Chapter 2

THE TOURISM PLANNING PROCESS

The Core Value of this course is to enable you to make a tourism plan.
In order for you to do that, we will discuss the basic steps in tourism planning
and the kinds of information that you need to have to prepare a plan. finally,
we will discuss the tools for analyzing internal and external factors that
impinge on a destination, evaluationg tourism assets and tourism sites, and
making projections on demand and suplly. The tourism development plan
digest is also provided to give you a general idea of what tourism planning at
the local level entails.

Learning Objectives
After reading this Chapter, you are expected to:
1.

recognize different models of planning;

2.

recall different tools and data needed for tourism planning;

3.

name the major elements of a toursm development plan;

4.

identify the special features of ecotourism planning process;

5.
evaluate tourism resources and tourism sites according to established
criteria;
6.

make projections on supply of rooms; and

7.

enumerate the components of a tourism development plan digest.

PLANNING MODELS

Basic Planning Model

The most basic planning sequence was proposed by the british
planning pioneer patrick geddes; survey-analyze-plan. the first stage involves
data and informantion gathering. the second stage is the analysis of the data
collected and detection of trends that are likely to occur or continue in the
future. the final stage is to make a plan, taking into account the facts and
interpetations drived from the first two steps (Hall 1975).

Systematic Planning Process

Brian McLoughlin's Systematic planning process (1969 in Hall 1975)
starts with the decision to adopt planning. the second step is to formulate the
goal(s) and objectives of the plan. the third step is to study possible courses
of action, followed by an evaluation of the courses of action, taking into
account the values of the organization and cost-benifit analysis. the fifth step
is to decide on the action to be taken, which may, for example take the form
of public investment or controll through private investment. the sixth and last
step is to review or monitor the results of the action in relation to the stated
goals or objectives. the information is then fed back to step number 2 and
use to modify or adjust the plan because of this loop, it can be said that this
planning process is actually a cycle

Rational Planning Model

One of the most popular planning approaches is rational planning
(hudson 1979 in Lew 2007). also known as synoptic pllaning and
comprehensive planning, this approach was emulated from the urban
planning tradition. this model appears to be an elaborate version of
McLoughlin's Model described previously. the steps in the rational planning
process have been summarize by Lew (2007) as follows;

1.

identify a problem.

2.

identify a goal (or goals).

3.

collect background data.

4.

identify guidlines for assessing alternative plan scenarios.

5.
identify alternative plan scenarios, including policies and
guidelines, to
achieve the goal.
6.
Asses alternative plan scenarios using the pre-defined
assessment
guidelines.
7.

Select the preferred alternative.

8.

implement the plan.

9.

monitor evaluate and revise the implementation

10.

identify new problems and begin the process again.

denoted by

Although this is a step-by-step procedure, it is actually a cycle as

step number 10.

TTEC "VICE" Planning Model

New Zealand's Tourism recreation research and education centre
(TRREC) presents a model that emphasizes the interest of visitors, industry,
communities, and the environment (VICE). In this model these four major
stakeholders are able to provide "inputs" into the local tourism planning
framework.
TRREC emphasizes the central role of consultation in the
planning process. Accourding to the organization, consultation is important
for the following reasons:
1.
tourism
2.

to provide information to all those who might be affected by

development;
to encourage parties to present their views;

3.
to explain the scope of consultation to all stakeholders, such as
impact on the
environment of a proposed new visitor activity; and
4.
to give reason for decisions by local authorities to proceed or
cancel a tourism
project
The strategic planning toolkit is the second of TRREC's four tourism
planning "toolkits". the other three toolkits are situation analysis (first set of
"toolboxes"), Implementation (Third Set), and Monitoring (fourth set).
it consists of the following components:
1.

Vision - the future state and achievements required for tourism

2.

goals - board-based targets for tourism (qualitatively stated)

3.
stated)

Objectives - Specific measures of achievments (quantitatively

4.

Strategies - the Methods by which objectives will be achieved

Tourism Planning Process in the National

Tourism Development Plan
The Planning process which is derived from the sections of the
(Philippine) national tourism development plan for 2011 to 2016 is as follows:
1.

Situation Analysis

This section provides an analysis of natural and cultural

resources, tourism infrastructure, transportation, accommodation capacities,
tourism administration and governance, trends in turism arrivals and receipts
and identifies strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT).
2.

