Sustainable TourismThe Philippine Context

By: Carmela “Cheenee” Otarra, MTourAteneo Development Field School | 26 June 2015

AfghanistanVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ngrRfp8hbfg

• Is sustainable tourism development possible?

• How can sustainable tourism development be achieved?

• Who are responsible (stakeholders) for sustainable tourism development?

Be critical to Tourism.

How can we be critical travelers and look at

tourism with the lens of a development professional?

Objectives:At the end of this session, we should be able to:• Analyze the relationship of the macro and

micro contexts of the tourism industry• Determine key challenges to sustainable

tourism development• Consider possible solutions to address the

challenges to sustainable tourism development

Outline

I. The Tourism IndustryII. Classic Tourism Development

TheoriesIII. Ideal Sustainable Tourism

DevelopmentIV. Issues in Tourism DevelopmentV. Some Possible SolutionsVI.Conclusion

THE TOURISM INDUSTRY

Source: Murphy, P.E. (1985) Tourism: A Community Approach. Ney York: Methuen.

Source: World Travel and Tourism Council

Tourist

Manila Heritage

Tour

Farmers provide

foodAluminiu

m smelter

Fertilizer compan

y

Bus builder

Mining Corporati

on

Foreign exchange input

Leakage (Imported)

multipliers

Multipliers, Leakage & Supply Chains

Aluminium sheet

Adapted from: Gary Lacey (2013)

Global Tourism

Source: United Nations World Tourism Organization (2015)

Long-term Outlook• International tourist arrivals worldwide are

expected to increase by 3.3% a year between 2010 and 2030 to reach 1.8 billion by 2030, according to UNWTO’s long term forecast Tourism Towards 2030.

• Between 2010 and 2030, arrivals in emerging destinations (+4.4% a year) are expected to increase at twice the rate of those in advanced economies (+2.2% a year).

• The market share of emerging economies increased from 30% in 1980 to 45% in 2014, and is expected to reach 57% by 2030, equivalent to over 1 billion international tourist arrivals

Source: United Nations World Tourism Organization (2015)

Implications?

Tourism in the Philippines

Source: Department of Tourism

1960

1963

1966

1969

1972

1975

1978

1981

1984

1987

1990

1993

1996

1999

2002

2005

2008

2011

0

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

3,500,000

4,000,000

4,500,000

International Visitor Arrivals to the Philippines (1960-2012)

Sources: NSCB and UNWTO

Local Level?

“Local people’s perception on the impacts and importance of ecotourism in Sabang, Palawan, Philippines” by Jeffrey O. Jalani

Local Level: Sabang, Palawan

• Site: Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park (PPSRNP)

• Objectives: To examine the… – effects of ecotourism to the local

community in terms of livelihood generation and influx of people

– views of the local community on the impact of ecotourism and importance of natural resource to the tourism industry

• Methodology: Survey and Key Informant Interview

Results• Tourism industry: – source of income for most household– seen as beneficial– led to change of livelihood – high influx of people because of work opportunity

• Environmental protection: seen as least positive impact against work opportunity & city development

• High level of awareness and involvement among locals in the protection of the environment

• Most respondents oblivious that the environment is the key tourism resource.

Tourism Planning in the Philippines

• Process – Government-led (ex: CamSur)– Private sector led (ex: El Nido hotels)

• Stakeholders– Government (Mayor, Tourism Officer, MENRO)– Private sector (Hotels, Tour Operators,

Transpo)– Tourism councils– Academe

Government-Led

• Local government – local product development, legislation (Tourism Code), budget, investment generation–Municipal or Provincial Tourism Officers– Economic and Investment Officers– Environment and Natural Resources

Officers– Tourism Council (public & private)

• Department of Tourism – marketing, capacity building

Government-Led

Examples:

1.Aloguinsan: Bojo River Cruise

2.Palompon: Kalanggaman Island

Private-Led

• Private accommodation establishments, tour operators, travel agencies

• Association of hotels, tour operators, travel agencies

• Examples:– FlipTrip– Philippine Airlines: increased flights in

Batanes

CLASSIC TOURISM DEVELOPMENT THEORIES

Butler’s Tourism Area Life Cycle

Doxey’s Irritation IndexLevel of Irritation

Destination Responses to Tourism

Euphoria • Sense of excitement and anticipation• Informal contact with tourists

Apathy • More formal contact with tourists• Tourism seen as a source of income

and investment

Annoyance • Residents begin to show misgivings about tourism industry due to increasing numbers, external investment and infrastructure

Antagonism

• Irritations: expressed verbally and physically

• Tourists: seen as cause of the problem

IDEAL SUSTAINABLE TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

“Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing tourism for

the future. It is envisioned as leading to management of all resources in such a way that economic, social and aesthetic needs can be fulfilled while maintaining cultural integrity, essential ecological processes,

biological diversity and life support systems.”-WTO, 2001

Economic Impact• Tourism income • Employment• Multiplier effect• Post-disaster or

post-conflict economic driver

• From 816,000 visitors in 2011 to more than one million in 2012

• 67% increase in tourism earnings from 2011 ($319 million) to 2012 ($534 million)

Source: http://travel.cnn.com/myanmar-records-one-million-tourists-67-percent-increase-tourism-income-037441

MyanmarTourism earnings contributed to the income of the country after the political crisis.

