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CHAPTER 1
THE PROBLEM

Introduction
The travel and tourism industry is one of the world’s largest industries with
a global economic contribution (direct, indirect and induced) of over 7.6 trillion
U.S. dollars in 2016. The direct economic impact of the industry, including
accommodation, transportation, entertainment and attractions, was
approximately 2.3 trillion U.S. dollars that year. A number of countries, such as
France and the United States, are consistently popular tourism destinations, but
other, less well-known countries are quickly emerging in order to reap the
economic benefits of the industry.
Worldwide, the tourism industry has experienced steady growth almost
every year. International tourist arrivals increased from 528 million in 2005 to
1.19 billion in 2015. Figures were forecasted to exceed 1.8 billion by 2030. Each
year, Europe receives the most international tourist arrivals. It also produces the
most travelers: with approximately 607 million outbound tourists in 2015, the
region had more than double that of the second largest tourist origin, the Asia
Pacific region.
Tourism is an important sector for the Philippine economy. In 2015, the
travel and tourism industry contributed 10.6% to the country's GDP. The
Philippines is an archipelagic country composed of 7,641 islands with 82
provinces divided in 18 regions. The country is known for having its rich
biodiversity as its main tourist attraction. Its beaches, mountains, rainforests,
islands and diving spots are among the country's most popular tourist
destinations. The country's rich historical and cultural heritage are also one of the
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attractions of the Philippines. Popular destinations among tourists are El Nido in

Palawan, Davao, Boracay, Siargao, Cebu, Manila and many more.
As an archipelago composed of 7,107 islands, the Philippines offers
countless attractions to see. There are many tourism activities that can be done
in the tourist spots in the Philippines such as kayaking, scuba diving, hiking,
sight-seeing, surfing, and many more.
Tourism is the temporary movement of people to destinations outside their
normal places of work and residence, the activities undertaken during their stay
in those destinations, and the facilities created to cater to their needs. According
to UNESCO, tourism is one of the world's fastest growing industries and an
important source of foreign exchange and employment for many developing
countries. Sustainable development is the development that meets the needs of
the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their
own needs. Tourism can be a contribution to the sustainable development of an
area. It contributes to the economic status of the area because of the wide range
of services it can provide to individuals such as work in the hotels, travel
agencies, and other establishments around the tourist spot. The tourism industry
provides job opportunities to the people.
The tourism industry that promotes environment protection is a big
contributor to the socio-economic profile of the country or the area. Tourism also
has been responsible in maintaining the quality of the environment and to ensure
the provision of satisfying experiences for visiting tourists. Ecotourism is the
protection of the environment and the preservation of the natural resources. It is
also respecting the culture of the place and not exploiting its resources.
Ecotourism is a phenomenon wherein it will greatly affect the sustainable
development of the area because of the indicators it can bring about such as the
economic, social, and environmental aspects (Kiper, 2013).
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Ecotourism is a form of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine, and

relatively undisturbed natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often small
scale alternative to standard commercial (mass) tourism. Its purpose may be to
educate the traveller, to provide funds for ecological conservation, to directly
benefit the economic development and political empowerment of local
communities, or to foster respect for different cultures and for human rights.
Since the 1980s ecotourism has been considered a critical endeavour by
environmentalists, so that future generations may experience destinations
relatively untouched by human intervention. Several university programs use this
description as the working definition of ecotourism.
Generally, ecotourism deals with living parts of the natural environments.
Ecotourism focuses on socially responsible travel, personal growth, and
environmental sustainability. It typically involves travel to destinations where
flora, fauna, and cultural heritage are the primary attractions. It is intended to
offer tourists insight into the impact of human beings on the environment, and to
foster a greater appreciation of our natural habitats.
According to Falafox (2017), Tourism is a perfect engine for economic
growth, especially in our nature-rich country. The Philippines is first in marine
biodiversity and second in geothermal energy. We have the third longest
coastline; we are fourth in gold reserves, and fifth in all other mineral resources.
We are also fifth in natural flora and fauna in the whole world. Thus, having
ecotourism in Philippines is just logical.
Ecotourism, according to the definition of The International Ecotourism
Society means “responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the
environment, sustains the well-being of the local people, and involves
interpretation and education”. Ecotourism is often seen as a kind of sustainable
tourism, and the difference between nature-based tourism and ecotourism is the
element of conservation and education. What makes it unique is the learning
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experience tourists get to acquire after the tour. Sustainable development, on the
other hand, is development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of the future generations to meet their own needs
Promotion is the communications part of marketing. It provides consumers
with information and knowledge in an informative and persuasive manner. The
information and knowledge can be communicated using one or more of the five
promotional techniques - advertising, personal selling, sales promotion,
merchandising, and public relations.
The ultimate purpose of promotion is to modify behaviour through
communication. This requires helping customers at the various buying process
stages so they eventually purchase or repurchase a particular service.
The Municipality of Ocampo is an emerging tourism destination in the
province of Camarines Sur. There are different ecotourism sites in the place
which include Deer Farm, Strawberry Farm, Hibiscus Camp, Consocep Resort
and among others. This place has a strong potential for ecotourism development
if will be managed and promoted properly. In view of the foregoing, it is very
timely to make an assessment of the ecotourism sector particularly on its
promotional mix programs. The researchers decided to focus on the ecotourism
sector because there is a need to further promote the different ecotourism sites
in the Municipality of Ocampo. Hence, this study.

