CHAPTER 1: of local people”.
This definition was updated in 2015 with
ECOTOURISM CONCEPT
ECOTOURISM
 There is no universally accepted definition of ecotourism.
Fennell (2001,in Smith, 2009), estimated that there are at
least 85 different definitions of ecotourism .
Tourism Society’s Dictionary for the Tourism Industry
(2008) in Smith, 2009)
 “destination-based visits/tours and considered to be small-
scale tourism development using local products and
produce with a clear orientation to local flora and fauna”
and “tours that do not disturb the local environment while
producing income for areas”.
 This definition focuses on ecology from which the term
ecotourism was derived.
Hector Ceballos-Lascurain
 “tourism that consists in travelling to relatively undisturbed
or uncontaminated natural areas with the specific object of
studying, admiring and enjoying the scenery and its wild
plants and animals, as well as any existing cultural
manifestations (both past and present) found in these
areas.”
According to Boo
 Later, Boo (1990) defined ecotourism as “responsible
travel to nature where the flora and fauna and cultural
heritage are the primary attractions in a way that conserves
the environment and improves the well-being of local
people.
According to TIES
 The International Ecotourism Society (1991) defined
ecotourism as “responsible travel to natural areas that
conserves the environmental and sustains the well-being
the inclusion of the role of interpretation and education.
 The definition now reads as follows: Ecotourism is
responsible travel to natural areas that conserves the
environment, sustains the well-being of local people, and
involves interp
According to WCN
 The International Union for the Conservation of Nature
(1996). (now the World Conservation Union) defined
ecotourism as “environmentally responsible travel and
visitation to relatively undisturbed natural areas in order to
enjoy and appreciate nature (and any accompanying
cultural features---both past and present) that promotes
conservation, has low negative visitor impact, and
provides for beneficially active socioeconomic
involvement of local population”.
According to Drumm and Moore in Cobbinah
 Drumm and Moore (2002) in Cobbinah, 2015) defined
ecotourism based on what it can do: “Ecotourism is a form
of tourism that aims to minimize environmental impacts
and contributes to economic development of local
communities and for successfully funding conservation
and sustainable development programs”.
Indonesia
 Defines ecotourism as “activities of responsible travelling
in intact areas which are named according to the role of
nature, the purpose of such activities being enjoy natural
beauty, involves education, understanding and supports
conservation, as well as increases the income of the local
communities” (Sudarto, 1999; Dirjen Bangda Depdagri,
2000 in Khalifah & Yalk, 2013)
Thailand

 Defined the concept as “tourism in a natural environment

where tourism resources are well taken care of and tourists
can learn about enjoy nature; while local people take part
in tourism management” (Tourism Authority of Thailand,
1997 in Khalifah and Yalk 2013)

Australia (2016)

 “ecology sustainable tourism with a primary focus on

experiencing natural areas that fosters environmental and
cultural understanding, appreciation and conservation”
(Ecotourism Australia, 2016)

Japan (2010)

 Definition was very broad and not confined to travel to

natural areas. “Ecotourism is a tool for local community
development that utilizes various local resources. An even
broader view of ecotourism would also consider
environmental education and cultural exchange between
urban dwellers and rural communications”.

Ecosystem
First National Ecotourism held in Tagbilaran, Bohol on
October 27-29, 1999
 “ The whole system,… including not only the organism-
complex, but also the whole complex of physical factors
 A tool for sustainable development through the proper
forming what we call the environment.
management, protection and conservation of the country’s
- Sir Arthur George Tansley
national and cultural resources while at the same time
generating jobs and businesses for the local people.

