TOURISM Guidebook for Local Government Units (2017 Revised Edition)
Introduction
Developed by the Department of Tourism (DOT), in collaboration with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), and Development Academy of the Philippines (DAP).
Funded by the Government of Canada through LGSP-LED and the UNDP through the BPP.
Aimed at harnessing tourism potential, managing undesirable impacts, and enhancing tourism industry benefits.
Acknowledgments
Contributions from various departments and organizations including provincial and municipal governments and international bodies like UNDP and CIDA.
Key Concepts
Tourism Sites (TS): Specific places attracting tourists; can be natural or man-made.
Tourism Development Clusters (TDCs): Areas with a variety of sites, geographical features, and tourism potential.
Tourism Development Areas (TDAs): Areas with existing or potential tourism activities.
Strategic Destination Areas (SDAs): Priority tourism areas with critical mass and diverse attractions.
Tourism Planning
Encourages participatory governance and stakeholder involvement.
Local Tourism Development Plans should align with national standards and integrate disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.
Responsibilities shared between national and local governments.
Guidebook Structure
Profiling the Local Tourism Industry: Inventory and assessment of tourism resources.
Linking Development Plans: Aligns TDP with other mandated plans like CDP and CLUP.
Adopting the TDP: Steps for plan adoption and institutionalization.
Implementation and Monitoring: Prioritizing projects, securing funds, and evaluating impacts.
Managing Tourism Impacts: Enhancing positive and mitigating negative impacts.
Tools and Methods
SWOT Analysis: For strategy formulation.
Scenario Building: Understanding future tourism environments and planning accordingly.
Tourism Product Development: Enhancing and marketing tourism products.
Capacity Building: Developing skills and knowledge for effective tourism management.
Key Takeaways
Sustainable tourism is emphasized, integrating economic, social, and environmental goals.
Importance of legal frameworks, community involvement, and continuous monitoring.
Utilization of existing resources for effective M&E, ensuring cost-effectiveness.