Statement of the Problem

This study seeks to assess the status of the ecotourism sector in the
Municipality of Ocampo, Camarines Sur particularly its promotional programs.
Specifically, it aims to answer the following questions:
1. What is the profile of the existing ecotourism sites in the Municipality of
Ocampo, Camarines Sur in terms of:
a. Location and accessibility
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b. Unique features
c. Management
2. What are the impacts of the ecotourism sites in the Municipality of
Ocampo, Camarines Sur in terms of:
a. Environment
b. Social
c. Cultural
d. Economic
3. What are the issues and concerns confronting the ecotourism sector as
perceived by:
a. Local community
b. Local Government Unit
c. Tourists
d. Private Sector
4. What Promotional Mix Strategies can be designed in order to boost the
ecotourism sector of the Municipality of Ocampo?

Assumptions
This study was premised on the following assumptions:
1. That the profile of the existing ecotourism sites in the Municipality of
Ocampo, Camarines Sur in terms of location and accessibility; unique
features; management; and tourism activities can be determined.
2. That the ecotourism sites in the Municipality of Ocampo, Camarines
Sur have impacts to Environment, Social, Cultural and Economic
aspects.
3. That there are issues and concerns confronting the ecotourism sector
as perceived by local community; Local Government Unit; Tourists;
and Private Sector.
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4. That there are promotional mix strategies can be designed in order to

boost the ecotourism sector of the Municipality of Ocampo.

Significance of the Study

The study is deemed significant for it would benefit the following sectors
and groups of persons:
Owners of Ecotourism Sites. This would give them the necessary
promotional strategies in order to make their attractions more famous to both
domestic and foreign tourists.
Local Government Unit of the Municipality of Ocampo. The results of
the assessment of this study are very much significant because these can be
used as one of the basis and reference in crafting a local tourism development
plan which might include tourism plan, marketing and environmental protection.
Local Community of the Municipality of Ocampo. The findings of this
study will foster greater awareness and promote ecotourism pride and
appreciation about the existing ecotourism treasures of the Municipality of
Ocampo.
Provincial Government of Camarines Sur. The findings of this study
can be used by the provincial government in their efforts of promoting Camarines
Sur as an Ecotourism center of the Bicol Region.
Department of Tourism Region V (DOT-V).The result of this study could
serve as a reference to determine areas where the agency could give particular
attention and eventually extend their support for a more clear direction related
the promotion and protection of ecotourism sites as part of the tourism industry.
Tourists. This study could help tourists better understand the situation of
the ecotourism sector which they love to visit.
Future Researchers.The study will help them to widen their perspective
on their studies especially about ecotourism. Furthermore, this study will serve as
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their reference for their related studies since updated information and data that
will be provided by the study.

Scope and Delimitation

The study focuses only on the ecotourism sector of the Municipality of
Ocampo as part of the tourism industry of the municipality. The ecotourism sites
which will be included in the conduct of the study are the following: Strawberry
Farm, Consocep Resort, Hibiscus Camp and Deer Farm. The sectors which are
not covered by this study includes accommodation, heritage, sports and other
tourism related activities.

Definition of Terms
For a clearer understanding of the terms used in this research study, the
following terminologies were both contextual and operationally defined:
Assessment. The evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability
of someone or something
Ecotourism Sector. A sector of tourism involving visiting fragile, pristine,
and relatively undisturbed natural areas, intended as a low-impact and often
small scale alternative to standard commercial mass tourism.
www.ecotourism.org. As used in the study, this pertains to one of the segments
of the tourism industry in the Municipality of Ocampo.
Municipality of Ocampo. As used in the study, it refers to the is a 3rd
class municipality in the province of Camarines Sur, Philippines. It also refers to
the setting of the current study where the different ecotourism sites are located.
Existing Ecotourism Sites. As used in the study, it refers to the different
ecotourism attractions in the Municipality of Ocampo which includes Strawberry
Farm, Consocep Resort, Hibiscus Camp and Deer Farm.
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Existing Programs. As used in the study, this pertains to the current

planning and development efforts being undertaken by the Municipality of
Ocampo along Tourism Planning, Tourism Marketing and Environmental
Protection
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NOTES
https://www.sciencedaily.com/terms/ecotourism.htm. Date of Access: July 10,
2018.

Ecotourism as an engine for development by Architect Felino A. P Alafox, Jr.

August 10, 2017. http://www.manilatimes.net/ecotourism-engine-
development/343469/. Date of Access: July 10, 2018.

https://www.google.com/search. Date of Access: July 10, 2018.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocampo,_Camarines_Sur . Date of Access: July 10,

2018.

https://www.eea.europa.eu/data-and-maps/indicators/tourist-arrivals-outlook-
from-wto-model. Date of Access: July 10, 2018.

Kiper (2013). Role of Ecotourism in Sustainable Development. Retrieved

November 9, 2014 from: http://www.intechopen.com/books/advances-in-
landscape-architecture/role-of-ecotourism-in-sustainable-development