UNWTO Definition of Sustainable Tourism

 “Tourism that takes full account of its current and future

economic, social and environmental impacts, addressing
the needs of visitors, the industry, the environment and
host communities”.
  Ecotourism can be an alternative livelihood to mining or
2002 kaingin farming.
 People can make local delicacies for sale to tourist, offer
 The United Nations has declared 2002 as the grooming services or massage, or act as guides to make
International Year of ecotourism following a money.
recommendation by the Philippines.  A focus on ecotourism embeds the values of conservation
among local population who become the vanguards for
 In support of this declaration, many countries throughout protecting the environment and educating visitors on the
the world are currently preparing their national plans on importance of a clean and green environment
ecotourism.  Ecotourism will not automatically produce positive results.
Poor execution can lead to problems like environmental
1999 Bohol Congress degradation, inflation, crowding, conflicts and loss of
cultural values.
 In the Philippines, the 1999 Bohol Congress has clearly  Many wild animals are sensitive to the presence of people
defined the concept of ecotourism in relation to the needs and naturally avoid going to areas where ecotourist
and aspirations of the Philippines which is, thus, custom- frequently visit, resulting in the loss of biodiversity
designed to the Philippines context.  Places can be ruined by people stepping on corals,
trampling on vegetation, and littering plastic wrappers and
 The Bohol Congress output has, therefore, laid the bottles, food and beverage supplies and bringing polluting
foundations for the NES. vehicles and excessive construction of facilities.
3 Intrinsic Elements of Ecotourism  The uncontrolled access of “ecotourists” to caves and
lagoons, their insensitivity and attitude of entitlement can
 Sustainable development lead to environmental damage and conflicts with the local
 Sensitivity to the environment residents.
 Respect for the local people and their culture  These unequal encounters can bring about conflicts and
poor quality of experience not only on the hosts but also on
Ecotourism offers many potential benefits, such as: the tourists themselves.

 Revenue generation To address the threats of ecotourism, JICA (2012)

 Local employment recommend the following:
 Environmental conservation
 Environmental awareness  Cultivating and enhancing economic opportunities through
 Appreciation of local culture skills development and production of local handicrafts
 Opportunities for inclusion of women, indigenous
communities and vulnerable groups in decision making  Protecting and conserving indigenous knowledge systems
and management of ecotourism areas. which are tried and tested ways of doing things, like the
 Revenues can be created from entrance fees, user fees, terrace construction techniques in the Cordilleras;
concessionaire rentals and donations of tourists. Local
people can find employment as local tourism officers,  Fostering cultural celebrations like town fiestas which
tourism planners, tour guides, waiters and vendors. strengthen local identity, thus making the local people
more resistant to outside cultural influences;
 Enhancing local life appreciation by making the residents
know why tourists visit their places;
CHAPTER 2:
 Empowering local people through local sourcing, local THE ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENT PROCESS
employment, and local ownership and management;
 Providing many opportunities for tourist involvement in Ecotourism as a Business
tourism activities through volunteerism and donation to  As, a business ,ecotourism is involved in the process of
worthy causes like education, health and environmental identifying long-term goals,identifying alternative
conservation; and strategies and choosing the best option to attain its business
goals. Business planning covers marketing,operation and
 Sound business management of ecotourism sites to ensure environmental management.
their viability.
Ecotourism Product - a composite of
resources,facilities,activities and services

PHASES OF ECOTOURISM MANAGEMENT

1.Assessment phase, which covers two stages:

a. Preliminary site evaluation
b. Full site evaluation
2. Planning phase, which should produce two output:
a. ecotourism management plan for the site
b. ecotourism business plan
3. Implementation phase
a. implementation of the management plan
b. implementation of the business plan
4. Monitoring and Evaluation

Site Assessment in Protected Area

 “’Protected Area’ refers to identified portions of land and

water set aside by reason of their unique physical and
biological significance, managed to enhance biological
diversity and protected against destructive human
exploitation.

