Tourism Destination
Tourism Destination refers to the place where tourists intend to spend their time away from home. This geographical unit visited by tourists may be self-contained center, a village or a town or a city, a region or an island or a country. Furthermore, a destination may be a single location, a set of multi-destinations as part of a tour, or even a moving destination such as a cruise (2000). The term “destination” refers to an area where tourism is a major activity that affects the economy by generating tourism revenues.
Sustainable Tourism is a system of development that fosters the use, conservation and enhancement of the resources of a community. It favors those actions which promote ecological processes and the total quality of life, for this and future generations. This form of development is underpinned by the philosophy that the environment must be conserved if the industry is to be viable in the long term (2000). Sustainable Tourism is an industry which aims to make low impact on the local culture and environment and at the same time aiding in the generation of income, employment and local ecosystems conservation. It is a culturally and ecologically sensitive tourism.
Tourism Destination: Boracay, Philippines
One of the World’s Finest Beaches
Boracay is an island located at the northwestern tip of Panay, a large island in Western Visayas, Philippines. Boracay is a part of the town of Malay in Aklan Province. The tropical climate in the island makes Boracay an ideal tourism destination all year round. Boaracay is gifted with sugary-white and powder fine sand, considered one of the nature’s wonders that makes the island’ beach famous to the world. The best part of the island is the four-kilometer White Beach that is considered one of the finest beaches in the world. The surrounding water is shallow and the sand is finer and brighter than most beaches in the archipelago. The east coast is good for snorkeling. There are scores of little sandy bays scattered around the island; they make an attractive alternative to ever-popular White Beach. The island is also famous for its now very rare gleaming white puka shells, considered to be the best in the world.
The Physical Setting
The islet of Boracay lies some 200 air miles south of Manila, accessible only by small aircraft to short runways at Tablas and Kalibo on adjoining islands and by scheduled jet service to Roxas City, some four hours’ drive away. The island is only 4.2 miles long by 1.7 miles at its widest point and attains a maximum elevation of 930 feet. An engineering study (1984) describes the island core as dominantly limestone. Erosion has produced sands of talc-like fineness which form White Sand Beach and the additional small, crescent-shaped cove beaches which lie between dramatically eroded headlands on other sides of the island. The climate is subtropical and warm year-round, but tourist use is somewhat seasonal due to prevailing winds. The numbers of foreign visitors peak during the Northern hemisphere’s winter, when White Sand Beach is sheltered by the island from the dry monsoon winds out of Asia. Boracay has a smaller summer patronage during the rainy season, June to September. Boracay has been occupied for generations by families who practiced subsistence farming and fishing, which traditionally supported an island population of some 3,000. The island’s interior is arable, although soils and drainage is both marginal, and crops were limited to small padi rice and fish farms (1992).
The Advent of Tourism
In October 1978, consistent with a developing tourism policy, the island of Boracay was declared a Tourist Preserve by then president Ferdinand Marcos, and jurisdiction for its development was vested in the Philippines Tourism Authority (PTA). A cottage Owner’s Association was formed with PTA assistance in 1979 and established interim development standards, including a thirty meter setback from the sea for all tourist enterprises. Thus waving palm trees screened the houses and road and preserved the tropical ambiance. Modern tourism began in Boracay in the early 1980s, initiated quietly and unintentionally by overseas expatriates. Americans and Europeans employed in the Philippines who had heard of the island and its beauty were attracted there for short vacations. Word spread quickly to other expatriates living in the Philippines, and then to their conationals resident in Hong Kong, Tokyo, Singapore, and Seoul. Boracay was close enough for a quick and very inexpensive family vacation. The beach was pristine, the villagers friendly, and English was spoken. A family could bring some luxury groceries, Filipino beer is excellent, the soda waters are safe, and the thatched bungalow cottages provide adequate shelter. Annual repeat visitors began to multiply. Soon young footloose or vacationing Europeans began to trickle in, lured by descriptions of low cost living and the crystal clear water for snorkeling and windsurfing. A good thatched cottage could be rented for US per night; a satisfying meal was less than US; and beer was ten cents per bottle (1992).
The Socio-cultural impacts of Tourism
The socio cultural impacts of tourism are multiple. The three-hundred-year history of Western influence in the Philippines supports a strong emphasis on education. Ninety-five percent of the children attend primary school; adult literacy is 88 percent. Even in Boracay, virtually every adult has traveled away from the island, has visited or worked in major cities, and is quite urban in outlook. This is not an island of illiterate, ignorant peasants. Nevertheless, the introduction of the tourist business into rural village has dramatically changed the traditional social structure. For the most part the tourist presence was viewed in positive terms. The guests spent money, stayed in their own milieu, and interacted with each other. Overall, Boracayans like and want tourism for social as well as economic reasons.
The Challenge of Sustainable Tourism Development
Tourism is seen as a potential weapon in the Philippines’ economic arsenal. However both the tourist markets and Philippine tourism industry itself have become more aware of the negative environmental and social costs associated with tourism development. The country is beginning to recognize the need to adopt new development approaches in order to come up with tourist products that are both environmentally sensitive and economically viable. Sustainable tourism development meets the needs of present tourists and host regions while protecting and enhancing opportunity for the future. It is envisaged 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 ( 1997). The basic elements of sustainable development are ecological sustainability, economic sustainability and equity.
