Chapter-12-04 12 23

UNIVERSITY OF CALOOCAN CITY
DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT
MOTIVATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES OF TOURISTS EXPLORING DARK
TOURISM: A CASE STUDY OF DARK TOURISM ATTRACTIONS
AT BAGUIO CITY
A Thesis
Presented to the College of Business and Accountancy
University of Caloocan City
In Partial Fulfilment
Of the Degree of
Bachelors of Science in Tourism Management
By:
Aguiba, Aljielethe Pauline Shajar C. Francisco, Joe Marie L.
Atejano, Czekaina P. Fulgencio, Del John R.
Canlas, Maxine R. Lachica, Lovic G.
Dela Cruz, Jazellyne P. Palicios, Sherryllin B.
Doon, Camille R. Zantua, Angelica S.
2023
CHAPTER I
THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND
This chapter includes the Introduction, Background of the Study, Statement
of the Problem, Scope and Delimitation, and Significance of the Study.
Introduction
The most conventional, ever-changing, and biggest industry that every
country has is tourism. It is essential to build, nurture, and flourish the rich culture
and tradition every country has to offer. Tourism also is capable of building nations
together, bringing the economy, and other factors to the top. Thus, overall, tourism
is a social, cultural, and economic phenomenon in which it entails the movement
of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or
business/professional purposes. People who visit one country are called visitors,
either tourists or excursionists from which tourism has involved from tourist’s
activities and some involve tourism expenditures. It is believed to be the economic
generator of every country and has a significant contribution to the globalization
and improvement of an industry of a country stated by Leonard J. Lickorish in his
book ‘An Introduction to Tourism’. In the Philippines on the other hand, according
to the Philippine Statistics Authority in 2018, the contribution of the tourism industry
in the Philippines is approximately 12.7% or almost equivalent to 15 billion pesos.
This helps the country to innovate and invest in more feasible and sustainable
projects that help the government build jobs, opportunities, infrastructure and such.
As everyone knows, the tourism industry is one of the biggest contributors in the
Philippines wherein tourism witnesses a global growth that will be a big help for
the future, and by means of growth, here includes better and more skilled tourism
professionals that will be a part of this growth. Hence, the different types of tourism
and its importance. Being aware of these types helps the consumer or the tourists
identify from what category the consumers belong, and in order for them to find the
motivation they need while traveling. Visiting different countries also means
identifying what type of tourism you are in. In order to know the various types of
tourism, researchers will discuss the basic and most important types of tourism
which are heritage tourism, cultural tourism, medical tourism, eco-tourism, and
dark tourism.
Background of the Study
Dark Tourism is very prominent because of its relation to educational
tourism. Although some people don’t enjoy the chilling stories and history behind
these places, many people still enjoy the educational aspect that tags along with
it, specifically those tourist attractions that hosted holocausts, tragedies, and such.
Dark tourism encompasses visiting locations connected to death, tragedy, and
pain, such as areas impacted by natural disasters, warfare, criminal acts, and
genocide. This type of tourism has become increasingly popular in recent years,
attracting individuals for either historical or educational reasons, or a desire to
experience the macabre. Although it has faced opposition, dark tourism remains a
growing trend and the impact it has on local communities and the travel industry is
still being studied. The complexity of dark tourism is influenced by various factors
including the difference between visiting places of recent death and disaster versus
pre-planned trips to historical death sites, the distinction between intentionally
created attractions versus unintentional tourist sites (such as graveyards), the
driving force behind visiting dark sites (such as a fascination with death), and the
motivation behind creating these sites (e.g. politics, education, entertainment, or
profit). The Chernobyl, The Looming Tower, The Boy in the Striped Pajamas,
Schindler’s List, and the likes are few of the movies and TV shows that covers the
dark history of holocausts and other tragedies that struck the world. Dark Tourism,
also known as Thanatourism (a form of tourism where tourists visit sites primarily
associated with death and disaster) is tourism that is associated with death or
tragedy. It gains a lot of attention especially from tourists who seek thrilling tourist
sites and attractions that once was a place of trials and tribulations. These tourists’
attractions got several controversies from different people including the fact that it
may be disrespecting the place and its victims. Others may also think that these
are all caused by unethical practices made by people who exploit and make a profit
out of it. According to the recent publication of Kevin Fox Gotham, dark tourism is
“the circulation of people to places characterized by distress, atrocity, or sadness
and pain. As a more specific component of dark tourism, “disaster tourism.” Dark
Tourism has become the main topic of debates for years due to its divided opinion.
Motivators is something that gives ideas or motivation to act, Dark experiences is
one of the objective of the travelers to visit dark tourism sites, travelers engaging
to the dark tourism sites are curious, interested, and enthralled by dark
experiences with paranormal activity, resulting in travel decisions made for
themselves based on personal beliefs and preferences, with little outside influence
from others. In terms of attitudes and subjective norms, it was determined that dark
experience was the most influential of the dark tourism constructs tested. Travelers
and Tourists may visit dark tourism because it is like engaging entertainment
through gaining emotion to the destinations they are going to visit or travelers and
tourists may visit dark tourism because of the curiosity to see the reality or the truth
behind the media images. Furthermore, travelers are seeking unique learning
experiences when they travel, travelers also exploring dark tourism to make new
discoveries. In some cases, tourists may visit the destination for reasons other
than dark tourism (e.g., photography, education). Travelers’ motivations for visiting
dark heritage sites discovered that, whereas the concept of death was
incorporated to enhance tourists' experiences, the dark tourism sites were
primarily for educational and memorial purposes, and thus became places of
commemoration, admiration, and learning. In addition, certain tourists (i.e.,
sightseers, retreaters, and passive recreationalists) were classified as "incidental"
because their visits were frequently unplanned. Instead of visiting to witness
events related to death and burials, these tourists came for general interests in the
area or to escape the stresses of everyday life. Tourists may unknowingly
encounter dark tourism if they are looking for something to do while on vacation
and happen upon a dark tourism destination or activity. This study is conducted to
understand the motivators of the tourists travelling to dark tourism destinations.
Dubbed as the "Summer Capital of the Philippines'', Baguio City welcomes millions
of tourists every year. For travelers who seem to seek grim and haunted sites,
Baguio City is the perfect place considering that it is also recognized as one of the
most haunted places in the country that has witnessed multiple tragedies like the
1990 Luzon earthquake. Diplomat Hotel is a historic building situated at Dominican
Hill in Baguio City. It once served as a rest house and a seminary way back in
1911 before it was developed into a school and eventually a hotel. The hotel is
known for being the most haunted building in the Philippines as it holds a dark
history. There are a lot of stories circulating about the history of the Diplomat Hotel,
and tourists who have been to this place also shared their experiences. As a result,
travelers choose Diplomat Hotel because they want to witness the chill and
unexplainable feeling while wandering in the hotel. Some also visit the hotel to pray
for lost souls. On the other hand, the Teachers' Camp in Baguio is also gaining
attention for being one of the dark tourism sites in Baguio City. Governor William
Pack was the one who planned to set up a camp in Baguio to accommodate
teachers. Tourists who already stayed in Teacher's Camp share one thing - that is
their unexplainable "ghost experience" stories. Some wanted to prove or witness
if the stories are true which is why they chose to stay in the Teacher's Camp. In
addition, the Laperal White House in Baguio is one of the first places local residents
seem to mention when tourists ask about the haunted places in Baguio. Owned by
the Laperal family, the oldest clan in Baguio, it was built in the 1920s. Curiosity
about the history of the Laperal White House is one of the reasons why tourists
visit the Laperal White House. Also, some people tend to visit the Laperal White
House for a "ghost hunting experience", especially now that it is open to the public
giving the tourists the opportunity to wander around the vicinity of the place. One
of the goals of visitors to dark tourism sites is to have dark experiences. Visitors to
dark tourism sites are curious, interested, and enthralled by dark experiences with
paranormal activity, resulting in travel decisions made for themselves based on