 -National Integrated Protected Areas System Act (RA

7586 of 1992)

RA 7586 of 1992, protected areas are classified into:

 1. Strict nature reserve 8. Recreational Zones
2. Natural park 9. Buffer Zones
3. Natural monument
ASSESSMENT PHASE
4. Wildlife sanctuary
 Is to be done by the Department of Environment and
5. Protected landscapes and seascapes
Natural Resources(DENR) through a group composed of
6. Resource reserve
local stakeholders and the Protected Area Supervisor
7. Natural biotic areas, and
(PASu),with the latter acting as a leader.
8. Other categories established by law, conventions, or
international agreements of which the Philippine Preliminary Site Evaluation (PSE)
Government is a signatory.
 Carried out to determine if a site has a potential to be
developed into an ecotourism site.
Calanog,Reyes and Eugenio(2012)
 It is usually entails the conduct of a focused group

 Any form of tourism is prohibited in a strict nature reserve. discussion involving local community representative and

It is an area possessing some outstanding ecosystem, tourism experts.The allocated time for doing the

features and/or species of flora and fauna of national preliminary site evaluation is one week..

scientific importance maintained to protect nature and

Criteria for PSE
maintain processes in an undisturbed state in order to have
1. Presence of significant potential natural area and/or
ecologically representative examples of the natural
cultural attractions
environment available for scientific study, environmental
2. Ease of providing visitor access to the attraction
monitoring, education, and for the maintenance of genetic
3. How well the attraction can be adequately protected from
resources in a dynamic and evolutionary state.
visitor impacts
4. Security and environmental hazard issue
 Hard Tourism-activities “involve special interest or
5. Presence of sufficient management and administrative
dedicated activity”and a willingness by the visitor to
authority of the ecotourism program at the site
experience outdoors or wilderness with few comforts.
6. Availability of initial funding if needed
7. Commitment of protected area managers, and communities
 Soft Tourism- involves activities where a more casual,less
to adhere to ecotourism guidelines
dedicated approach is taken to the activity or natural
8. Whether ecotourism could improve biodiversity health and
attraction and a desire to experience it with some basic
conservation efforts
degree of comfort.
Full Site Assessment

 It will entail one month.This phase can also be done by the

DENR group composed of the PASu and local tourism
Protected areas may have different zone as follows:
stakeholders.
1. Strict Protection Zones
2. Mutiple use zones Criteria for Full Site Assessment
3. Sustainable use Zones 1. Access
4. Restoration Zones 2. Zoning
5. Habitat Mangament zones 3. Tourism built up areas,if any
6. Special use zones 4. Development limitations
7. Cultural zones 5. Ecotourism products
 6. Ecotourism operations  entails dividing the ecotourism area into different sectors in
7. Community participation order to distribute different types of use or non-use in the
8. Skills and training needs of communities most appropriate places (Drumm & Moore, 2005).
9. Marketing  It will be the basis for the designation of Tourism
10. Site Management Enterprise Zones (TEZs).
11. Visitor Managmemt
12. Partnership Site Planning
 involves making decisions on where to build ecotourism
PLANNING PHASE
infrastructure, such as ecolodges, visitor center, toilets,
trails, and campsites.
Ecotourism Management Plan (EMP)
 The group may start by referring to a pre-existing protected
Sustainable infrastructure design
area Management Plan. The committee should look for
 The facilities must be implemented using a sustainable
zoning guidelines, impact monitoring activities,
design principle in conformity with Department of
organizational structure, and staffing levels. If none, then a
Agriculture Order (DAO) 2009-09 (Standard Design and
protected area Ecotourism Management plan will have to
Specifications of Signs, Buildings, Facilities and Other
be drawn from the ground up
Infrastructure that May Be Installed and/or Constructed
Within Projected Areas)
 Ecotourism Management Planning must involve relevant
Visitor Management
stakeholders. These stakeholders include the Local
 It should be anchored on carrying capacity as determined
Government Unit (LGU), the Department of Tourism
by DENR guidelines
(DOT) National Economic and Development Authority
(NEDA), local community, indigenous people, and the
Revenue Generation
private sector. The EMP is to be finished in three months.
 It may be in terms of charging environmental fee, user fee,
The Ecotourism Management Plan should include:
entrance fee, and other fees, the amount of which should be
in accordance with existing guidelines and rules that may
1. Site profile
be issued by the DENR. Ecotourism sites should ideally be
2. Tourism situation
able to earn enough in order to provide for the site's
3. Issues and concerns to developing and sustaining
conservation activities
ecotourism include environmental, social, financial, and
institutional issues
The Ecotourism Management Plan (EMP) must contain the
4. Ecotourism planning for the site appropriate development
following:
for the site; ecotourism products, detailed physical plan
5. Vision, goals, and objectives
1. Existing Situation
6. Strategies covering:
2. Tourism Profile
a. zoning
3. Plan
b. site planning and design
c. sustainable infrastructure design
 After finishing the EMP, the document is submitted by the
d. visitor management
DENR group to the Regional Ecotourism Committee
e. revenue generation
(REC) for review.

