Module No. 1 Domestic vs.

International Tourism
DOMESTIC TOURISM
The Motivation to Travel
According to Abraham Maslow, human beings are primarily
motivated by their needs, which follow a particular order or
hierarchy (see Figure 1). Once the needs for food
(physiological), security, and love are satisfied, the individual
will next want to enhance his/herself esteem, primarily through
self-improvement.
Travel to other countries may be the best option for anyone who
wants to explore the world and experience other cultures, but
relatively few people, especially in a Third World Country like
the Philippines can afford it.
What many of us fail to realize is that touring one’s own country
is not only more affordable; it can also provide fascinating
experiences that could equal if not surpass those one expects top
find in another land.

The following table shows the advantages and disadvantages of

traveling within one’s own country vis-à-vis traveling abroad.

Table 2. Comparing local and foreign travel

Traveling locally Traveling abroad

 More expensive
 Less expensive
 Requires passports
 No need for
and visas
passports and visas
 Might encounter
 You can travel as a
cultural adjustment
first-class citizen
and would not have difficulties in
Figure 1. Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs to worry about
foreign destination
racial
Traveling for Pleasure discrimination
People travel for many other reasons besides leisure and
self-improvement. Travelers can in fact be classified into two  Inspire a genuine
main groups: those who travel for professional, political, appreciation of the
academic or medical reasons, or for any other such purposeful beauty of one’s own
endeavor, and those who travel for pleasure. nation, not only in
terms of its natural
The first group includes businessmen, executives attending resources but also
conferences, diplomats, missionaries, students, people who of the diverse
are seeking medical help or recuperating, workers who have cultural groups that
found or are seeking jobs outside of their hometowns or make up the
countries, and just about anybody who sets off to another place tapestry that is the
with a significant mission or purpose. national characters.

The second group is composed of people who visit other  Expands one’s
places for no other reason than pleasure or recreation. It is misunderstanding of
with this group that tourism is mainly concerned. one’s nation and
thus raises national
People who travel for pleasure are further classified into two consciousness.
distinct groups:
Guide Questions:
1. Excursionist- travelers who stay not more than 24 hours at
their destination, or who stay for only a day, not overnight. Direction: Answer the following the questions with the best
ability. Refrain from copying from the web. Answer this in
2. Tourist- travelers who stay at least 24 hours at their Microsoft Word and submit via messenger or gmail
destination. (kimb.calceta@gmail.com).
Tourist are further divided into: Deadline of Submission:
a. Inbound Tourist- tourist who travel to a country
outside of their own. 1. What is the basic difference between a tourist and an
b. Domestic Tourist- tourist who travel outside of their excursionist?
area of residence but within their own country.
2. When you visit a relative in the province, do you consider
yourself a domestic tourist?
3. Do you consider mountaineers as domestic tourists?
4. How can tourism promote patriotism? Discuss.
_________________________________________________
Types of Domestic Tourist in the Philippines
Filipino domestic tourists fall under three categories,
based on their movement across the geographical and political
boundaries within the Philippine archipelago.
1. Interregional
This type of traveler moves from one of the regions to
another. He or she would come, say from the National Capital
Region and visit Cebu, a province in the Central Visayas Region
(Region VII). This type of domestic traveler comprises the
largest portion of the tourist market, numbering about 12
million.
Figure 2. Interregional travel
Manila
Cebu
2. Intraregional
This type of traveler moves from one province to
another within one specific region. For instance, this traveler
would go from Cebu to Bohol or Negros Oriental; all three
provinces belong to the Central Visayas Region (Region VII).
Although relatively small in number, this group of domestic
tourist could still make a significant contribution to the
development of urban centers within their region.
Figure 2. Intraregional travel
Cebu
Negros Bohol
Orient
3. Local
This type of traveler is often classified as an excursionist
because of the assumption that he or she will not need to stay
beyond 24 hours in his/her destination, which is always within
his/her province. Someone who travels from Catbalogan in
Samar to Sohoton National Park in the town of Basey (also in
Samar) would fall under this clarification.
Figure 4. Local Travel
Catbalogan
Basey, Samar
Kinds of Tourist Attractions
A. Natural
There are countless natural attractions in the Philippines
but the most popular, and most plentiful, are the beaches that
line the islands of the archipelago. From tip of Luzon in
Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte down to Zamboanga and Davao, the
coastal areas continue to attract both domestic and foreign
tourists.
Another popular natural attraction in the Philippines are its
mountains, particularly the Cordilleras. Baguio City is still the
premiere mountain getaway in the country, seconded only by
Tagaytay City in Cavite, which is located on the ridge of a
prehistoric volcano and offers a panoramic view of Taal Lake
and Taal Volcano in Batangas. The cool climate in Tagaytay
offers domestic travelers a respite from the intense summer heat
in the lowlands. Its proximity to Metro Manila makes it the
favorite weekend escape of the busy urban set.
B. Historical
Much of what we know as our past revolves around
the various colonial regimes. Our most significant historical
events are the Spanish authorities, the Fil-American War at the
turn of the century, and the Second World War. Subsequently,
our significant historical attractions are the buildings,
monuments, and other relics from this past.
C. Cultural
Cultural attractions refer to the rituals, songs,
dances, costumes, arts, crafts, stories, and other
manifestations of a people’s traditional beliefs. In the
Philippines, although there are still a number of indigenous
tribes who have managed to preserve the culture of their
ancestors, most native beliefs have been either transformed or
replaced by that of other cultures—this includes that of the
Spaniards, the Americans, the Japanese, the Chinese, and
other peoples who have part of our history. As a result
attractions are varied and colorful.