personal beliefs and preferences, with little outside influence from others. In this
study, the researchers will discover the different impacts, negative and positive
effects of the tourist's motivators when they travel in the tourist destinations
involving dark tourism in Baguio City.
Statement of the Problem
This study aims to scrutinize the Motivations and Perspectives of Tourists
Exploring Dark Tourism: A Case Study of Dark Tourism Attractions at Baguio City.
Specifically, it sought to answer the following question as to:
1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of;
1.1 Name (optional),
1.2 Gender,
1.3 Age,
1.4 Civil Status and
1.5 Educational Attainment?
2. What are the motivators of the respondents on exploring Dark Tourist sites
in Baguio City in terms of;
2.1 New experience,
2.2 Gain knowledge and

2.3 Satisfaction?
3. What are the perspectives of the respondents on exploring Dark Tourist
sites in Baguio City in terms of;
3.1. Dark History,
3.2. Ambiance,
3.3. Density,
3.4 Curiosity and
3.5 Affordability
4. What are the significant differences of the Motivations and Perspectives of
Tourists Exploring Dark Tourism: A Case Study of Dark Tourism Attractions
at Baguio City in above variables mentioned?
5. What are the recommendations to be proposed?
Hypothesis
Based on the question number 4 in the Statement of the Problem, the

following hypothesis is formulated:
Alternative Hypothesis: There is a significant difference between variables
mentioned in the motivators and the perspectives of the respondents who want to
travel Dark Tourism Sites in Baguio City.

Scope and Delimitation of the Study
The study focuses on the motivations and perspectives of tourists exploring dark
tourism in Baguio City. It will be conducting on the following tourist attractions in
Baguio City. The researchers selected three (3) particular attractions in Baguio
City, Diplomat Hotel, Laperal White House, and Teacher’s Camp. The
researchers will provide survey questionnaires to gather information from the
respondents. Online Survey Questionnaire through Google forms is the main tool
in data gathering and this study was conducted during the Academic Year 2023.
Significance of the study
This study aims to identify the possible reasons why dark tourism is still
famous among travelers and whether it can help boost the country's tourism
economy. Specifically, this will help the following in their fields;
Tourism Students. This study will be a medium of learning to their chosen course,
as well as the understanding why some tourists prefer to travel places that are
considered to be dark tourism;
Schools. This study might be used as a resource in explaining the tourism
industry, specifically tapping "dark tourism" topics; and

Communities. This study will help them with business ideas if the place they were
living in was considered to have a dark tourist spot;
Tour Operators. This study will help them to reach more visitors and potential
customers when they enveloped dark tourism as one of the main tours that they
offer;
Tourists/Travelers. This may help them with the knowledge of why some of them
consider visiting creepy places which are unlikely to some that they prefer a happy
place;
Future Researchers. This study can help them build their next topic for a research
proposal and conduct. Moreover, in addition with their schema in identifying and
explaining dark tourism.

CHAPTER 2
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES
This chapter includes the review of related literature and review of related
studies on the Motivators and Perspective of Tourists in Exploring Dark Tourism
Attractions
Tourist Exploring Dark Tourism
On a global scale, every person moves, participates, and involves different
tourism activities on which they can benefit. The reason people do these tourism
activities is because, people are naturally living to discover, witness and indulge
themselves, for their own satisfaction. Thus, the United Nations World Tourism
Organization declared that “Tourism comprises the activities of persons traveling
to and staying in places outside of their usual environment for not more than one
consecutive year for leisure, business or other purposes”. Individuals become
tourists when they voluntarily leave their normal surroundings, where they reside,
to visit another environment. These individuals will usually engage in different
activities, regardless of how close or how far this environment is (Camilleri, 2018).
Regardless of the movement of people on which they participate in tourism
activities, it is very familiar to people that their goal to visit and explore is to enjoy
and seize the moment. As per the book of Tourism, 2nd Edition by Peter Robinson,
Michael Luck, and Stephen Smith (2020), “For many, tourism is a source of fun or
relaxation; something people do during time off from work or during retirement.”
Aside from the enjoyness and leisure tourism brought to the people, tourism also
has thousands of agendas and objectives wished to fulfill. According to UNWTO
(2023) “Tourism fosters knowledge, education, and capacity building”. Training,
assessments and providing networks for education creating multitudes of
partnerships to the world. “Building partnerships: Engaging with the private sector,
regional and local tourism organizations, academia and research institutions, civil
society and the UN system to build a more sustainable, responsible and
competitive tourism sector” Added by UNWTO Purpose and objectives of tourism
would not be fulfilled without the existence of action- and that action of doing
tourism will be done through the process of transportation. As per the statement
of Camilleri in “The Tourism Industry: An Overview” (2018), “Tourism would not
exist to the extent that it does today if tourists are not able to travel from one
destination to another, in a quick and efficient manner. Transportation is what
makes this possible. The transportation available to the tourist can be divided into
air, water and land. The tourists’ need for transportation can be divided into three
groups: transportation from the point of origin to the host country (destination) and
return; transportation between host destinations, where tourists travel to more than
one destination; and transportation within host destinations”.
On the other hand, the Philippines has significant and remarkable places in which
tourists planned to go and discover, thus, the Philippine's tourism sector
contributes and generates big amounts of percentage to the economy of the
country itself. As per the study of Eylla Laire M. Gutierrez in 2019, it is said that
“tourism continues to grow as a significant industry generating economic growth
and development in the Philippines.”
In 2019, the Philippines received a record breaking 8,260,913 visitor arrivals,
boasting 15.24% increase from the previous year (Department of Tourism, 2020).
These arrivals accounted for USD 11.4 billion visitor receipts in the same year,
recording an 18.80% improvement from 2018 (World Bank, 2021; Figure 1.3).
These figures reflect the power of tourism as a major economic contributor,
especially for developing countries like the Philippines. Indeed, tourism has
become one of the pillars of the Philippine economy accounting for USD$ 90 billion
(22.5%) of its GDP in 2019 (Philippine Statistics Authority, 2020). While these
numbers seem promising for the country’s tourism industry and local destinations,
several management issues arising from this recent growth should be given
attention. Regardless of how or why individuals travel, there are some fundamental
requirements that travelers expect from destinations. Tourism researchers and
developers say that there are several key elements that are essential to the
success of a tourist destination. Here comes the 5As of tourism: which are the
Accommodation, Accessibility, Activities, Amenities, and Attractions.
Furthermore, Tourism is really the standard of change on which people rely on, to
look unto, and to evolve on a wide basis. According to the book of Stephen J.
Page, and Joanne Connell, the “Tourism: A Modern Synthesis”, (2020), “Tourism
is a part of the global process of change and development (known as globalization)
which is no longer confined to the developed countries that traditionally provided
the demand for world travel”. Also they added “In this respect, understanding the
pace of change in tourism is more complex as the forces of change are diverse
and not homogenous”. Now that tourism is ever-changing, battles, problems, and
circumstances are rattling the world and tourism has a huge impact on how the
world will change if these circumstances occur. For example, COVID-19 Pandemic
really stopped everything that is happening to the world, thus, limiting tourism
forces, at worst, even closing its doors to the public. “COVID-19 is widely
recognised as a challenge or even a game-changer for travel and tourism.”
(Higgins Desbiolles, 2020). Beyond these problems, the tourism sector ceased to
find and answer and still maximize its power as of today.

