BOHOL, PHILIPPINES: A Tourism Plan Proposal

In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements in

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I. Introduction

The chosen tourism destination is the Province of Bohol, it is the 10th largest island

of the country that is one of the most popular and visited tourist spots and is located in the
heart of Central Visayas area as one of Visayas’ top tourist spots. This province is abundant

with a bunch of beaches, resorts, indoor and outdoor activities, and many more. One of its

most popular tourist destinations is the Chocolate Hills–though the name sounds enticing–

this destination is described like a chocolate as it is colored like one yet not made of one, it

is considered as one of the seven wonders of the Philippines. It is also associated with the

endangered primate species which are the Philippine Tarsier, these are small creatures with

the biggest eyes one could ever imagine.

Bohol has allocated hefty efforts to preserve and save the lives of these emotionally-

sensitive creatures by creating the Philippine Tarsier Sanctuary in Corella, Bohol. Due to a

significant number of activities Bohol has, you can always go here any time any place–may it

be on different occasions, seasons, or just because you want to explore the Philippines–but

of course, you have to be mindful of the country’s rainy season. Some examples of what you

can do in Bohol would be to go to Tagbilaran City, its capital, be in Bohol Bee Farm or

Butterfly Garden, check out the Abatan River, Waterfalls, or Panglao island beaches, and

many more.

II. Chosen tourism development theory: Irridex Model

Irridex Model is a tourism development theory in which negative tourism

impacts the perspective of the local community, their disdain is evident and would

eventually become avoidant of any kind of tourism on their land area. Using this theory

means finding out whether the residents are into or against tourism in their area, meaning

to say that in developing a tourist destination, one must find the balance between giving the

greatest experience the tourists can have with their travels or journey without making the

residents uncomfortable with the system or development. This can be determined using the
Irritation Index by Doxey by examining and finding out the residents’ outlook on their

current tourism, by doing so, the developers get the middle ground between the residents

and tourists’ satisfaction towards tourism.

Therefore, in choosing this tourism development theory, the developers of the

tourist destination would become more socially aware as per the recognition of the local

residents of tourism especially when it is beneficial to them and the tourist spot. In addition

to that, this can be used in finding out whether or not there are things to develop or leave it

be, or maybe check out if there are interventions regarding preservation or minimization of

tourism. This theory is also applicable to how ecotourism can be introduced in Bohol, a

tourist destination that is leaning towards natural resources, because having to promote

good tourism by using eco-friendly ideas and innovation, the locals would then be happy to

cooperate and approach tourism in a social and economic sense.

III. Chosen tourism planning platform: Adaptancy Platform

Adaptancy platform is a tourism planning platform that acknowledges that there is

negative tourism that may come from involving a substantial amount of foreign people to a

local land. Mass tourism being the common denominator nowadays especially in different

tourist spots in the country, this now pertains to its negative effects to the tourist spots and

local communities as well. This is sometimes referred to as the ‘low-volume, low impact’ or

alternative tourism. This is further expanded into 2 sets: the environmentally-oriented and

the socially-oriented tourism, these are the driving forces for adapting alternative ways to

accommodate tourism at its greatest and unharmful quality.

 Therefore, this platform finds its way around the negative impact of tourism by

searching for ways to minimize–or eradicate most of it at best–to accommodate not only

the tourists but also the local community and the entirety of the tourist destination as well.

In that sense, having to pick this platform is also interconnected to the fact that Bohol offers

natural resources and tourist spots that one can enjoy and thus, needs the maintenance

against negative tourism and as such is subject to a more environmental and socially-

oriented tourism. Although Bohol is a popular place for tourists, the adaptancy platform

leans towards low-volume and low impact tourism, this would mean that the focus of

developing Bohol as a tourist destination is more tied to ecotourism and patronizing local

resources from its residents with the exception of not understating or overstating the

destination’s carrying capacity.

IV. Chosen tourism planning approach: Environmental Approach

As aforementioned, Bohol is a natural attraction and has natural resources so in

order to protect these, human intervention must be acquainted with natural resources in

order to preserve, protect, and keep safe of the said destination without having to change it

substantially. There are three approaches under environmental approach, these are:

carrying capacity, limits of acceptable change, and environmental impact assessment. The 3

aforementioned approaches are to be used in order to prevent and protect the natural

resources from environmental degradation. To practice these approaches is to enable

human intervention to repair the damage and not cause harm any further, as well as create

a space for nature to take its course of action naturally.

 In using this approach and the concept behind this which is the Carrying Capacity

and Limit of Acceptable Change, the tourist destination is limited only to what can be done

to preserve it and beautify it not only for the sake of boosting the tourism and hospitality

industry but also in helping the environment and its locals in protecting the land. The said

concept would create a limit wherein there are factors that are acceptable only to a certain

extent that would benefit everyone else's. In Environmental Impact Assessment, this would

mean that the tourist destination developers would then be accustomed to predict

environmental impacts that the project would bring and rise if it were to push through,

thus, the project must be built in accordance with what brings a better and positive outlook

for the nature, the residents, and the tourists combined. In using this kind of approach,

ecotourism is also present and would not cause physical and long-term effects on the

natural attractions and the living things that surround it.

References

Bohol. (n.d.). Guide to the Philippines. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from

https://guidetothephilippines.ph/destinations-and-attractions/bohol-island

Bohol Tourism Office. (n.d.). About Bohol. Behold Bohol. Retrieved March 5, 2023,

from https://tourism.bohol.gov.ph/
Bohol Tourism Office. (2022, April 30). PHILIPPINE TARSIER SANCTUARY. Behold

Bohol. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from

https://tourism.bohol.gov.ph/project/philippine-tarsier-sanctuary/

Ford, J. (2020, January 26). What is Adaptancy platform in tourism? – AnswersAll.

AnswersAll. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://answer-all.com/popular/what-is-

adaptancy-platform-in-tourism/

Ramos, K. (n.d.). 18 Top Tourist Spots in Bohol I Land of Chocolate Hills. Guide to the

Philippines. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from

https://guidetothephilippines.ph/articles/what-to-experience/bohol-tourist-spots

Stine, A. (2022, June 20). Environmentally Sustainable Tourism: A Progressive

Approach. Soapboxie. Retrieved March 6, 2023, from https://soapboxie.com/social-

issues/Progressive-Approach-to-Environmentally-Sustainable-Tourism

What is Doxey's Irritation Index and how does it work? (2023, January 20). Tourism

Teacher. Retrieved March 5, 2023, from https://tourismteacher.com/doxeys-

irritation-index/