Goals, vision, and strategies directions

The started Strategic Vision is "to be a must-experience

destination in Asia". The goal is "to have an environment and socially
responsible tourism that delivers a more widely distributed employment and
income opportunities..." The threemain strategic directions are (1) to improve
market acccess and connectivity, (2) develop and market competitive tourist
destination and products, and (3) improve institutional governance and
human resource capacities
3.
a five-year
4.
that will be
5.
Framework

Action plans/timeline
This section provides a detailed listing of specific activities over
period.
Cost Estimates/budget
The cost estimates are ballpark figures of the amount of money
needed to carry out the strategies
Implementation mechanism/Destination management

This section presents the main entites that will translate the plan
at the strategic and tactical levels. strategies and tactics are sometimes
interchanged but there are fundamentals difference between the two
concepts, according to ardent consulting. first, a strategic plan is a roadmap
to a vision, while a tactical plan is a map to a goal. thus, in the same way that
a vision is comprised of goals, a strategy is composed of tactics. second,
strategiesrequire more than a year to several decades to accomplish, while
tactics take one year or less in time frame. third, strategies will involve the
whole organization, while tactics involve only a part of an organization lastly,
strategies are formulated by the highest management level in the
organization, while tactics involve the lower level officers.

UNWTO Tourism Planning Model

How Complex the tourism planning process gets depends on the scope
o f work to be done. in some cases, the objectives of the plan will already be
determined by the pricipal or sponsoring organization, and the planner(s) will
only have to undertake situation analysis to identify and justify the chosen
strategies. For instance, when the UN World Tourism Organization recruits
members of the planning team, they will already have a project Brife Which
indicates that a background analysis has already been carried out, useally by
a consultant or a team of consultants. Then the UNWTO sends out emails to
prospective team members with an offer of compensation and the Terms Of
Reference (TOR), which lists the expected outputs from the "experts"
There are five basics steps in crafting a tourism development plan.
1.

Study Preparation

This step involves formulating the project TOR, selecting the

technical team to carry out the study, appointing a steering committee, and
organizing the study activities.
The TOR are formulated so that the study achieves its desired results
and outputs. The TOR specify the economic, environmental and social issues,
as well as the critical institutional elements and implementation techniques.
the TOR format follows the typical planning process but is tailored to the
unique characteristics and need of the area (e.g., a country) concerned. For
Places with an already existing tourism development, The TOR may
emphasize rejuvenation or improvement strategies and guidance on future
expansion. A Single Study may include national, Regional and local level of
planning. Local levelinvolves detailed planning for priority development
areas, which must be specified in the TOR.
The actual work performed by the planning team is just the tip of the
iceberg of the whole process. during the study preparation stage,
costultations between the party requesting for technicial assistance and a
development agency(eg., UNWTO) are carried out. the requesting party
maybe a goverment unit such as state agency (democratic People's Public of
Korea National Tourism administration), a local goverment unit (LGU), such as
a province or group of provinces (e.g., the three samar island provinces), or
part of a province (Northen part of leyte province) a city, or a town. in this
stage, the funding source for the planning project is also discussed. financing
for such projects may come from an international development agency
(united nations development programme), the national tourism agency
(department of tourism), or the LGU, Singly, or in partnership with the other

entities. The DOT encourages LGUs to conduct their own tourism planning, in
which case assistance may be just in the provision of an expert adviser.
however in case the LGU lacks the planning capacity. the DOT may do it for
them but will work out a co-financing arrangement in a Memorandum Of
Agreement (a ranking DOT official, personal communication, october 2013)
sometimes the client organization, such as the DOT, Will employ the
services of a consulting firm (e.g., Berkman international), or individual
consultants, to carry out the tourism planning project. after contract briefing
sessions,the contract is finalized and signed between the two parties-(client
organization and consulting firm). the contract states the mobilization period
and project timeline, such as the scheduled submission of draft reports,
workshops, site visit and plan presentation. a consulting firm may enter into
individual contracts with the recruited experts, the experts having been
chosen in consultation with the client. the contracts with the experts spell out
the TOR, which indicate the timetable of release of professional fees and daily
allowance, and the expected outputs along that timeline (Espino, Personal
communication, October 2013). one reality of working in a team is that
sometimes you have to work with people you have never met before it is
important that team members are able to adjust to each other's
idiosyncrasies. power play within the team must be managed to ensure
smooth working relationship and timely submission of repots.
2. Background Research and Documentation
The second stage, background research and documentation, involves
several methods. workshops and seminars may be held to obtain inputs from
stakeholder representatives in the area concerned. the main outputs of such
workshops are a vision statement, and identification of tourism sites. site
visits or ocular inpections are another method. the purpose of the site visits is
to evaluate the potential of tourism resources the team may spend time in
local accommodation facilities and sample restaurants to assess the quality
of services and facilities. they also conduct interviews with key informants,
such as town officials and tourism officers, to obtain information about the
LGUs' comphensive land use plan (CLUP) and tourism development plans, if
there are any. talking with local officials also reveals local political dynamics,
which has bearing on the implementation of plans.
3. Objectives
The third stage is the formulation of objectives based on the
information derived from the stakeholder inputs during the workshop and site
visits. for example, for the marketing component of the plan, the brand
decision and target market identification will depend on the observed
strenghts of the destination's tourism resources. the communication objective

(e.g., awareness, interest, desire, action) will depend on the level of

awareness of the target market(s).
The Kind and Number of goals and objectives in a tourism plan will
depend on the scope off the planning project. if it is a master plan, it may
have sections om marketing, product development, design guidelines, gender
sensitivity program, and financing, among others. the plan may also be
focused on one issue and therefore may have a singular goal or objective,
such as how to revitalize the coastal towns in Stri lanka that were devasteted
by the indian ocean tsunami in 2004
4.