Tourist in the Philippines can be classified into domestic and international tourist
since both are the targets of tourism industry. Javier (2007) defined tourist as any
person is a potential tourist to any tourist spots regardless of what country they are
from in the book Health and Wellness Tourism: Focus on the Philippines. Domestic
tourists are described as local individuals who travel within the country while
international tourists are foreign nationals that travels to another country with an
intention of temporarily staying for a certain period of time, Tourists are further
classified by Libosada (2010) as to overnight tourists and same-day tourist.
Overnight tourist refers to a visitor who spent his/her night away from home, Same-
day tourist refers to those that do not spend the night in a collective or private
accommodation in the place visited. Tourist may be classified according to length
to stay, purpose, origin of the traveler, distance traveled, type of accommodation
used and mode of transport used. Chuck Gee, et al. (1997) refer to these variables
as the dimensions of travel. The World Trade Organization classifies visitors into
Tourist or overnight visitor and Same day visitor.
A tourist or overnight visitor is a visitor who stays at least one night in a collective
or private accommodation in the country or place visited. They include non-
nationals or foreigners, not resident crewmembers who use the accommodation
establishments of the place visited, and nationals residing abroad who are on a
visit.
Same day visitor is a visitor who does not spend the night collective or private
accommodation in the country or place visited. According to International Maritime
Organization (1965), these include cruise ship passengers who spend the night
aboard ship even they disembark for one or more day visits; crews who are not
residents of the place visited and who stay only for the day; and visitors who arrive
and leave on the same day, including transit day visitors en route to and from their
destination.
The main basis for this classification is whether or not the visitor spends at least
one night in place visited which may not necessarily mean twenty-four hours, this
is whether or not a person stays in a collective or private accommodation in the
place visited. Thus, cruise passengers who return to their ship each night to sleep
on board; passengers and owners of yachts who sleep in their yachts; and train
passengers who are accommodated in a train This is regardless of how long the
ship, should be considered only as same day visitors. yacht or train stayed in the
place or country In reality, the maximum period an international visitor may spend
in the destination varies from country to country. For example, tourists from
America, and from some countries Europe or Asia may stay in the Philippines for
21 days without visa. This may be extended by another 38 days, this time upon
application for a tourist visa, In the majority of ASEAN states, individuals from
member countries are allowed visa-free stay from 14 to 60 days provided they
have either a return or onward ticket. On the other hand, some countries label
travelers who stay up to one month as "transit passengers”, which by definition
should not be included in tourism statistics. This is another discrepancy in the
recommended definitions and actual usage and is a major cause of confusion.
Stanley Plog (1977) categorized tourist behavior into psychocentric, allocentric
and midcentric. By chocentric tourists tend to be mainstream in their behavior,
unadventurous and prefer familiar surroundings, they go to "must ace"
destinations, cat foods they have back in their home countries, and stay in popular
accommodation facilities. They have below average income level. Affocentries
relish cultural explorations, are independent in mind and body and are
adventurous. They prefer places that are off the beaten track, experiment with
cuisine found in the destination areas and tend to internalize the local cultures they
come into contact with Straddling these two extreme types are the mid entries who
make up the bulk of tourists to a particular destination. They gravitate toward
places that have been discovered by the more adventurous allocentrics, who then
move on to explore other arcas (Youell, 1996). In this classification scheme, it is
not difficult to see who will experience the most cultural exposure.
According to Javier (2007), tourist is regarded as the core of the total tourism
system because the wants and needs of the tourist dictate the actions of the
components or other participants of the total tourism system, they are those who
seek for pleasure and learning by travelling to different places to which they are
not familiar with. Without tourist, economic statuses of a country may take a fall for
it as one of the biggest sources of revenue to some countries.
DARK TOURISM
The tourism sector contributes a massive amount of financial contribution
especially towards the economy, thus making it one of the dominant ones in the
industry. According to UNWTO (2017), the tourism sector contributes million
dollars to the global economy and moves 1.2 billion people every year. The socio-
cultural aspect of the Philippines highly affects our perspective towards dark
tourism. What's unique about these places is their power to engage with
representations of death. They might deeply offend and unsettle visitors,
triggering shock, anger, but also wonder and excitement. Most places of death,
disaster and atrocities negotiate painful pasts, ethically problematic situations,
politically oriented discourses on memory and heritage (Godis & Nilsson, 2017),
strong emotional and affective reactions–such as pain, fear, empathy, catharsis–
from locals as well as visitors. Ever since dark tourism has risen to fame, it has
always caught the attention of social media that other forms of tourism have
achieved. Social media platforms such as online applications and social websites
like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., television programs, newspapers, and

