape areas and other facilities carried-out for a particular development site such as accommodation building or other structures. B. Time Frame – All plans are future – oriented and these plans may be short, medium or long-term. Short term usually means 2 years or less in the future, medium term is 2 to 5 years and long-term as 5 years and up. The first Philippine Tourism Master Plan was a long-term plan covering the years from 1991 to 2011. https://www.foi.gov.ph/requests/philippine-tourism-master-plan-1991- 2011/ C. Scope - Most plans start with SWOT Analysis to determine areas for tourism development. D. Space – The space covered in tourism planning is the called tourism development unit. The UNESCO provide the following spatial concepts; ✓ Tourist Site – an area that contains one or more tourist attractions. A tourist attraction is defined by Tourism Western Australia (2006) as either physical or cultural feature of a particular place that individual travelers or tourist perceive as capable of meeting one or more of their specific leisure related needs. There are 4 categories of attraction 1. Geophysical – landscape – aesthetic – includes: mountains, rock formations, caves, water bodies and other scenic views. 2. Ecological – biological - includes: organism (their parts, behaviors) and ecological events such as decomposition, reproduction, migration, fossil remains etc. 3. Cultural -Historical – human construction, practices and remains (archeological) manifestation of human evolution and cultural expression, churches, historic houses, archeological sites, ancient monuments, amusement parks, etc. 4. Recreational - Built or created by humans for the purpose of entertainment or education. Examples: Theme parks, botanical garden, sport fields, museums, zoos, theatres, shopping malls etc. ✓ Tourist development area – Area for processing an important site or group tourist site. Any town or city that has one or more tourist site ✓ Tourism cluster – Composed of 2 or more TDA’s. A city, town, or province, in a whole or in part may be combined with other cities, towns, r provinces to form a cluster. ✓ Tourism Circuits – A route involving at least 3 major tourist destination which are located in different towns, villages or cities. ✓ Tourism Corridors – A route defied by theme (Silk Heritage corridor, a civilization).  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet III. Tourism Characteristics and their Planning Implications 1. Tourism is a Composite Product ✓ Comprised of goods and services that are provided by entities in the tourism value chain. Value chain refers to the series of public and private entities that convert resource into value-added tourism products that are sold to tourists. 2. Tourism Destinations are Intangible ✓ It means that potential visitors cannot try them prior to purchase of tickets, rooms, or tour packages. Potential tourists base their decisions on images and expectations. These expectations are produced by information provided by both personal and non-personal sources: Word of mouth, social media reviews are some of the popular references for tourism product decision-making. 3. Tourism Destinations have long Gestation Periods ✓ Very few destinations achieve overnight success. Even Boracay and Puerto Princesa took several years to reach their present status. 4. Tourism is a very Capital Intensive ✓ Some tourism projects like airports involve land reclamation and construction of gateway facilities that resemble new towns. Plans must be able to present realistic estimates of the financial requirement, identify source of financial assistance. 5. Tourism’s main Assets are Nature and Culture ✓ Tourism plans must incorporate strategies for natural and cultural protection at the pre-development stage, including building heights, architectural designs, preservation of historic sites, destiny limits, and waste management. 6. Tourism is Subject to External Forces ✓ It is largely uncontrollable, such as the weather, natural calamities, current fluctuations, and international relations. Tourism planners must be able to spot the key drivers of tourism growth or decline, and identify strategies that will help a destination exploit opportunities and prepare contingency measures for worst case scenarios. 