Strategies

The fourth Stage is to Decide on the appropriate strategies to achieve

the objectives again based on the analysis of the local situation. sometimes,
consultants may debate on the choice of strategies. for example, one
consultant will propose building a "world-class" tourism school as a strategy
to develop human capital. Another would disagree with it, given the financial
condition of the country. this consultant might suggest that it would be more
feasible to improve the facilities of an existing tourism college and recruit
volunteer teachers to conduct foreign language training.
The Strategies must be detailed in terms of action plans and programs.
for example, the human resource development component of a north korea
project in 2006 (whicch this author happened to lead) consisted of a sixcountry (Europe and asia) International Exposure Program for officials of the
national tourism Administration. the program included a short-course training
for middle-level tourism officers in malaysia hotel operations training for rank
and file; lecture-workshops for senior officials, and intensive foreign-laungage
training in chinese, janapese, and english. Each of these action programs had
its own timeline.
5.

Report Writing and Presentation

The Fifth step is the writing of the plan and presentation to the
stakeholder groups. to some extent, the final content of the plan will reflect
preferences expressed by a stakeholders, such as the local andministration.
on one foreign assignment this author had to "rephrase" certain parts of a
report to reflect a more positive image of the country, as "requested" by the
counterpart officials.
Tourism plans must be in written form so that stakeholders and any
other interested party can have a standard reference for implementation.
The last step is implementation and monitoring. however this stage is
already carried out by the client or implementing agencies at the tourist

destination level. as such, the work of the consultants concludes with the
submission of the final report. in many cases, the planning team is seldom
informed of wheter the plan was even implemented the test of a good plan is
in the results after its implementation, but some plans end up just "gathering
Dust in shelves".

Ecotourism Planning Model

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources administrative
order no. 2013-19 states the guidelines on ecotourism Planning and
management in protected areas. the guidelines provide the basic steps in
ecotourism planning in annex B, Shown below
Site Assesment
a.

Preliminary Site Evaluation (PSE)

The preliminary site evaluation is a feature of ecotourism

planning not commonly found in regular tourism plans. at this stage, it is
assumed that the protected area (PA) has already undergone a site
evaluation as a requirment for the preparation of the protected Area
management plan. The International union for conservation of nature (2008)
describes a protected area as "a clearly Defined geographical space,
Recognised, dedicated and managed through Legal or Other Effective means,
to achieve the long-term conservation of nature with associated ecosystem
services and cultural values" IUCN Says that PAs Are a pillar of Biodiversity
Conservation and also contributes to people's livelihoods, particularly at the
local level, PAs Provide Food Clean water Supply,Medicines and protection
from the impacts of natural disasters. they also help mitigate and adapt to
climate change as the global network of protected areas stores at least 15%
of terrestrial carbon.
According to court (2013), a Oritected Area management plan (PAMP)
is a Document that guides authorities in looking after a protected area. the
basic objective of a PAMP is the conversation and management of the
biodeversity of the PA. the PAMP also indicates under whose jurisdiction a
protected area is the PA.s Significance the threats the PA is Subjected to, and
the strategies for protecting the PA. The Complexity Of a PAMP will vary
Depending on a Host of factors, such as the size of the PA the Number of
communities involved, The Kinds of threats the PA is Faced with, the degree
of competing interests, the level of stakeholder involvement, and even the
issue emanating from outside the PA itself
Republic Act No 7586 or the National Integrated protected areas

system (NIPAS) Act of 1992, Further provides that the management plan
should "promote the adoption and implementation of innovative
management techuniques, including, if necessary, the concept of zoning
buffer zone management for multiple use and protection habitat conservation
and rehabilitation, diversity management community organizing,
socioeconomic and scientific researchers, site-specific policy development,
pest management and fire control'
The information derived from the site evaluation may already be used for
purposes of the PSE. The PSE determines whether a particular site is
appropriate for ecotourism development, and therefore needs to continue
with the planning process for ecotourism in the area.
Questions to be addressed are:

Are there potential natural or cultural attractions in the area?

Can visitor access to the attractions be easily established?