even just the use of the word of mouth can be highly associated with the
attention that dark tourism has been receiving for the past few years. More
broadly, dark tourism has also been the focus of a work of popular travel writing.
More recently (see edited collection by Stone et al., 2018), an impressive array of
work on these dark tourism trends has been published, acknowledging its various
and not always cohesive nature.
Dark tourism is considered a niche which engages with the idea of death, and
fosters encounters with remembrance of fatality and mortality (Seaton, 2018). The
state of dark tourism travel writings have been quite interesting especially for
people who like thrill and spookiness to their usual travels. Those kinds of people
are the ones who tend to read and collate more knowledge about the topic itself.
Alongside dark tourism research on supply and demand approaches, case studies,
tourist motivations and trends (see Light, 2017, for a comprehensive overview),
researchers currently turn their attention to future possibilities for dark tourism,
such as terror parks (Wright, 2018), as well as psychological and psychoanalytical
approaches to tourists experiences in dark places (Biran &Buda,2018). These
studies may or may not have an impact depending on who the subject might be
and how the respondents will react to it. The approaches that the researchers are
suggesting may be effective and cost-efficient for business owners as well as the
tourism officers who might focus on funding dark tourism as one of its main
attractions at a specific place
DARK TOURISM ATTRACTIONS
Thanatourism or also known as dark tourism comprises the consumption of visitors
exploring places that are involved with genocide, holocaust, eerie, death, and
tragedy stories that became a destination that serves its visitors’ tourist attractions
after it was abandoned due to tragedies encircled around it. By this form of
abandonment, many tourists are having the urge to visit and explore the attractions
wherein they can learn and understand its long-term historical impact to its society
(Pereira, S. Q., et al., 2022). According to Peter Hohenhaus in his article entitled
a comprehensive guide to travel to 'dark-tourism' destinations worldwide. The
association with "death and calamity" can be made in extremely direct ways, as in
the case of famous communist leaders' mausoleums where their actual dead
bodies are on display for all to see. Or it can be quite indirect, like at sites of
volcanic destruction which may not have entailed any real deaths at all - just the
fact that it could have may be enough to give a site some 'black appeal'.
According to Stone, featured in one of the articles of Tourism Teacher, entitled
What is Dark Tourism and Why is it So Important that there are seven types of
dark tourism sites which are dark fun factories. These can be directed at adults
even though they are typically associated with youngsters. For instance, there are
theatrical events that all take place in dark fun factories, zombie scavenger hunts,
and escape rooms with a dark theme. Next type of dark tourism is dark exhibitions.
It is a type of dark tourism that focuses on holocausts which is a good opportunity
for tourists to learn the dark histories and events in a respectful manner. Next is
the dark dungeons which have numerous locations that allow visitors to tour their
old dungeons. These might be in their original form or they might have undergone
modifications for tours. For instance, the London Dungeons have been somewhat
"Disneyfied," with live performers, sensory experiences, and rides. Next is the dark
resting places. Bloggers have been to a lot of pretty fascinating cemeteries around
the world. Even though visiting a cemetery might not be on every traveler's to-do
list, you might be surprised at how crowded these areas can be. Next are dark
shrines which you can see throughout the world, especially in Asian countries, and
one of the most famous being the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. Next of the
seven is the dark conflict sites. Once peace has been restored and a reasonable
amount of time has elapsed, conflict areas frequently turn into gloomy tourism
destinations. Last would be the dark camps of genocide wherein there are several
sites of camps of genocide around the world, and obviously, we can conclude the
fact that this is a sad histories, some tourists still consider these camp sites as an
attraction to learn more about the history. (Staiton, 2023)