Zoning
 The review process is supposed to take one month. After 3. tours);
the review, the REC sends the document to the Protected 4. NGO ecotourism enterprises;
Area Management Board (PAMB), which issues the 5. joint ventures by NGO, private sector, and LGU;
approval for the EMP. 6. business ventures by minority groups, such as women,
indigenous peoples, out-of- school youth, and others.
 The waiting time for securing the approval will take one
month. IMPLEMENTATION PHASE

 The full cycle from the preliminary site assessment (PSA)  The implementation of the Ecotourism Management Plan
up to the start of the implementation of the ecotourism rests on the DENR through the Protected Area
management plan is six months and one week. Superintendent (PASu).

 Based on the Ecotourism Management Plan (EMP), the

Ecotourism Business Plan (EMP) PASu prepares an annual work plan specifying the
 Once the EMP has been approved by PAMB, the activities to be conducted, the persons responsible for
ecotourism business plan can now be drawn up. The conducting such activities, the location and timeframe of
business plan is to be formulated by the local government activities, and the resources to be used to accomplish the
unit and the private sector in two months. The business activities.
plan is sent back to the Regional Ecotourism Committee
for review, which will entail a period of one month. After SAPA
the review, the business plan is again forwarded to the  a binding instrument between the DENR, through the
PAMB for approval. Waiting time to get the approval is PAMB as the first party, and a second party who could be
one month. any of the following: indigenous people, tenured migrants,
LGU, NGO, other government entities, and private sector
Ecotourism Business Plan (EMP) such as corporations, business establishment, and
The contents of an ecotourism business plan are the following: cooperatives.
1. Executive summary
 It may be issued in a protected area except in Strict Nature
2. Product or service description
Reserves.
3. Ecotourism industry analysis
4. Marketing strategy
 The grant of SAPA is subject to the issuance of an
5. Financial projections
Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) and approval
6. Monitoring and evaluation
by the DENR Secretary or his duly authorized
representative. Along with ecotourism facilities and
 The full cycle from the preliminary site assessment to the
campsites, other special issues include communication
start of the implementation of the business plan is ten
facilities, transmission lines, irrigation canals/waterways,
months and one week.
rights-of-way

 SAPA has an effectivity of 25 years and may be extended

Ecotourism businesses may be categorized into:
subject to review.
1. community-based ecotourism enterprises;
2. private concessions (food and beverage, lodging,
 f.
According to DENR AO No. 2004-32
g.
 A Community-based Resource Management Agreement is
"an agreement entered into by and between the DENR and
h.
the organized tenured migrant communities or interested
indigenous peoples in protected areas and buffer zones
i.
which has a term of twenty-five (25) years and renewable
for another twenty-five (25) years."
j.
Interest and awareness of the opportunities and risks
involved in Ecotourism
Presence of a community organization to ensure effective
decision- making
Respect and protection measures for local indigenous
systems and values
Means for marketing ecotourism activities/enterprise in
partnership with other stakeholders in the value chain
A local champion for ecotourism, and community