Can the attractions be protected at an acceptable level from the impacts

of visitation?
Is the area free of security problems or natural 'hazards .that cannot be
effectively controlled by the management of the area or local authorities?
Does the PA have sufficient management and administrative authority to
effectively manage implementation and monitoring of an ecotourism
program at site level?
Is there a reasonable expectation that initial funding needed to
develop ecotourism will be available?
Are the protected area managers, tour operators, and communities
willing to conform to the ecotourism guidelines (e.g., tourism that is low
impact, involve small groups, subjected to impact monitoring, and actively
involves local communities)?
Will visitation improve biodiversity health or reduce threats to
conservation targets.?
The response to all these questions must be positive to determine if
ecotourism is appropriate for the area. If there is a 'negative response, a
focused group discussion will be organized and the participants will
deliberate on whether to proceed to the next step, which is the full site
assessment.
b. FUN Site Assessment (FSA)
The full site assessment will involve the following methods:
1. Review of existing data - review of existing plans, policies, laws,
inventories, and maps that pertain to the site being studied.
2. Field work - validation of information about the area; includes

photo, observations, notations on maps, field notes.

3. Interviews of key informants, such as tourists, government workers in
the PA, academic and scientific researchers, people involved in
projects in the area, etc.
4'. Questionnaire and surveys - may be used when specific data is
needed.
5. Consultative meetings and 'workshops.
6. Preparation of an FSA Report, which
shall
cover the following:
_ .
.
a. Natural resources and features (flagship species, endangered
species, scenic attractions, critical areas needing protection);
b. Cultural resources (historical, heritage, or archeological
attractions, presence of indigenous peoples, traditions);
c. Protected area management (zoning, PAMP, adequate staff
in the PA Office, visitor impacts, research conducted,
monitoring, ancestral domain);
d. Visitor, patterns, activities, and infrastructure (accessibility,
information and educational campaigns or IEC, user fees, visitor
statistics by gender);
e. Tourism plans and policies (existence Of an ecotourism plan for
the area);.
f.

communities (population and economic activities);

g. Partnerships (NGQs, LGUs, and people's organizations (POs), and

other stakeholders);
h. Marketing and promotion (promotional activities; IEC); and
i.

Opportunities and threats.

Ecotourism Plan

Data from the site assessment will become inputs to the ecotourism
plan. The major elements of the ecotourism plan are:

Site profile;
1. Tourism situation;
2. Issues and concerns of developing and sustaining ecotourism;
3. Ecotourism planning for the site;
4. Vision, goals, and objectives; and
5. Component strategies.
a. Zoning
b. Visitor site plan and design
c. Sustainable facilities design
d. Visitor management
e. Revenue generation
Zoning identifies 'where specific activities will take place
(Drum and Moore 2002). Zoning is necessary to prevent
conflicting use and for safety reasons. For example, swimming
areas and boat docking stations should be located in separate
areas of an island.
Visitor site plan and design consists of a detailed, largescale map of the specific site where ecotourism activities will
occur. They indicate where infrastructure will be located in a
way that will minimize impact upon the site's natural resources.
The design should optimize the relationship between the
different infrastructure elements at the site (Drum and Moore.
2042).
Visitor site planning should consider the following:
Capacity - determines limits based on site sensitivity;
Density;
Slope - steep slopes should -be avoided;
Vegetation - refrains from landscaping; retains as much of .
The original plants in the area;
Wildlife - preserves and conserves;
Views - should be maximized;
Natural hazards - should be avoided;
Energy and utilities - use environmentally appropriate
technologies for lighting and waste management;
Water - use of water, including rainwater, safely and
efficiently; and
Visitor circulation - lodging and rails must optimize visitor
movement, minimize disturbance to sensitive areas, and
must have low impact.
According to Queensland (Australia) Ecotourism Guidelines,
sustainable facilities design requires that structures and associated

activities are "fully integrated and in harmony with the ecosystem and
its environmental features and constraints." An ecotourism facility is
considered ecologically sustainable if they:
preserve ecosystems, natural landscapes, and special species;
minimize habitat loss and weed and pest invasions;
incorporate natural landscape features in the site design,
layout, and construction design;
minimize environmental impacts and suit the
landscape (or seascape); use water and energy
efficiently and in a sustainable manner;

minimize waste and adopt recycling strategies; and

Minimize impacts from noise and lighting sources and on air
quality.