Cemetery tourism is very well-known, and it is regarded as one of the most
distinctive forms of dark tourism, because visiting cemeteries allows people
tocompletely comprehend, for the first time, the existence of death and its
significance to the society that they live in. (Mionel, 2020)
The act of traveling to and visiting sights, attractions, and exhibitions that have real
or reproduced death, misery, or the seemingly morbid as a prominent focus is
known as dark tourism. You may rarely hear this negative term, but it is
undoubtedly something that a large number of tourists have participated in, often
inadvertently. Some of the world's most well-known tourist spots may fall into this
category. Examine this: what do St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City, India's Taj
Mahal, and Egypt's Pyramids of Giza have in common? Indeed, they are all
graveyards. (Boudaleir, 2018)
Millions of visitors travel to some of the most unhappy places on Earth every year,
including the locations of infamous tragedies, accidents, natural catastrophes, and
atrocities. Visitors are making the darkest moments in history a part of their trip, if
not the entire purpose, in places like Auschwitz, Chernobyl, Gettysburg, the scene
of the Kennedy assassination, and the 9/11 Memorial in New York. The tendency
is known as "dark tourism," and experts claim it has a long history. Visits to
locations where some of the most heinous incidents in human history have taken
place are referred to as dark tourism. It can involve ethnic cleansing, genocide,
assassination, imprisonment, war, or a natural or unintentional tragedy that
transform places to profitable areas that contributes to the economy of different
countries all around the world. (Sampson, 2019).
Before it was named Club John Hay, Camp John Hay was the resting place and
recreation center of the United States Air Force back when soldiers were physically
and emotionally harmed and injured due to designated wars before camping at
John Hay. It was turned over to the Filipinos when the Americans left the country
back in early 90s. (Libosada, 2010)
In Clavel’s work in year 2015 named In the Cultural Realm of Capiz: Explorations
in Honor of Pilar Solidum Clavel, he mentioned that the Capisnon believed Aswang
and Agurang in early 2000s, he presumes that aswangs were an evil agent
bringing misfortune to town. There was saying that Aswangs were survived during
pre-Spanish times, and its value to the industry which are the tourism and
hospitality industry is that it was a mythical fight between Aswang and Agurang
that affects the cultural background of an Aswang Festival that promotes the
environmental protection and conservation of healing herbs that was used to gain
health and wellness.
One of the most well-known sights, Intramuros, urges visitors to reflect on Spanish
colonial history. Since it portrays how Filipinos were tormented throughout the
period, Fort Santiago has become a famous tourist destination. In the Philippines,
Baguio City is also known for its dark tourism. Most visitors today recognize these
destinations for their eerie ambiance and ghost stories. Many Filipinos died in this
city during WWII, and the majority of its ruins have been preserved. Among these,
dark ethical tourism in the Philippines is still in its early stages, but the attraction it
produces is still a significant step forward for the country. (Uy, 2019)
According to a traveler, mountaineer, food lover, and adventure seeker, Mervin
who posted a blog on Pinoy Adventurista regarding his travel to 10 interesting
cemeteries here in the Philippines, the blogger was not familiar to dark tourism
before he red a blog from thepinaysolobackpacker explaining the meaning of dark
tourism which is a practice of visiting destinations and events where the
predominant themes are actual or simulated suffering, death, or the macabre.
Since the blogger was fascinated by heritage houses that have old and rich
histories to share, he began to take some notes on the whereabouts of dark
tourism in our country. After knowing that there is such a term as dark tourism, the
blogger started his journey as he discovered that there are several cemeteries that
are worth exploring and have out of ordinary stories to tell. One of the attractions
he was destined to was the Nagcarlan Underground Cemetery that was built by
Franciscan Missionaries during the year of 1851. It is said that this cemetery was
used by Filipino revolutionaries to scheme their plan against Spanish rulers, and
used by the elite Catholic families as their burial. The next cemetery he went to
was the San Joaquin Roman Catholic Cemetery located at Iloilo. One of the most
attractive attractions that evoke the interest of tourists is the Campo Santo. It is
said that this cemetery was used by the locals to celebrate their holy mass before
a burial. The third of the many cemeteries he explored was the Paco Cemetery
which is probably the oldest cemetery here in the Philippines. Paco Park was
originally planned as the municipal cemetery for established Spanish upper-class
who reside in Manila. It was also used as a burial for the victims of cholera that
swept off the city during those epidemic times (Mervz, 2022).
Our society has a strong appreciation for myths and folklore, therefore we are
drawn to local locations with sinister histories. The troops and war casualties are
not an exception, nor are urban traditions concerning wandering spirits. Visit the
isolated community in Sagada if you are eager to document the distinctive funeral
custom. We may not be used to seeing cliffs and cages with coffins hanging from
them. But, it has a deeper meaning for the Igorot people. Testimony indicates that
the casket brings their ancestors' spirits closer the higher they position it. Also, the
elders do not like earth burial because they think that as water seeps into the soil,
their bodies will swiftly decompose. Discover the cemeteries of Camiguin's
forgotten memories by diving under the sea after seeing the hanging burial. The
moment you see the memorials, as some tourists have noted, there is a sense of
solitude. especially in light of the horrific past of this location. It's time to breathe in
the calming air of nature after touring yourself around the metro. The allure and
mystique of Mount Banahaw are not to be missed. Climbing the mountain's slopes,
which is regarded as holy, is calming. In addition, this location is frequently visited
by pilgrims who believe in the healing and good luck powers of the area's natural
springs. (Esmilla, 2021).
The world is continuing without looking back at the past, it became the job of the
present society to discover the histories that have been left behind by the
oppressive and gruesome dominion that produces the sites that have been labeled
as dark tourism. Even though the attractions are amalgamations of different
experiences and past sorrowful acts, the dark tourism attraction in the present day
became one of the income-generation sources for different countries. “I’m
heartened by the fact that they choose to try to understand this difficult past.”
(Lennon, 2019) Comforting the victims by sharing stories that have been hidden
by society due to the painful memories left behind is one of the many benefits that
Dark Tourism provides to the stories of people that should all be known by the
masses and should not be forgotten in order to avoid the repeated acts of the
stories from the Dark Tourism Attraction in the current era
Baguio City is known for its cool climate, making it an ideal destination for those
seeking a break from the chaos of urban areas. Baguio City is also known as the
"City of Pines" due to the abundance of pine trees. Baguio City is not just a place
where tourist can experience cool climate, but it is also a place suitable for
travellers who are fond of ghost stories and paranormal activities. One of the
advantages of visiting dark tourism sites is that tourists can learn about the dark
history of these places, which is not taught in schools.
EXPERIENCE OF DARK TOURISM
Tourists have a socially constructed image of their destination before departing.
These perceptions are significant because they influence tourist behavior in a
variety of ways, particularly when tourists have limited knowledge of their
destinations. Tourists typically choose their destination based on images they have
seen or words they have heard from others. Generally, tourists' assumptions are
positive, and images play a role in this by fulfilling a place's ocular expectancy.
When a tourist's desires are fulfilled during his or her visit to his or her destination,
he or she may return. The vague concepts that are commonly used to provide
indication of the components of an image are commonly observed as the
description of impressions, beliefs, ideals, expectations, and feelings combined
accumulated towards a place over time, on the other hand defined destination
image as the sum of beliefs, ideas, and impressions that an individual has of the
attributes and activities available at a destination. According to Amandy et, al.
(2013) The fourth theme focuses on the reasons why tourists travel.
Tourists must be inspired to engage actions that will affect their attitude toward the
campaign. As a result, in this section, the researchers discussed the factors that
influence a tourist's decision to visit a particular country. It was deemed important
to discuss tourist and its meaning because one of the study's objectives was to
create a profile of the participants and contribute to determining what driven
tourists to visit the Philippines. Following that, the fifth theme discusses the
importance of destination image on tourist satisfaction and how it affects building
a positive image in tourism.
GAIN KNOWLEDGE
Ritchie once mentioned how education forms an important element of tourists'
experience within dark tourism and other sites where there is a story to narrate.
Furthermore, most tourism officers tend to prioritize creating an education-first tour
package for tourists who seek knowledgeable adventures and sites rather than
those who are traveling for tourism known as tourism-first. The main trends in dark
tourism cover definitions and typologies; ethical debates; political roles of such
places; motivations, behaviors and visitors experiences; management and
marketing; and inquiries on methods (Light, 2017, p. 277) These definitions have a
vital role in terms of shaping what dark tourism is today and what will it be in the
next few years.

