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PROPOSED ECO-ADVENTURE TOURISM TRAVEL AGENCY:A FEASIBILITY STUDYA Special PaperPresented toThe Faculty of the College of Graduate StudiesCentral Philippine UniversityIloilo CityIn Partial Fulfillmentof the Requirements for the DegreeMaster in Business AdministrationEVELYN PEARL A. ARROYO

CHAPTER IINTRODUCTIONBackground and Rationale of the Study

In the last two decades, there has been a distinct shift in tourism trends from themass beach tourism that characterised the 1970s and ‘80s, to more specialised and diversetourism. With increased public awareness and concern for the environment, there has alsodeveloped a corresponding growth in popularity of travel to sites of natural interest. Nature and wildlife tourism now account for 7 per cent of all tourism, and are the fastestgrowing segments of the industry. (www.devalt.org)Interest in ecotourism has been on the rise, as tourists from around the world began to appreciate the beauty of nature, which abounds in tropical archipelagos such asthe Philippines. International visitor arrivals to the Philippines rose 1.5 percent year-on-year to a record 3.14 million in 2008 despite the global economic downturn, thanks to therising interest for ecotourism among Europeans who are drawn to the country's naturalwonders. The Tourism Department said new tourist products in the market such as divingand bird watching provide impetus to stimulate awareness of the country's tourist potentials and bring in high-value visitors, with greater propensity to stay longer andspend more. The department has been promoting the Philippines as a diving mecca and bird watching paradise in Europe. Despite the decline in arrivals from traditional markets(Korea, US, and Japan), international visitor arrivals to the Philippines managed to grow1.5 percent to a new record of 3.14 million in 2008 from 3.09 million in 2007. "The last

four years has been the Renaissance period of Philippines tourism," said Durano. "But the best has yet to come for Philippine tourism." (www.enjoyphilippines.com)The Philippines is starting to develop its strength on ecotourism as theDepartment of Tourism

The Philippines provides many options for eco activities:trekking/hiking/mountaineering, bird and other wildlife watching, diving and snorkeling,caving, kayaking/canoeing/rafting, and surfing.

Philippines ecotourism is varied and unlimited. The Department of Environment andNatural Resources (DENR), Department of Tourism (DoT), ABS-CBN Foundation, Inc.’sBantay Kalikasan, and Conservation International Philippines have agreed to worktogether for the promotion of the “Magandang Pilipinas”, a project that will boost upthe country’s ecotourism and as a world-class ecotourism destination. The pilot ecotourism project sites have been identified as a high ecotourism potentialwith beautiful scenic attractions and are endowed with rich biodiversity. These sitesare mostly protected area in the Philippines. Under the agreement, the partiesagreed to manage existing and pre-identified ecotourism sites in the Philippines andpromote specific ecotourism sites. The sites include the Verde Island Marine Passage Corridor in Batangas (center of thecenter of marine shorefish biodiversity’); Puerto Princesa Subterranean River NationalPark (underground river); Donsol, Sorsogon (whale shark watching); El Nido, Palawan(marine protected area and limestone karst); Tubbataha National Marine Park (coralreef); Banawe Rice Terraces, Ifugao; Mayon Volcano, Albay; Pamilacan, Bohol;Hundred Islands, Alaminos, Pangasinan; Sapang Bato, Angeles City, Pampanga; LakeSebu, South Cotabato.http://www.directoryofphilippines.com/blog/?p=17

DOT launches adventure tourism

05/08/2008 | 03:20 AM

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CITY OF SAN FERNANDO

- The Department of Tourism (DOT) under Secretary Joseph AceDurano is set to embark on a nationwide campaign to increase awareness and promote the