7. Tourism Exerts Impacts on the Environment, Culture and Economy of Destination ✓ Many destination suffer from permanent environmental damage due to wanton abuse. Planners help avoid undesirable changes from occurring by drawing up precautionary measures at the earliest stage of tourism development. ✓ Due to the multidimensional character of tourism, planners must also deal with numerous agencies at various levels of governance to register business name, apply for environmental impact assessment, a business license etc. 8. Tourism is a Highly Dynamic and Competitive Industry  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet ✓ Tourism planners must always keep track of the latest trends in tourism product development, and adjust accordingly. Planners also devise competitive strategies and collaboration strategies at the same time. IV. Benefits of Tourism Planning A responsible tourism plan is a means to attain environmental conservation objectives through the development of tourist attractions, facilities and infrastructure. A careful tourism plan is a means to achieve cultural conservation objectives and produce sociocultural benefits. A good tourism plan is a means in which the natural and cultural resources for tourism are maintained, not destroyed, in the development process The right type of tourism plan can be used to invigorate poorly developed tourism destinations Careful planning is necessary to develop specialized training facilities for the education & training for particular manpower skills & abilities V. Factors to Consider for Effective Tourism Planning and Development Effective tourism planning and development require careful consideration of several factors to ensure that the destination grows in a sustainable, equitable, and profitable manner. Below are key factors to consider when planning and developing tourism: 1. Environmental Sustainability Natural Resources: Protecting natural landscapes, biodiversity, and ecosystems is crucial to maintaining a destination's appeal. Over-tourism can lead to environmental degradation, so it's essential to promote practices like eco-tourism, conservation efforts, and minimizing carbon footprints. Waste Management: Proper waste disposal, recycling programs, and responsible water and energy use are essential for maintaining cleanliness and minimizing environmental impact. 2. Cultural Preservation Respect for Local Cultures: Tourism should respect and celebrate local traditions, languages, and customs, avoiding cultural commodification or exploitation. Heritage Conservation: Historical and cultural sites should be preserved, with appropriate measures in place to prevent damage caused by tourism.  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet Community Engagement: Local communities should be involved in tourism development, ensuring that they benefit from and have a say in how tourism affects their cultural identity. 3. Economic Impact Diversified Revenue Streams: Tourism can contribute to local economies through direct spending on accommodation, transportation, attractions, and services. It’s also important to think about indirect benefits, such as employment opportunities in related sectors (e.g., construction, retail, agriculture). Local Business Involvement: Ensuring that tourism dollars stay within the local economy by supporting small businesses, crafts, and local food producers is vital for sustainable development. Job Creation and Skills Development: Creating training programs to ensure locals are equipped to work in the tourism sector is important for long-term success and wealth distribution. 4. Infrastructure and Accessibility Transportation: Well-developed transport systems (airports, rail, roads) are essential for facilitating smooth movement of tourists. The accessibility of a destination by various modes of transport impacts its attractiveness. Accommodation: There needs to be a variety of accommodation options to cater to different market segments, ranging from budget to luxury, ensuring inclusivity and accessibility. Health and Safety: Adequate health infrastructure, including emergency services, hospitals, and sanitation, is crucial for tourist confidence. Safety regulations and measures (such as safe public spaces, transportation, etc.) also enhance the tourism experience. 5. Market Research and Target Audience Understanding Market Demands: Identifying the target audience (e.g., adventure tourists, family vacationers, business travellers, luxury tourists) helps shape the types of services, experiences, and amenities that need to be developed. Seasonality and Trends: Recognizing peak seasons and off-seasons is important for balancing demand and avoiding overcrowding. Keeping an eye on emerging tourism trends (e.g., wellness tourism, ecotourism) can help position the destination for future success. 6. Community Involvement and Stakeholder Collaboration  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet Local Community Engagement: It’s important to ensure that local communities benefit from tourism through jobs, improved infrastructure, and business opportunities. Community participation in tourism development can also foster a sense of ownership and pride. Collaboration with Stakeholders: Government agencies, local businesses, international organizations, NGOs, and tourism operators must work together to create policies and strategies that benefit all parties and ensure a coordinated approach to tourism management. 