TOURIST SATISFACTION
A tourists' satisfaction is essential and so must be attended in both government
and private sectors. Kozak & Rommington (2000, as cited from Camarista 2007)
stated that satisfaction has always been a central philosophy in the tourism
industry. It is important to successful marketing for it influences the tourist's
destination choice, product consumption and the possibility of returning.
The most widely quoted theory of motivation is presented by Abraham Moslow in
his book, Motivation and Personality that was first published in 1954. The theory
of hierarchy of needs has been used in the field of tourism since the theory helps
clarify travelers’ varied motivations and thereby explain tourists’ travel behaviours
(Amin et. al, 2018). When an individual meets the basic needs, which is the first
level in the pyramid, they will eventually seek to satisfy themselves with higher
needs that occupy the set of hierarchy. In tourism industry, tourists might do
something that is quite challenging and out of their comfort zone for them to fulfill
the last level of hierarchy of needs which is self-actualization.
DARK HISTORY
Death, tragedy, and suffering are few of the things that can be correlated with
what people call dark tourism. Thanatourism or dark tourism refers to visiting
places where some of the darkest events of human history have unfolded. As
stated by Robinson and Dale, dark tourism evolved from a morbid curiosity of
death of the 19th and 20th centuries. The term dark tourism has been coined by
Foley and Lennon (2000). It is defined as a product of the circumstances of the
late modern world, an intimation of postmodernity, where death becomes
neutralized, mediated and rendered less threatening, thus commodifiable for
consumption. In the past twenty years dark tourism has gained academic
attention and considerable literature has been published.
AMBIANCE
The method of promoting the Region of CAR began with the intention of using
banners spread around the region to promote and establish the tourism invitation
to encourage visitors to visit the region. It also encourages the region to collaborate
with the authorities in order to further realize the tourism advertisement when it
comes to building its tourist population as well as increasing the standard of service
to tourists visiting the region. This means that the CAR region must prioritize the
procurement of experts in order to further develop its tourism. (Koullannyehual,
2012)
The study of Libosada in 2010 entitled Domestic Tourism: A New Edition, he
performed an analysis, mainly SWOT, in order to address the deficit of the CAR
region’s target, especially to minimize risks. In his study he concluded that the
strength of region CAR is it has innumerable, finest natural and cultural attractions.
When it comes to weakness, Libosada concluded that some parts of the region
may be inaccessible to tourists and some locals. Libosada also concluded that
region CAR has opportunities when it comes to connecting roads from other
regions that are being developed, hoping for greater access. And the only thing
that the region’s threat is that it may be prone to earthquakes and other natural
disasters that may affect the persuasion of tourists in the future.
La Trinidad Municipality serves as the capital of Benguet, according to a book
written by Bajao G., T., et al., 2021, entitled Philippine Culture & Tourism
Geography, Benguet is politically divided into 13 municipalities and 140 barangays.
Benguet is typically a mountainous region. The second-highest peak in the
Philippines, Mt. Pulag is a few feet lower than Mt. Apo is situated in the municipality
of Kabayan. It rises thousands of feet above sea level. The maximum elevation, at
Mt. Pulag is 2,792 meters above sea level. Forest land makes up 1,747.40 square
kilometers of the province's total land area, which is 2,616,48 square kilometers.
km. 869.08 square miles (66.78%) are made up of alienable and disposable lands.
km. (33.22%). The distribution of classified forest land is as follows: the
forest/watershed reservation measures 657.43 sq. Timberland is 233,61 square
kilometers. National parks cover 698.67 sq. km. The military reserve is 5.54 square
kilometers. km. Civil reservation is 152.15 square meters. km. Under the Corona's
Systems of Classification, the province's climate is classified as Category 1, with
two well defined seasons: wet from May to October and dry the rest of the year.
Comparable to spring in temperate nations, the area is refreshingly chilly. The
temperature fluctuates from a low of 8.60 degrees Celsius in January to a high of
26 degrees Celsius in April.
Aside from the study of Libosada regarding the SWOT Analysis in comparison to
Cordillera Administrative Region, Libosada also thought of ways of development
with regards to tourist attractions. He suppose that the development of tourist
attractions may come in six (6) ways. The first way of development is discovery. In
this way, there are numerous natural wonders in the nation that have the potential
to be major tourist draws but are currently underutilized or even unrecognized. He
also presumes that initial assessment is also a way of development because of its
importance in conducting a study that determines the true value of a study.
Researchers must focus on the factors in terms of accessibility and safety. Tests
are also part of the ways of developing tourist attractions due to its determinants
of how consumers would think of a site as a new tourist attraction. The fourth way
of development is consolidation, he concluded that it is the leading of the
institutional assertion for site development. Next important development of tourist
attraction is investment, due to its vital role in the tourism and hospitality industry,
also to different industries. Private sectors are also a part of direct stake on site,
also the government sector if you are looking for stakeholders. Last would be the
marketing, its purpose is to ascertain your target, and by attracting not just local
tourists, but also foreign tourists, you must allocate a larger budget for your
business.
DENSITY
Visitors to Baguio City have been steadily growing with the removal of the covid-
19 limit. Baguio's environment, with the city only recording over 268,000 in 2021
and 260,000 in 2020, compared to over 1.5 million in 2019. The first ten months of
2020 saw an increase in tourist traffic to the city, with over 474,000 visitor arrivals
recorded. The findings revealed that Baguio City's visitor density has changed after
the Covid-19 incident, and this plainly restricts tourist travel inside the city's
attractions. (DOT, 2022)
CURIOSITY
What motivates individuals to travel? Undoubtedly the urge to travel and vacation
is touched off by instinctual needs present in all mankind. People travel for many
different reasons and the travel and tourism industry is about far more than
providing holidays for people. Traveling or taking vacations is mostly part of the
needs of an individual, upon these basic needs are those learned or culturally
determined activators, varying from culture to one another and within a society,
which can cause of increase to the movement of millions of people within and
around the world each year. Motivators, simply defines as the reasons for a
particular behavior. According to Camilleri (2018), the prime motivation to engage
in pleasure travel is the desire to be elsewhere, even temporarily from the routine
constraints and stresses of everyday life.
In order to satisfy a wide range of motivations, travelers have been looking for a
new and unique travel experiences to acquire knowledge and to have awareness
on specific tourism attractions. Nowadays, dark tourism has become more popular,
these are the places where some of the darkest human history have unfolded.
According to a study conducted by Lewis, et al., “Dark tourism: motivations and
visit intentions of tourists” (2021), “tourists are curious, interested, and intrigued by
dark experiences with paranormal activity, resulting in travel choices made for
themselves based on personal beliefs and preferences, with minimal outside
influence from others. ” Therefore, travelers are most likely to visit a dark tourism
destination because they want to have a dark experience.
According to Amandy et. al., (2013), it is the person’s curiosity that motivates them
to experience something new when it comes to travelling to foreign places around
the world. In addition, tourist travel because of their desire of response. Many
people want to develop intimate relationships with others, and traveling allows
them to meet new people. A tourist travels to experience and learn about the
culture of someone they know in order to better relate to them. In dark tourism
sites, as per stated by Cornell (2019), in his study “The Bright Side of Dark Tourism
in Baguio City: Understanding its Impact to the Stakeholders,” he stated that the
feeling of sorrow towards the tragic events that happened in the past triggers the
interest of tourist to visit dark tourism destinations. Some tourist may want to pay
tribute and respect for the people who were affected by the grief event.
AFFORDABILITY
According to Eva Treer (2010) found that 'Social Media: An Interesting Option for
Tourism Destination Promotion? ' stated that social media is perceived as a very
important information source during travel planning due to its unique qualities of
being informative and credible, but it is primarily used during the information search
phase. According to Eva Treer (2010) Attracting tourists and potential customers
is one of the primary goals of destination image. To attract people's attention, a
variety of tourism promotional activities are used to sell a tourist destination.
Various tourism agencies, media operators, and tourism authorities collaborate to
promote or sell a tourist destination in the hopes of gaining a position in the tourism
world as well as profit motives.
According to beta.tourism.gov.ph, Since the relaxation of Covid-19 restrictions,
visitor arrivals in Baguio City have shown a consistent upward trend. The pandemic
hampered Baguio's typically vibrant tourism environment, with the city only
recording over 267,000 visitors in 2021 and 268,000 in 2020, compared to over
1.5 million in 2019. The first ten months of 2022 saw an increase in tourist traffic
to the city, with over 474,000 visitor arrivals recorded. According to
kingtolentino.com Baguio City budget and itinerary an overnight stay in Baguio City
for two people is estimated to cost around Php5,000.00. This is based on the
assumption that: the accommodation is Php2,000.00 per night or less, 6 meals are
Php200.00 per person per meal, and commute around Baguio City.
MOTIVATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES
There are basic travel motivators that are grouped into four classes by Robert W.
McIntosh:
The physical motivators, it is including those related to physical rest, sports
participation, recreation, relaxing entertainment and connected with health. This
motivation specifically relates to the activities associated with medical
examinations and health care. The primary characteristic of this motivation is the
lowering of stress through physical activity. The cultural motivators, is the desire
to know about others culture – about their music, art, folklore, dances, paintings,
and religion. This motivation, driven the curiosity of a tourist and understand other
cultures way of life. One of the basic travel motivators is the interpersonal
motivators, wherein it comprises a desire to meet other people, visit friends or
relatives or also known as VFR, escape from routine, from stressors, from family
and neighbors or make new friendship. Lastly, the status and prestige
motivators, pertain to ego needs and personal development. In this motivators
includes business trips, convention, and pursuit of education. Travel would
enhance one’s desire for recognition, appreciation and good reputation.
Tourists are motivated to travel to certain destination sites based on their own
perception that can be determined by push and pull factors.
According to Agnes and Gamueda (2019), push factors deals with tourists’
behavior and willingness to explore new places and their desire to experience new
environment, while pull factors focus on the tourists’ destination and how these
places influence their decision on where to travel. “It can be also identified by
activities, history, attractiveness of the attraction or recreation facility, nature
characteristics, perceptions, and many more.” (Said and Maryono, 2018).
Based on these motivational factors, tourists are motivated to travel by push and
pull factors that influence their decision to travel to a specific destination. Tourists
are motivated and influenced to travel to different places based on their needs and
desires, as well as the attributes of a destination site. In dark tourism, motivators
define as memory, gaining knowledge and awareness, and exclusivity were