Ecotourism facilities should aim to present and appreciate an area's

natural and cultural values, and not modify the natural environment.
Candrea and Ispas (2009) described visitor management as an
administrative action which is aimed at maintaining the quality of park
resources and visitor experiences. The purpose of visitor management is
"to minimize the negative impacts resulting from unrestrained visitor
activity and to create and maintain opportunities for visitors to view,
experience, learn about, and appreciate their natural and cultural
heritage."
Candrea and Ispas outlined four strategic approaches to reduce the
negative impacts of visitors in protected areas:
1. Managing the supply of tourism or visitor opportunities, such as
by increasing the space available or the time available td
accommodate more use;
2. Managing the demand for visitation, such as by restricting of
length of stay, total numbers, or type of use
3. Managing the resource capabilities to handle use, such as by
hardening the site or specific locations, or developing facilities;
and
4. Managing the impact of use, such as by reducing the negative
impact of use by modifying the type of use, dispersing, or
concentrating use.
According to them, visitor management techniques include:
regulating access by area (zoning);

regulating visitation by visitor type (through pricing);

implementing entry or user fees;

providing interpretation programmers and facilities;

regulating visitor behavior (codes of conduct); and

Concentrating on allowing accredited organizations to bring

visitors to the site.

TOOLS AND DATA REQUIREMENTS FOR TOURISM PLANNING

The main tools that can be used for the situation analysis are published
toolkits, websites, government documents, statistical reports, and existing
plans. The material for this section was taken mainly from DOT-JICA's
Tourism Development Planning Guidebook for Local Government Units.

Situation Analysis

The Situation Analysis section of a tourism plan is carried out to

establish where the destination stands in terms of (1) socio-economic data,
(2) land use, (3) infrastructure, (4) tourist attractions, (5) visitors, and (6)
existing plans and programs. Examples of data requirements for each
variable are shown below.
1. Socio-economic situation
Population at base year and at projected year
Economic indicators at base year and projected year (GDP, GRDP)
Employment in tourism at base year and projected year
2. Land Use (Source: LGU's Comprehensive Land Use Plan)
Land use classification [Forest,. agriculture, settlement
(urban/rural residential area), zones specified for tourism use,
etc.]

Area in hectares and percent of total area: Land use maps may
be prepared digitally or manually.

3. Infrastructure
Data on infrastructure can be from topographic maps or from
the provincial Geographic Information System. A planner or engineer
can help locate infrastructure information to provide a copy of an
infrastructure map.
Inventory of Infrastructure
In coming up with a list of infrastructure, you have to get the name,
the length, capacity, any issues with current facilities, and future plans,
such as building a new one, expanding the current facility, or just improving
it
No.
Infrastructure Type
Attributes

Airport

Seaport

Road: (by classification

of National, Provincial,
Municipal road)

Water Supply

Sewerage System

Power Supply
(Electricity)

Telecommunication

Name of airport
Runway length or capable aircraft type
Passenger terminal capacity/ size
Any problems/ constraints on existing facilities
Future plan (new/ expansion/ improvement)
Name of seaport
Number of piers or wharfs for passenger vessels
Passenger Terminal Capacity
Any problems/ constraints on existing facilities
Future plan (new/ expansion/ improvement)
Total length of road network in LGU/ province by
classification
Total length of paved road by classification
Map of road network by classification
Any problems/ constraints on existing facilities
Future plan (new/ expansion/ improvement)
Name of water supply company/ organization
Location of water treatment plants and capacity
Any problems/ constraints on existing facilities
Future plan (new/ expansion/ improvement)
Name of company/ organization
Location of sewerage treatment plants and capacity
Any problems/ constraints on existing facilities
Future plan (new/ expansion/ improvement)
Name of power supply company/ organization
Location of power plant and generating capacity
'Service area or main power supply line location
Any problems/constraints on existing facilities
Future plan (new/ expansion/ improvement)
Name of telecommunication company
Service area coverage
Any problems/ constraints on existing facilities
Future plan (new/ expansion/ improvement)

You have to present this information on a map, which you can make
using computer software or manually. Use different map symbols for planned
and existing infrastructure information (for- example, solitariness for current
and dotted or broken lines for planned infrastructure).
4.Tourist

Attractions
For tourist attractions, you have to list them by name, type, and
category. Then you have to map their using standard symbols. You rriust
also collect these useful information about the attractions, perhaps with the
help of a tourism officer, like policies (e.g., conservation, land use control,
financial support, etc.), historical background (unique aspects), and access
from major airports, seaports, and land transportation terminals (distance;
travel time, frequency, schedule, fare, and seating capacity). If there is an

existing. Tourist attraction-distribution map in the destination, it can be

.
used as the basis for preparing a standardized tourist attraction- distribution
map. The location needs not be precise as the tourist attraction-distribution
map is simply for preliminary planning and not for engineering purposes. Use
the standard symbols. Provided in the DOT-JICA Guidebook.
Tourist Attractions by Types and Categories

Nature

mountains

highland

Lakes and pond

River and landscape

Coast and landscape

marine park

diving spot

otherunique land formation and landscape

History and Culture

Fort and castle

Cathedral and church

Garden

Street and townscape

Historical road and path

Historicremains

Museum

Art Museum

Zoo and botanical garden

Aquarium

Other Structures and building

Industrial Tourism

Agro-forestry tourism

Farm and ranch for tourism

Fishery tourism

art and craft

Other industrial facilities for visitors

Sport and recreational facilities

Golf

Tennis

Cycling road and area

Hiking-course

camping ground

Nature trail and path

Beach for sea bathing

Marina and harbor pressure boat

Large-scale park

Leisure-land, theme park

Sports and resort complex

Other sports and recreational facilities

Shopping

Shops, shopping area/ mall

Open air Market, sunday market, traditional market

area, etc.

