Chapter II Tourism Planning Planning is a significant activity in setting up specific objectives/goals.

Planning is concerned with anticipating and regulating change in a system to promote orderly development so as to increase the social, economic and environmental benefits of the development process. (Murphy, 1985) The basic tasks of planning are to set goals and objectives, to analyze the past and the present, to prepare for the future and to select the best course of action. A tourism plan provides an overall vision social and economic goal for the area that wants to grow its tourism, and it provides a roadmap for the years ahead. Tourism planning is a long process and is a time consuming however, it provides an income and employment, and is essential for the preservation and conservation of natural resources and the retention of the attractiveness of a destination. Reasons emerged why there is a need for tourism planning, of course tourism has both positive and negative impact (destination life cycle), more competitive situation occur, more complicated phenomenon, tourism may damage natural and cultural resources and community involved. A destination area has its own life cycle, first is Exploration A destination area has the characteristic as a tourism site. Explorers found out and come in few numbers looking for place that is special in terms of its culture, natural beauty and history. Local people will not be involved in making in tourist moneymaking. There is no facilities and services available for the tourist. Second is Involvement Local investment and tourism advertising start. Visitors/ Tourist population rise in numbers. Local people notice the increasing numbers of visitors. They put up business as accommodation, food, guides,

and transportation. Third is Development there is a vast growth of population of visitors when the destination became heavily advertised. The amenities are increased and upgraded, and improved. Visitors became unadventurous. Examples of tourism advertisements are through magazines, newspapers, Television ads etc. A specific example is the Department of Tourism together with their campaign Its More Fun in the Philippines! Fourth is the Consolidation Visitors population will begin to decline, but the total numbers will still rise. Tourism becomes mass market. Fifth is the Stagnation due to lack of poor planning. The expected numbers of visitors have reached but there is limit in social and environmental aspects. Sixth is Decline tourist number decrease. External investors begin to pull out because of competition, their facilities, amenities and services became low quality and cheap to some tourists. Seventh and the last is the Rejuvenation rebirth of tourism in a destination area. New attractions are developed or new natural resources were used to reverse the negative trends in visitor arrivals.

The destination area without tourism planning may suffer the consequences, these consequences are Physical Impacts- lead to overcrowding of local facilities, destroys the natural environment, pollution, traffic problems, Human Impacts, Marketing Impacts and Organizational Impacts. Public sector and Private sector played a vital role tourism planning as well as the local community residents. With the cooperation of both sectors produces best results and the involvement of local residents is important. The role and responsibilities of Government sector is to make the area desirable for the private sector to invest. This includes; Constructing Workable Infrastructures such as (transportation, water, sewage, parks), Providing Services like (education, health care, recreational), Promoting and Marketing the Region and Providing Incentives. The Private sector (for

profit businesses and individuals) is a large-scale private business (like a hotel chain) that is looking for new areas to expand into, or it can be a small-scale private business (bed & breakfast). They base their tourism planning decisions on what tourists want and will buy. Private sector should actively participate together with the government sector in planning process to attain their goal. The government sector should introduce appropriate mechanisms, including legislation, regulation, facilitation, incentive, and promotion. The government and private enterprise should ensure that suitable opportunities for education and training accompany any growth of tourism activity. Involving local stakeholders in tourism decision-making and allowing for local exchange of arguments can inspire social change. The participatory approach to planning realized in the local context is a set of procedures, in which local institutions and organizations attempt to involve diverse group of residents and provide opportunities for them to express their needs and concerns related to issues of development, as well as make explicit their ideas about shape and direction of the proposed developments. Engaging residents in planning constitutes a component of the social domain of sustainable development, and it aims at more equal distribution of power in local decision-making, hence it contributes to the success of local democratic cultures. Barriers may also emerged in tourism planning because of the following factors, it includes economic factors communities may presume and depend that tourism will uplift their economy, open more job opportunities and cause residents further develop their communities and areas. The community should also consider the facilities and amenities they make available for tourist to encourage them to visit again. Physical and natural resources vast growth of visitors in a destination area may cause a strain on the overall natural

resources and conservation of the environment. Government Structuring there must be a government infrastructure set up to ensure that tourists feel safe and protected, as well as to provide for the allocation of funds to prepare for and maintain tourists. Other barriers are the cost planning process is high, the seasonality, the objections to the principle of tourism planning, etc.

There are steps in tourism planning process that should have taken into consideration: 1. Background Analysis conducting a preliminary investigation regarding issues & problems, concerns of residents, tourism destination areas capability and vulnerability, government goals, objectives, policies, tourism demand. 2. Detailed Research Analysis have 4 distinct areas namely: resources, markets, activities, and competitive analysis. 3. Synthesis and Visioning - Position statements (Describe the existing situations in tourism development, marketing, organization, community awareness, and support services and activities.) Vision statements (Reflect the desired future states in tourism development, marketing, organization, community awareness, and support services and activities.) 4. Goal Setting, Strategy Selection and Objective Setting 4.1 Goals (Results or outcomes that the destination area tries to achieve within three to five years.) 4.2 Strategies (Broad approaches selected to achieve tourism goals that help to

translate existing conditions into desired future situations.) 4.3 Objectives (Results or outcomes that the destination area tries to achieve within one to two years.) 5. Plan Development - Description of programs, activities, roles, and funding. Writing of tourism plan reports Overall Conclusion for Chapter II Tourism Planning is a time-consuming process, expensive and a critical process to survival of a destination however, if a destination aimed success and goal, planning is the best option for the sustainability tourism. Planning must focus not only the economic and financial benefits of the public and private sectors, but also the grievances and concerns of the affected residents/inhabitants. Moreover, barriers to tourism planning are big problems and cannot be avoided nevertheless, if an effective tourism planning is carefully and properly planned, may reduce the sequences of disadvantages. Destination planning involves a number of steps and activities that include designing, financing, developing, and marketing of a destination to attract the visitors. It requires cooperation and commitment of the different groups involved such as the government, private sector, and the residents to maintain the equilibrium and harmony of the economy and environment.