Socio-cultural Impact• Increased pride in

indigenous cultural practices and values 

• Improved social indicators brought about by economic impact

• Women empowerment

BotswanaVillage Tourism enabled women to become independent economically from husbands.

I have heard a Setswana adage that ‘gadi etelelwe ke manamagadi,’ [women cannot lead], but here I am working as a woman. I guide tourists and am the first woman to work as a guide in my community in Manyana. I feel very good about myself.

Source: Moswete & Lacey

Environmental Impact• Conserves and protects

natural resources • Promotes efficient

energy consumption and proper waste management

Sydney• New building

technologies and techniques became mainstream.

• Cleanup of Homebush Bay, a site contaminated by industrial waste, for use as a venue.

Source: Lacey

HondurasVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=9zSyElD2fuk

Bali Case Study

What are the economic, socio-cultural, and environmental impacts of ecotourism?

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBXLmUAtbVA

ISSUES IN TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

Economic Issues

• Leakage: the money that goes out of a destination due to imported raw materials, souvenirs, furniture, labor– Did tourism really benefit the locals or

did it benefit suppliers or manufacturers from another country

–Where did the ingredients come from?–Where did the souvenirs come from?–Where do employees live? Are they

locals?

Economic Issues

• Lack of inclusive growth–Who are the ones that gain from

tourism?– Do the locals really benefit from

employment or via the supply chain?– Tension between luxury (or enclave

tourism) and community-based tourism

• Increase in prices– Surge in prices of commodities and real

estate

Economic Issues

• Economic dependence on tourism– Lack of economic diversification: risky–Maldives: 83% of workforce depend on

tourism–What are the possible impacts of

economic recession and natural disasters on tourism-dependent economies?

VeniceVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-81c4q9_9LQ

Socio-cultural Issues

• Change or loss of indigenous identity and values (cultural erosion)– Factors: tourists’ behavior,

commodification, staged authenticity, adaptation to tourist demands

– Altering livelihoods to accommodate tourism (ex: farmers to tour guides; fisherman to bangka tour guides)

Socio-cultural Issues

• Tension between locals and tourists on the use of resources– Should the distribution of energy or water

depend on the use of hotels and resorts?

• Prostitution and Human Trafficking– Sex tourism: alarming in the Philippines– Children's Legal Bureau: 60,000 - 100,000

children prostitutes in the Philippines

Socio-cultural Issues

• Displacement or forced migration for locals– Factors: real estate development, rising

real estate prices, rising standards of living

–Migrants take away employment opportunities from locals

Costa RicaVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54W12VbXvNg

Environmental Issues• Decreased

biodiversity, environmental degradation, endangered wildlife– Factors: Tourist

activity, waste, lack of awareness and information dissemination

Environmental Issues• Global warming

and climate change– Carbon emissions

from air transport and other modes of transportation

– How much is your travel carbon footprint?

Gringo Trails

SOME POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS

Economic• Legislation that supports the creation

of tourism enterprises (e.g. Tourism Code, LIIC)

• Support local industries to reduce leakage

• Diversify other sectors related to the tourism industry

• Ex: LGSP-LED - promotes investment, equips government, strengthens tourism industry, and trains locals (workforce development)

Socio-cultural• Stakeholder Management - Consider

local opinion & knowledge; address conflict between migrants & locals

• Educate tourists on their possible impact

• Instill cultural pride among locals, empower locals

• Ex: Palaui (Blue Water); Bhutan

Environmental• Carrying Capacity• Limits of Acceptable Change• Site hardening• Ex: Kenya; Kalanggaman Island;

Aloguinsan River

CONCLUSION

• Is sustainable tourism development possible? How?

• Who is responsible for sustainable tourism development in the Philippines?

Objectives:At the end of this session, we should be able to:• Analyze the relationship of the macro and

micro contexts of the tourism industry• Determine key challenges to sustainable

tourism development• Consider possible solutions to address the

challenges to sustainable tourism development

What is your proposed sustainable tourism

development solution/strategy?