important motivations for dark tourists; also, consuming dark tourism may allow
the individual a sense of meaning and understanding of past disaster. Travelers
and tourists may visit dark tourism because it is like engaging entertainment
through gaining emotion to the destinations they are going to visit. Also, curious to
see the reality or truth behind the media images. “There are numerous ethical
debates about dark tourism, and the nature of what is presented, the context within
which it is presented and narrated and the choices made by travellers who decide
to visit these sites and the reasons for their visits”. Stone (2012, p. 48)
In the book of Tourism by Peterson, et.al., sited by Dunkley (2005) provides
framework for understanding the different reasons for and interesting visiting dark
tourism sites.
These include the contemplation, spiritual and retrospective purposes, thrill and
risk-seeking, validation and confirmation of events that may have happened such
as crime, murder or disaster. Also, it also presented the authenticity and the need
to acknowledge the reality of a place or person's existence. Self-discovery and
learning. Furthermore, the iconic sites which immortalize key events, and
significant landmarks, as well as the convenience when an attraction is located in
a famous city example of this is the Coliseum in Rome. Lastly, the morbid curiosity,
visiting sites where death or disaster have only recently occurred, there is
remembrance and empathy as one of the reason or motivators in visiting dark
tourism sites.
Moreover, in the study of Fabros, et al., (2022), there are seven (7) main reasons
or motivations of tourists visiting dark tourism sites, these are: Education,
Remembrance, Sight- seeing, Recreation, Family bonding, Curiosity, and Event
venue. Dark tourism sites can be visited for educational purposes as the students
can gain knowledge specifically in the history of a particular place. Visiting loved
ones who are buried in the identified dark tourism sites can served as a
remembrance to show that they are not forgotten. For some tourist just want to
have a remembrance of the attraction by taking photos of the sites. Another
motivation is sightseeing; this is because some of the dark tourism sites also offer
numerous attractions that the tourist could visit. Also, dark tourism sites can be
visited for recreational purposes because of its unique landscape and design.
Family bonding happens in visiting a deceased family member in a cemetery,
which is also considered a dark tourism site. Moreover, one of the major
motivations in visiting dark tourism sites is the tourists’ curiosity which can be
related to the study of Lewis et al. (2021), travelling in dark tourism site can feed
their curious mind regarding on the tragic history of the destination. Lastly, some
of the dark tourism sites are now used as event venue because of its vintage and
classic environment.
Some tourists consider dark tourism as disrespectful, voyeuristic, exploitative, or
simply inappropriate. Others see no problem with it and just aren't bothered. For
some, the nature of the site, its age, finances, and visitors' intentions and behavior
all play a role. According to wheretheroadforks.com (2023) It is important to
remember that visiting sites of death or suffering has been popular for as long as
tourism has existed. Dark tourism is not a new trend. It is only natural for humans
to be drawn to these dark places. Most of us have an innate fascination with the
morbid. There's nothing wrong with satisfying our morbid curiosity as long as we
do so respectfully and without causing unnecessary destruction or harm. We can
learn about history, culture, and ourselves all at the same time. Many individuals
have adverse feelings about dark places, particularly cemeteries. “Dark tourism
connotes death, mourning, and sadness, which makes it a vital feature of
cemeteries and inspiring fear.” (Mionel, 2020). The cemetery can be regarded as
a manifestation of popular culture, as it allows visitors to witness expressions of
thought, values, and culture across time. Pereira and Limbeger (2020)
According to Millán (2019), mentions that tourists are generally content to gaze at
funerary monuments, architectural beauty, and landscaping when visiting
cemeteries. It was discovered that the tourist experience has escapist,
educational, and political dimensions. In a study conducted by to Assunco (2019),
tourism in cemeteries benefits both tourists and the community because it places
value on local history and characters, regardless of any political values assigned
to their identities. “It fosters active citizenship as well as the possibility of education
and humanism” Pereira and Limberger (2020).
According to Anshita Kandhari (2019), dark tourism in simplest terms is
"atmospheric tourism," where travelers may appreciate a location's beauty despite
its melancholy. It is often referred to as black tourism and mourning tourism. This
type of travel involves more than just going to the location of a natural disaster.
“Tourists have different travelling motivations and behavioural manifestations,
helping tour operators decide suitable for them. Developing a dark tourism niche
concept is a necessary step for correct use of it in theory and practice. Dark tourism
is an important concept studied in the past twenty years in worldwide literature.”
Schneider, et al., (2021).
According to Grebenar (2018) suggest commodified aspects of the tourist
experience within dark tourism may even enhance visitor encounters, by offering
familiarity and succor in the form of standardized gift shops, hospitality provision,
and tour guiding. “The spectacularization of death within dark tourism has also
ushered in death as part of a broader entrepreneurial exercise, where the
spectacular dead are ‘packaged’ as commodities and their tragic passing retailed
in a mercantile world” Bird, et al., (2018).