7. Tourism Management and Regulation Carrying Capacity: Every destination has a maximum capacity in terms of visitor numbers that it can sustain without compromising the quality of experience or environmental integrity. Establishing a carrying capacity ensures that growth is managed responsibly. Regulation and Monitoring: Implementing effective regulation of tourism activities is essential to prevent over-tourism, ensure safety, and maintain quality. Monitoring visitor behaviour, environmental impact, and community well-being is important for adaptive management. 8. Technology and Innovation Digital Marketing: Using online platforms and social media to promote the destination helps reach a global audience. Creating interactive websites, apps, and virtual tours can attract modern tourists who increasingly rely on digital tools. Smart Tourism: Leveraging technology such as AI, IoT (Internet of Things), and big data can enhance visitor experience, streamline services, and improve destination management (e.g., smart ticketing, crowd management, real-time information). 9. Legal and Political Framework Policy Support: Tourism development should align with national and local policies on environmental protection, economic development, and social welfare. Governments must create policies that foster sustainable growth while addressing potential negative impacts. Security and Safety Laws: Legal frameworks ensuring the safety of both tourists and locals (through regulation of businesses, protection against exploitation, and security measures) are vital for creating a safe and inviting environment. 10. Crisis Management and Resilience  Republic of the Philippines Benguet State University COLLEGE OF HOME ECONOMICS & TECHNOLOGY DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM MANAGEMENT La Trinidad, Benguet Disaster Preparedness: Tourism planning should consider potential natural disasters (earthquakes, floods, hurricanes) or man-made crises (pandemics, political instability). Having crisis management strategies in place ensures that tourism can recover from such events with minimal damage. Sustainable Recovery: Post-crisis recovery plans should focus on rebuilding tourism in a way that doesn’t just restore the status quo, but instead leads to a more resilient, diversified, and sustainable tourism sector. 11. Tourism Experience Design Quality of Visitor Experience: Tourism development should focus not only on numbers but also on the quality of experiences. Offering unique, authentic, and memorable experiences can help a destination stand out in a competitive global market. Inclusivity and Accessibility: Ensuring that tourism offerings are inclusive and accessible to all groups, including people with disabilities, seniors, and families with children, broadens the destination’s appeal and contributes to social sustainability. 12. Sociocultural Impact Social Equity: The benefits of tourism should be distributed equitably within society. This includes ensuring that marginalized groups or remote communities are included in the tourism benefits. Avoiding Over-Tourism: A balance between tourist numbers and the quality of life for residents is critical. Over-tourism can lead to overcrowding, increased costs of living, and deterioration in the quality of local life. Butler, R. W. (1980). The concept of a tourist area life cycle of evolution: Implications for management of resources. Canadian Geographer, XXIV(1), 5-12. Draper, J., Woosnam, K. M., & Norman, W. C. (2011). Tourism use history: Exploring a new framework for understanding residents’ attitudes toward tourism. Journal of Travel Research, 50(1), 64-77. Edgell, D. L., Allen, M. D., Smith, G., & Swanson, L. E. (2008). Tourism policy and planning: Yesterday, today and tomorrow. Elsevier Inc. Gunn, C. A., & Var, T. (2002). Tourism planning: Basics, concepts, cases (4th ed.). Routledge. Hall, C. M., & Jenkins, J. M. (1995). Tourism and public policy. Routledge. International Trade Administration. (n.d.). Tourism Policy Council (TPC). https://www.trade.gov/tourism-policy-council Mason, P. (2003). Tourism impacts, planning and management. Elsevier Butterworth-Heinemann. Morrison, A. M., Lehto, X. Y., & Day, J. G. (2018). The tourism system (8th ed.). Kendall Hunt. Rose, E. A. (1984). Philosophy and purpose in planning. In M. J. Bruton (Ed.), The spirit and purpose of planning (2nd ed., pp. 31-65). Hutchinson. United Nations. (n.d.). Department of Economic and Social Affairs: Sustainable Development. https://sdgs.un.org/goals U.S. Department of State – Bureau of Counsular Affairs. (n.d.) Visa Waiver Program. https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/tourism-visit/visa-waiver-program.html Simeon 1976; Hall and Jenkins 1995; Elliot 1997; Dredge and Jenkins 2007). Prepared by: CARLENE T. LAURO Affiliate Faculty