Local specialties and restaurant

Costoms and traditions

Event and festival

Folk Music and dance

Local cuklture and traditions

Exposition
Convention
Other events
Medical treatment
Spa
Aesthetics
Casino

Special Events
Health and Wellness
Others

The inventory may include volume of domestic and foreign visitations if data
is available.
Sample Inventory Table for Attractions

Number

Name

Type

Category

Annual Tourist Arrivals

Domestic
Foreign

5. Visitors and Supply. Data

Visitor Data
Visitor arrivals at major entry points (airports/seaports)

Vi s i t o r p ro fi l e

The survey on visitor arrivals at the entry point will yield data that
will be useful for calculating the demand for rooms or commercial
accommodation.
Number of Visitors Who Will Use Commercial Accommodation =

Total Number of Visitors Surveyed (Returning Residents + Same-day

Visitors + Domestic Travelers Who are Visiting Friends and Relatives)
Note that foreigners who are visiting friends and relatives (VFR) are
presumed to prefer to stay at commercial accommodation
establishments.
Demand data that need to be-organized are:
a.Total Overnight Visitors (V) = Total Number of Respondents (Residents + Same-day Visitors + Domestic VFR Tourists)
b. Total Guest-nights (GN) = V X Average Length of Stay in Nights
(LOS)
c.Occupancy Rate (OR) = Total Number of Rooms Occupied/Total
Number of Rooms Available
Note that the computation is not based on total number rooms but
on available rooms because some rooms may be under maintenance
or renovation.
d. Room-nights = Number of Rooms Occupied (R) x LOS
e. Total Guest-night (GN) = Room-nights (RN) x Average Number of
Guest/Room
f.

Rooms Needed/per Tirne Period = [(V .x LOS)/Average Number of

Persons per Room]/Average Occupancy Rates/Number of Nights
per Time Period

The demand data that have been collected for over a year or longer can
reveal seasonality patterns.

The estimates of overnight visitors and total guest-nights for a tourism a

tea are helpful in choosing the strategy for that area. For example:

If an area has the biggest number of visitors and guest-nights,

that area can be considered as the tourist base or staging point. A
wide range of services and amenities for the tourists should be
provided.

If an area has almost the same values for visitors and guestnights compared with other areas, then the visitors might not stay
long. Consider adding new activities and attractions to make the
visitors stay longer.

Visitor profiles can be analyzed from reviewing the questionnaire

survey. The questions within the questionnaire survey include place of
residence (name of province Or name of country); age; sex; nights of

stay; the number and type of companion; and places visited. The
interview surveys are usually done at the ports of entry. The interview
survey also includes visitor profile questions similar to the questionnaire
survey conducted at accommodation establishments (AEs): place of
residence; purpose of visit; nights of stay; the number of persons traveling
together; anc expenditure. With this data, various visitor profile analyses
become possible.
Supply Data
Accommodation Establishments

Total number of rooms available by size

Total number of AEs by type (hotel, condotel, tourist inn, serviced

residence, apartelles, motel, pension house, homestay site, etc.)

Number ofrooms by type

Classification of AEs by size:

Large:

60 or more rooms

Medium:

20-59 rooms

Small:

19 or less rooms

Tourism Service Industries

Tour operators

Travel agents

Tour guides

Souvenir shops

Restaurants
Make a list of these service providers with information such as business
name, major activities and specialty, contact person, website, telephone,
email, among others.

6.Existing Plans and Programs

In preparing new plans, you will have to refer to existing plans and
programs. This will save a lot of time and effort and avoid costly
mistakes.
Look for:
a.

Comprehensive Land Use Plan. This is the basis of land use

planning at the LGU level. The socio-economic section of this
document can provide data common for tourism development.
This can be obtained from the LGU Planning
Department/Office.

b.

c.

d.
e.
f.

Comprehensive Development Plan. This is a five-year or threeyear development

plan with a capital improvement plan. The document may
contain an infrastructure plan that can inform tourism
development planning.
Provincial Physical Framework Plan. A copy of this plan may be
requested from
the Provincial Planning and Development Office, if this is not
available at the city or town level.
Regional Tourism Development Plan
National Tourism Development Plan
Philippine Medium-Term Development Plan by the National
Economic
Development Authority.