Tenured migrant communities acceptance of ecotourism as an activity

 a "group of persons who, after the survey of the PA
occupants, were verified to have been actually and
continuously occupying a portion of the PA for a period of
at least five years before the establishment of the same as
such in accordance with the National Integrated Protected
Areas System Act and are solely dependent therein for
subsistence
Site Assessment in a Non-Protected Area
Preliminary Site Assessment
 It is basically the same as a SWOT analysis where one tries
to identify an area's strengths and weaknesses, and the
opportunities and threats in relation to the development of
ecotourism in that area.
 According to Calanog et al. (2012), the following tools can
be used in the PSE:

Prerequisites for Ecotourism Development 1. Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA)

2. Scoping/Pre-feasibility Study
 According to the Manual on Community-based Ecotourism
3. Strengths-Weaknesses-OpportunitiesThreats (SWOT)
written by Calanog et al. (2012), ecotourism success
Analysis
requires that the following conditions be met:

1. At the national/municipal level:

a. An economic, political, and legislative framework to
ensure effective trading and security of investment
Participatory Rural Assessment (PRA)
b. Laws that protect local ownership of ecotourism projects
thus allowing financial benefits from ecotourism to be
 an approach that incorporates the profile, local knowledge,
earned and retained within local communities
and opinions of rural people in the planning and
c. Local ownership rights on natural and cultural resource
management of development projects and programs.
based. Visitors' safety and security
 emphasizes and gives substantial value to local knowledge
2. At the community level:
and the "bottom-up" approach in organizational
management.
d. The place must have unique natural features and attractive
 In an ecotourism enterprise, PRA seeks to empowe
scenery, with the presence of endemic plants and animals
marginalized communities by making them active
e. An ecosystem that is able to handle varying levels of
participants during project planning, operation, and
visitation stress
management.
 It can be used to collect and analyze information in a 3. Data and information analysis
participatory manner 4. Terms of reference
 This process is rapid, progressive, and iterative
 PRA techniques help mobilize and organize local people Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats
around issues they consider important. (SWOT) Analysis
 a strategic planning method used to evaluate the strengths,
FOUR CATEGORIES OF PRA TECHNIQUES: weaknesses, opportunities, and threats involved in a project
1. Visualized analyses such as ecotourism.
2. Interviews
3. Field sampling  The strengths and weaknesses are to be found in the
4. Group and team dynamics characteristics and features of the area under study.

1. Visualized analyses could be in the following forms:  Opportunities and threats are trends or events outside of
1) resource and social maps transects; the area under study, which can impact the prospects for
2) timelines; ecotourism in that area
3) historical profiles;
4) reference ranking;  Strengths and weaknesses are also known as internal
5) participatory diagramming (systems, flows, institutions, analysis while opportunities and threats form part of the
decisions, problems); external analysis. External analysis should be guided by
6) tables and graphs; the acronym PESTLE.
7) list of problems, causes, strategies, and potentials. SO, ST, WO, or WT

2. Interviews  SO involves identifying strategies that will capitalize on

It could be semi- structured, focused group discussions, or key the strengths of the area in order to take advantage of the

informants interview. opportunities.

3. Field sampling  ST involves identifying strategies that will enable the area
includes transect walks and direct observation. to use its strengths to counter threats.

 WO refers to strategies that have something to do with

4. Group and team dynamics
rectifying the area's weaknesses to take advantage of
group dynamics may involve brainstorming, report writing, and
opportunities
work sharing

 WT refers to strategies that enable the area to address its

Scoping/Pre-Feasibility Study weaknesses to minimize the impact of threats.

 A scoping study is another method of preliminary analysis Full Feasibility Study (FFS)
involving a series of consultations and analysis to come up
with a definitive project plan of action.  It is the next step after a pre-feasibility study has
established that an area is ready for ecotourism.
Scoping involves the following four key steps:
 The feasibility study is important because it outlines the
1. Initial consultations
requisites to make proposed ecotourism succeed.
2. Field consultations
 It provides a solid foundation for developing the
ecotourism business plan.
The feasibility study should present the following
components:
 This can be done through consultative meetings and
workshops to confirm the data generated and the analysis
and interpretations made.
 It also helps in evaluating the acceptability and workability
of the proposed ecotourism enterprise.