(2002), conducted an examination of the role of national government in facilitating or constraining the sustained growth of the national tourism industry through a comparative analysis of the tourism development to the national tourism industries of Thailand and the Philippines, it was evident in his research that both countries’ view economic sustainability aspect of tourism as a primary driver for tourism push.
Regarding the environmental aspects of tourism development, the national government appears to recognize the importance of protecting and enhancing the tourism product, particularly the natural and cultural resources on which the industry is built. The Department of Tourism’s primary function is tourism policy making and promotion. The function of monitoring the impacts of tourism generally falls under the jurisdiction of a dedicated environmental office – Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The Philippine government remains the primary certifying body for ecotourism projects. More accurately, the Department of Tourism commonly reviews projects before endorsing them to the Board of Investments. The DENR provides another layer of certification through its system of Environmental Clearance Certificates (ECC) and Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) ( 2002). However there are no private-led self regulating projects and programs. Unlike those of other countries, the Philippine tourism industry’s private ecotourism sector does not appear to be strong enough, nor interested enough, to spearhead the certification process. The National Tourism Trade Associations appear to be limiting their scope of operations to marketing, destination identification and tourism awareness building. The Philippine government seems to be moving away from direct ownership model towards a facilitating or mentoring relationship with local communities. The Philippines made moves to strengthen the tourist products at the local level by devolving many tourism development functions to the local communities (2002). It will be necessary to build and sustain partnerships between the public and private sectors. Given the desire for national government focus on a few specific functions, it will be necessary for private industry, local governments and community groups to work in an integrated manner so that all concerns of sustainable tourism are properly addressed. Among the key areas that need such partnerships to prosper are the following:
The Section 2 of Executive Order No. 377 declared Boracay as a Special Tourism Zone. The government’s main priority is to increase accessibility, and improve the existing tourism products being offered. There is a need for local communities and government units and entrepreneurs to take the lead in ensuring that destinations are developed in a sustainable manner. The local capability to sustain tourism activity in Boracay needs to be improved. The main question is the capability of the local government to finance the needed infrastructure for visitor convenience as well as for resource protection. The local community needs a work force of environmental workers who will ensure that tourist use of the resources is kept at a manageable level.
Development of Sustainable Tourism in Boracay
The evolution of Boracay as a major tourist destination was a result of entrepreneurial Filipino spirit infused with European expertise and tastes in leisure. The Department of Tourism’s initial development regulations aided in fostering a unique ambiance, highlighted by native-style cottages, a healthy 25-meter building setback from the beach and a pedestrian-only beachfront promenade. Boracay is now a top international tourism destination with many of the original local families or those who bought land before the tourism became popular, still owning small resorts on the island. Boracay is considered by the Department of Tourism (DOT) as the pride of the country’s booming tourism industry.
Economic Considerations
Since its early stages, the major factor that motivated tourism development in Boracay has been economic. Tourism development in Boracay is seen as a way of increasing profits, jobs, income and government revenue. Investment in the island has also been strong. Construction is omnipresent along the Long Beach corridor and three multi-million dollar mega-resorts, including a golf course, are being developed in the northern section of the island (1998). The excitement surrounding investment has likely been accelerated by the dramatic increase in tourists arrivals between 1995 and 1996 and by the government’s solemn promise of increase spending on much needed physical infrastructure. The Boracay Development Regulation is being facilitated by a powerful ad-hoc committee – Boracay Task Force. The committee is spearheaded by the Secretary of Tourism and composed of the highest levels of national, regional and local government, private sector interests and The Boracay Foundation.
Boracay Lives!
Boracay Lives! is initiated by the Boracay Chamber of Commerce. It is comprise of 3 stages that aim to address the ecological sustainability of the island amidst rapid growth and development. The tourism industry in the island is growing in a breath-taking rate and yet, the garbage disposal system is still in disarray. Boracay Lives! is a project of the stakeholders of Boracay and is spearheaded by the Boracay Chamber, to deal and find solutions to the pressing garbage challenge with resources from the private sector, corporations, donors and volunteers for a concerted effort to ensure the development of a sustainable tourism and protection of ecological life in the island. The project has three components that are equally important in ensuring success:
1. Solid Waste Collection System
The first component of the project is Solid Waste Collection System. The collection system is viewed as the backbone of a working solid waste program. Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry initiated efforts to impose the “no segregation, no collection” ordinance together with the support of various organizations such as the Local Government, the Department of natural Resources and Provincial Environment and Natural Resource office.
2. Boracay Eco-Educational Campaign and material Recovery Facility Project
The Canadian Government has awarded the Boracay Chamber of Commerce and Industry 2million Pesos in order to create an effective and sustainable material Recovery Center. The campaign seeks to educate the residents and tourism related establishments in the island. The project’s objectives are solid waste volume reduction, recycling volume growth, increase the awareness of visitors and tourists and encourage them to comply with the environmental rules of the island.
3. Friendly Garbage Disposal System
This system aims to eliminate landfills and traditional means of garbage disposal by converting waste to usable products. It also seeks to provide livelihood for the community.
Credit:ivythesis.typepad.com
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