Theoretical Framework
Motivation plays a vital role in the tourism industry, specifically to the tourists. It
has a massive amount of contribution in terms of the tourists’ decision-making on
whether they would travel to a specific place. Due to the increasing relevance of
the tourism industry, several companies and organizations felt the need to
understand, obtain, and identify relevant information on several significant factors
that have massive impacts on the tourists’ motivations and perspectives. In line
with that, these companies aim to reconstruct how they cater their customers’
needs and consider the factors mentioned above. Obtaining a deeper and an in-
depth knowledge in tourists’ motivations can help tourist providers in equipping
well-crafted tourism products for tourists to exult in. According to Amadeus IT
Groups (2021), ‘Unlike many other industries, travel can inspire people. Through
greater collaboration and offering more extensive options, travel companies have
an opportunity to build the experiences travelers want.’ Inspiration and motivation
goes hand in hand in the tourism industry due to the fact that it offers a better way
of communicating between tourism professionals and tourists in order to build a
more inclusive environment.
Abraham Maslow first introduced the concept of a hierarchy of needs in his 1943
paper, titled "A Theory of Human Motivation," and again in his subsequent
book, "Motivation and Personality." This hierarchy suggests that people are
motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs.
Figure 1: Abraham Maslow Hierarchy
Of Needs
The concept of a hierarchy of needs was first introduced by Abraham Maslow in
his 1943 paper, "A Theory of Human Motivation," and then again in his subsequent
book, "Motivation and Personality." This hierarchy suggests that people are
motivated to fulfill basic needs before moving on to other, more advanced needs.
The most widely quoted theory of motivation is presented by Abraham Moslow in
his book, Motivation and Personality that was first published in 1954. The theory
of hierarchy of needs has been used in the field of tourism since the theory helps
clarify travelers’ varied motivations and thereby explain tourists’ travel behaviours
(Amin et. al, 2018). When an individual meets the basic needs, which is the first
level in the pyramid, they will eventually seek to satisfy themselves with higher
needs that occupy the set of hierarchy. In tourism industry, tourists might do
something that is quite challenging and out of their comfort zone for them to fulfill
the last level of hierarchy of needs which is self-actualization.
According to Agnes and Gamueda (2019), push factors deals with tourists’
behavior and willingness to explore new places and their desire to experience new
environment, while pull factors focus on the tourists’ destination and how these
places influence their decision on where to travel.
Figure 2: Crompton’s Push and Pull Factors
Of Needs
According to Icenis (2017) Visitors' behavior can be explained using a push-pull
framework approach. The push-pull theoretical framework is a popular theory that
explains why tourists choose to visit one location over another, the type of
experience they want to have, and the type of activity they want to participate in.
Psychological encouragement is one of the push factors, along with social
interaction, the desire for escape, adventure, relaxation, and self-exploration. The
push factor is defined as the factors underlying and directing someone's behavior
to travel. Motivation is defined as the underlying power to rise and directly affect
behavior. When a person desires to meet their needs, they become motivated.
Motivation is frequently associated with push-pull factors that influence visitor
behavior. Push factors are socio-psychological visitor contracts that influence their
motivation to visit an attraction or destination (peaceful, loneliness, to feel a new
experience, etc). While the pull factors are the characteristics of the environment
that entices them to visit an attraction or specific destination. Perception and
motivation can influence visitors' behavior to participate in tourism activities in
national parks. A hierarchy conceptual model is used to explain the factors that
influence visitors' behavior when they visit national parks.
The image of the destination is formed by visitors' overall perception of the tourist
site. When tourists choose a destination, they are influenced by the image of the
destination. The perception of someone's experience related to his feelings
consists of an experience from the surrounding environment stimulant followed by
activity as a response or answer to the stimulant. Perception refers to how a person
feels, mentally processes, and acts on information received from their
surroundings. Positive image perception from a destination becomes the most
preferred choice among the alternatives. As a result, the number of people who
visit will be reduced. Tourists are influenced to visit a destination by their attitude
toward the destination, the opinions of relatives and friends, previous travel
experience, and time and financial constraints.
Conceptual Framework
Figure 3. The correlation of motivations and perspective between the

tourists and mainly, the dark tourism attractions.
The figure 3 represents the relationship of motivations and perspective with the
tourists and especially to the dark tourism. The diagram mainly focuses on the
researcher's study which is to understand the motivations and perspective of
tourists that urges them to visit, explore, and learn about dark tourism attractions.

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UNIVERSITY OF CALOOCAN CITY

DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM AND HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY MANAGEMENT

MOTIVATIONS AND PERSPECTIVES OF TOURISTS EXPLORING DARK

TOURISM: A CASE STUDY OF DARK TOURISM ATTRACTIONS

Presented to the College of Business and Accountancy

University of Caloocan City

Bachelors of Science in Tourism Management

Aguiba, Aljielethe Pauline Shajar C. Francisco, Joe Marie L.

Atejano, Czekaina P. Fulgencio, Del John R.

Canlas, Maxine R. Lachica, Lovic G.

Dela Cruz, Jazellyne P. Palicios, Sherryllin B.

Doon, Camille R. Zantua, Angelica S.

THE PROBLEM AND ITS BACKGROUND

This chapter includes the Introduction, Background of the Study, Statement

of the Problem, Scope and Delimitation, and Significance of the Study.

The most conventional, ever-changing, and biggest industry that every

is a social, cultural, and economic phenomenon in which it entails the movement

of people to countries or places outside their usual environment for personal or

activities and some involve tourism expenditures. It is believed to be the economic

generator of every country and has a significant contribution to the globalization

and improvement of an industry of a country stated by Leonard J. Lickorish in his

in the Philippines is approximately 12.7% or almost equivalent to 15 billion pesos.

Background of the Study

Dark Tourism is very prominent because of its relation to educational

Dark tourism encompasses visiting locations connected to death, tragedy, and

attracting individuals for either historical or educational reasons, or a desire to

pre-planned trips to historical death sites, the distinction between intentionally

created attractions versus unintentional tourist sites (such as graveyards), the

motivation behind creating these sites (e.g. politics, education, entertainment, or

“the circulation of people to places characterized by distress, atrocity, or sadness

Motivators is something that gives ideas or motivation to act, Dark experiences is

experiences with paranormal activity, resulting in travel decisions made for

incorporated to enhance tourists' experiences, the dark tourism sites were

commemoration, admiration, and learning. In addition, certain tourists (i.e.,

sightseers, retreaters, and passive recreationalists) were classified as "incidental"

because their visits were frequently unplanned. Instead of visiting to witness

area or to escape the stresses of everyday life. Tourists may unknowingly

understand the motivators of the tourists travelling to dark tourism destinations.

1990 Luzon earthquake. Diplomat Hotel is a historic building situated at Dominican

their unexplainable "ghost experience" stories. Some wanted to prove or witness

paranormal activity, resulting in travel decisions made for themselves based on

involving dark tourism in Baguio City.

Statement of the Problem

This study aims to scrutinize the Motivations and Perspectives of Tourists

Specifically, it sought to answer the following question as to:

1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of;

1.1 Name (optional),

1.4 Civil Status and

1.5 Educational Attainment?

in Baguio City in terms of;

2.1 New experience,

2.2 Gain knowledge and

3. What are the perspectives of the respondents on exploring Dark Tourist

sites in Baguio City in terms of;

3.1. Dark History,

3.4 Curiosity and

4. What are the significant differences of the Motivations and Perspectives of