Tools for Situation Analysis

SWOT Analysis
The Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT)
analysis is something that all tourism students should be familiar with. As
you know, it is a grid used to identify and organize internal (SW) and
external factors (OT) that have potential to affect your destination.
Strengths
These include all the tings your destination is best in, as well as all the
controllable factors: attractions, local infrastructure, festivals, specific foods,
beach quality, accommodation capacity and quality, strong tourism policies,
etc.
Strengths can be developed around aspects of the destination that
are (1) unique, (2) excellent, (3) authentic, (4)- indigenous, (5) original, (6)
historic; and (6) have superlative characteristics (highest, longest, smallest,
etc. (de Leon n.d.).
A strength can be the basis for the destination's comparative and
competitive advantage(s). A comparative advantage is an attribute of the
destination that gives it a distinct edge over other places in a particular
aspect of tourism. For example, Siargao' has a comparative advantage as _
a surfing destination because of the superior quality of its surf. This
advantage is attributed to its location along the Pacific Coast of the
Philippines where the winds whip up the iconic tubes that appeal to highly
experienced surfers. Another example is Dubai's strategic location which
makes it the ideal hub to serve Africa, Europe, and Asia. Mt. Everest's location
in Nepal made the country the mountain-climbing capital of the world.
Likewise, Malaysia's affinity with the Arab world makes it a favorite
destination of Middle Eastern tourists. A destination must utilize this
advantage to fully benefit from it. For example, person who is seven-foot
tall would be better off developing his basketball playing skills if he could
play in the NBA than studying to be an engineer. Likewise, Maldives was able
to exploit its comparative advantage by specializing in beach/marine

tourism.
Competitive advantages are what people can do to make use of the
comparative advantage or offset a _weakness. For example, destinations
which do not have distinct natural tourism assets can still acquire
competitive advantage by manipulating price, human resources,
infrastructure, environment, and technology (Pike 2008). Eas Vegas was
just a desert town before it found its niche in gaming, and later family
entertainment. Singapore has few major natural assets but makes up for
this deficiency through constant innovation and service quality. Japan
was able to compensate for limited summer/beach season by having
artificial beaches which could be covered in case of inclement weather.

Weaknesses
These are internal factors that are under your control but need
improverrient, such as lack of experienced or knowledgeable staff, security
issues, lack of infrastructure, or transportation access, dirty environment,
and lack of local tourism plans.
In analyzing the strengths and-weaknesses of a destination ; the
followinguse of the As of tourism as a framework is recommended:
1. Attractions: natural and cultural resources
2. Advantages: existence of tourism resources not found
anywhere else
3. Access: location of the destination, travel time,
transportation, terminals, infrastructure; connectivity
4. Accommodation: hotel, homestay; camp sites;'etc.
5. Amenities: banking, shopping and health facilities
6. Activities: what can be done at the destination
7. Atmosphere: peace and order situation; safety
8. Ability: quality of human resources for tourism, such as
marketing and service skills
9. Administration: presence or absence of a tourism
organization; ordinances affecting tourism; data gathering
system for tourism planning
10.Attitude: acceptance and support for tourism by local
stakeholders
11.Affluence: financial muscle of the destination
12.Affordability: relative prices of goods and Services in the
destination

13.Arrival: visitor traffic

Opportunities
These are external factors that can enhance-the-viability of adestination, such as robust growth in key source markets, national level
support for tourism program; growing interest by the international market
in tourism products offered in your destination.

Threats
These are uncontrollable factors that could place your destination at
risk, such as lack of up-to-date statistics from national government, new
competitors, war or economic downturn in the source markets, and climate
change.
Aside from the SWOT analysis, you may also use:

PEST (political, economic, socio-cultural, technological) - a tool for

analyzing the macro-environmental forces that affect tourism in the
destination. A variation of this framework is STEEPL (Socio-cultural,
Technological, Environmental, Economic, PoliticaLand

Butler's Tourism Area Life Cycle (TALC) can help identify the stage di' the
life cycle a. destination is in.

Ansoff Matrix - a tool for analyzing whether a destination is facing a

challenge of market development, product development, or both.
Boston Consulting Group (BCG) Growth-Share Matrix - a portfolio
planning model for categorizing products into star, problem child,
cash cow or dog, with implication on whether to harvest, maintain, or
divest the product. The BCG Matrix was developed by BGC's Bruce
Henderson in the 1970s. It classifies a company's business units
based on combinations of market growth and market share in relation
to the largest competitor. Market growth represents industry
attractiveness, while relative market share stands for competitive
advantage. The matrix locates the business units within the grid
constructed from these two important determinants of profitability
(www. netmba.com)
VRIO model a tool that analyzes tourism resources in terms of their
value, rarity, inimitability, and being organized (e.g., if it is already part
of tour offerings of tour operators). One that gets a nod in all four
criteria can be considered a competitive advantage, and one that gets
a no in all four criteria is a competitive disadvantage.