D. Man-Made
Dams, power plants, parks, buildings and other great
or unusual structures or things made by humans that have no
significant historical value fall under the category of man-made
attractions. There are not too many in the Philippines, and the
few that we have are not developed for tourism and are rarely
visited by travelers, except of course for such wonders as the
Banawe Rice terraces and Las Pinas Bamboo Organ.
E. Special Interest
These attractions cater to specific types of people who
have specific purposes in visiting a destination. Many of these
are independent travelers who belong to a small group of
enthusiast in a particular activity such as surfing, spelunking, or
even bird watching.
1. Mountaineering/ Trekking
There are more than 100 mountains in the Philippines
and about 20 are widely used for mountaineering, which is
increasingly becoming popular, especially among the youth.
2. Spelunking
Largely unknown here until the mid-90’s, spelunking is
now fast becoming a popular activity with a growing number of
Filipino enthusiasts.
There are more than 2,500 caves found all over the Philippines
and some of them have been developed into major tourist
destinations, like the St. Paul Subterranean River National
Park (Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park) in
Palawan and the Sumaging Cave in Sagada, Mountain
Province.
3. Bird Watching
Although the Philippines is host to more than 500
species of birds and there is a large international market that
travels the world in search of endemic avians, bird watching has
not taken off in the country because of many reasons. However,
there are exceptional sites like Olango Island in Cebu, which is
visitied by migratory birds, and Bukidnon, where one may get
the chance to see a Philippine Eagle flying in the wild.
4. Dolphin Watching
Dolphin watching is witnessing these marine mammals in
their natural environment. The Philippines has several
outstanding sites that include Tañon Strait between the islands
of Negros and Cebu, Pamilacan Island of Bohol, and Puerto
Princesa City in Palawan.
5. Scuba Diving
Scuba diving is one of the most developed special interest
activities in the Philippines in terms of site development and
market size. One of the prime dive sites is Anilao in Batangas.
Other popular diving destinations are located in Cebu, Palawan,
Subic, Puerto Galera, Bohol, Boracay and Negros Oriental.
6. Golf
Owing to market demand, numerous golf courses were
built in many Asian countries from the late seventies to the early
nineties. The Philippines is no exceptions.
7. Surfing
Surfing was fairly recently introduced to the Philippines
by a group of Western enthusiast in search of pristine areas that
they can use as surf sites. One of the first sites that was
developed for surfing and became popular among local
enthusiasts is Bagasbas Beach in Daet, Camarines Norte. Baler
in Aurora Province became highly popular after a Hollywood
movie was shot in the area. Other prime surf sites are
Catanduanes, La Union and, Siargao Island.
8.Wakeboarding
The province of Camarines Sur was able to position
itself as a premier wakeboarding destination and has now
become a preferred for enthusiasts coming from many countries.
It has also become a venue for International wakeboarding
events and competitions.
9. Whale shark Interaction
The almost unique quality of whale swimming with
whale sharks in the municipality of Donsol in the province of
Sorsogon has made the Philippines a very well-known
destination for people who want to experience this activity.
F. FESTIVALS
The most celebrated festivity in the Philippines is the
Christmas season, which officially begins on December 16, in
line with the first of a series of special Catholic Masses called
Misa de Gallo. It ends on the 6th of January with the celebration
of the Three Kings. On Christmas Eve, Filipino families gather
for a special meal called the noche buena in memory of the
birth of Jesus Christ.
There are however, many other cultural and religious festivities
that are celebrated in many parts of the Philipines. These
include the Pahiyas Festival in Lucban, Quezon; the Moriones
Festival in Mariduque; the Ati-Atihan in Aklan; the
Peñafrancia in Naga, Camarines Norte; and the Panagbenga
or Flower Festival in Baguio City.
Guide Questions:
Direction: Answer the following questions comprehensively.
In the last question (no. 4) elaborate your answer and cite
some examples. Submit your activity via messenger or gmail
(kimb.calceta@gmail.com)
1. What are the different types of tourist attractions and
activities in the Philippines?
2. How can lesser-known attractions and activities such as bird
watching become popular among domestic tourists?
3. Domestic travel is at its peak during major national festivities,
yet problems arise because of congestion and lack of facilities.
Are there ways to help solve these problems?
4. What is the government doing to promote domestic tourism
in the Philippines? Do some research