1. Economic viability,
2. financial,
3. Market potentials
4. technical feasibility,
5. environmental friendliness, Out of more than 200 protected areas in the Philippines, 18 were
6. social acceptability and cultural sensitivity, given priority status for ecotourism development :
7. organizational soundness.
1. Coron Island, Palawan
2. El Nido Managed Resource Protected Area, Palawan
3. Malampaya Sound Protected Landscape And Seascape,

The FFS process entails the following steps: Palawan

4. Mt. Guiting-Guiting Natural Park, Sibuyan Island,

1. Stocktaking Review. Romblon

 This includes secondary data gathering on the biophysical 5. Mts. Iglit-Baco National Park, Mindoro

and socio-economic profile of the area. These data could 6. Mt. Isarog National Park, Camarines Sur

be gathered from such sources as: 7. Mt. Malindang National Park, Misamis Occidental
8. Mt. Pulag National Park, Ifugao, Nueva Vizcaya

a. The General Management Plan (for a site within a 9. Agusan Marsh Wildlife Sanctuary

protected area) 10. Apo Reef Natural Park

b. the town or city's Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP) 11. Batanes Protected Landscape And Seascape

c. market surveys 12. Bataan National Park

13. Kanlaon Natural Parkx

2. Primary Data on Biophysical Resources. 14. Mt. Kitanglad Natural Park

 This can be through vegetation survey, faunal survey, and 15. Mt. Apo Natural Park

soil and water survey. Key informant interviews and 16. Northern Sierra Madre Natural Park

questionnaires can also be used as complementary 17. Siargao Protected Landscape And Seascape

methods. This is also called natural resource inventory. 18. Turtle Island Wildlife Sanctuary

3. Primary Data on Social Resources.

 This provides a clear understanding of the profile, needs,
aspirations, problems, potentials, and capabilities of the
local people with respect to ecotourism.

4. Data Validation.

ECOTOURISM FACILITY DESIGN
1. Inclusive Design - inclusive for PWD, PWD- friendly
design must provide for ample width for paths and boardwalks,
manageable slopes or inclines (1:8 ratio), and firm surface
materials for wheelchairs.
2. Tropical Design - countries near the equator. Ventilation will
be facilitated by making the windows small and placed high on
the wall under the eave, aligning windows and doors to capture
breezes and allow cross-flow breezes.
3. Safety Consideration
4. Cultural Sensitivity
5. Gender Sensitivity
Specifications for Signs
Boundary marker
 A boundary marker may be a monument, buoy, or
marking such as a tree or a big rock, which is installed or
painted for protected area and buffer zone boundaries.
 A monument must have a minimum dimension of 15 cm x
15 cm x 60 cm. The materials to be used should be Class A
(1:2:4) concrete, longitudinally reinforced with steel 10
millimeters in diameter standard deformed steel bar and
properly embedded on the center.
 The boundary markers for protected areas should have the
letters "PA" and for buffer zones "BZ." The letters should
be 5 cm-high in Arial font and engraved on the top of the
said monument. A 1 cm diameter "point" (0) at the center
of the top of the marker should be engraved.
 The markers should be installed vertically and as
accurately as possible where the imaginary corner points of
the protected area are located on the ground.
 Forty-five centimeter of the marker must be buried and 15
cm must be exposed.
Buoys
 If the corner points of a protected area are located on a
body of water, red buoys with a minimum diameter of
30.48 cm can be used.
 The letters "PA" or "BZ" measuring 5 cm in height and
written in Arial font must be engraved o seawater-resistant
metal plate and firmly attached at the top.
 The buoys should be properly chained and anchored while
avoiding damage to underwater resources such as corals,
seagrass, and the like. The geographic coordinates of each
corner marked by buoy should be recorded.