Evaluation Tool for Tourism Attraction and Sites

Tourist sites are designated based on the evaluation of tourist
attractions. The evaluation should consider accessibility and the politics in
the area. Official designation of tourist sites requires stakeholder

consultations, especially the local chief executive, such as the barangay

captain or mayor.,
The major criteria for evaluating attractions are (1) tourist appeal, (2)
accessibility, (3) activities and products, and (4) facilities and services.
DOT-JICA uses a scoring range of 4 (excellent), 3 (good), 2 (fair), and 1 (poor).
Tourist Appeal Criteria z

Tourist appeal has four criteria: (1) uniqueness, (2) historical value, (3)
socio-cultural value, (4) natural aesthetic, and (5) visitor traffic.

Uniqueness
4: One of a kind
3:2-3 similarities
2: 4-5 similarities
1: 6 or more attractions
Historical Value
4:100 years or more
3: 50-99 years
2: 11-49 years
1: ten years or less
Socio-cultural Value
4: Very important
3: Important
2: Less important
1: No importance
Natural Aesthetic
4: All natural excellent
3: 1-2 enhanced structures
2: 3-4 enhanced structures
1: 5 or more enhanced structures
Presence of Visitor Traffic
4: 100,000 or more per annum
3: 50,000-99,999 per annum
2: 1,000-49,999 per annum
1: No record

Accessibility
Distance
4:0-10 km
3:11 km - 20 km
2:21 km - 30 km
1:31 km and above
Travel Time
4: Within 1 hour
3: More than 1 hour - 2 hours
2: More than 2 hours - 3 hours
1: More than 3 hours
Type of Road
4: Paved (asphalt/concrete)
3: All weather (no potholes)
2: All weather (with potholes)
1: No road
Means of Transport
4: Anytime
3: Scheduled
2: By chance
1: None
Activities and Products
4: With 4 or more tourism activities or products
3: With 3 tourism activities/products
2: With 2 tourism activities/products
1: With 1 tourism activities/products
Facilities and Services
4: With 6 or more tourism facilities and services
3: With 4 - 5 tourism facilities and services
2: With 2 - 3 tourism facilities and services
1: With at least 1 tourism facility/service

The scores given the tourist attractions will be used for selecting
the attractions that will comprise a tourist site. The higher scoring
attractions will be prioritized (priority attractions). (Note that the scoring

system may be modified by the stakeholders .at the early stage of the
planning process.)
The priority attractions will be plotted on a preliminary tourist-sitedistribution map.

Evaluation Criteria for Designating Tourism Development Areas

For the purpose of designating a TDA, the facilities located in the
places will be evaluated on the basis of (1) transportation, (2) tourism
service facilities, (3) accommodation establishments (AE), and (4)
infrastructure.
The
1.
2.
3.
4.

required data for this evaluation are

Inventory of tourism attractions;
Number of rooms by type of AE;
Development plan of LGU (Comprehensive Land Use Plan or
Provincial Planning Framework Plan); and
Maps showing location, network or service areas of
infrastructure - airport, ports, roads, water supply, sewerage
system, power supply, and telecommunications (CLUP/PPFP).

Transportation
Travel time from airport or provincial main seaport an hours) to TDA
service center
4: Less than 1.0
3: 1.0-2.0
2: 2.0-4.0
1: more than 4.0
Conditions and capacity of airport or main seaport
4: Well established and can expand easily for future
3: One (airport or seaport) is okay but the other
2: Both have limited capacity; no room for expansion
1: Only one port available; no room for expansion
Transport services at airport or main seaport

4:
3:
2:
1:

Meet international standard and operation

Meet international standard but operated for domestic
Meet domestic service standard
Only for local services

Road conditions from gateway town to TDA service center

4: Good (paved and more than 7m-wide carriageway)
3: Paved and 2-lane highway but less than 7m-wide carriages
2: All weather but not concrete pave
1: Unpaved and not all weather

Tourism Service Facility

Guide signs and information board for tourists:
4: Well provided along the access road
3: Exist but not appropriate or do not meet the standard
2: Only sign board; no guide sign
1: Not provided
Visitor service facility at TDA/TDC service center or town
4: Information center with shops and toilet/rest space
3: Shops and toilet/ rest space
2: Public toilet only
1: None
AE Facilities within the TDA/TDC
Number of rooms
Sanitation (sewerage (sewerage system and solid waste collection)
4: 501 and above
3: 201-500
2: 51-200
1: Less than 50
Infrastructure at TDA Service Center/Town
Water supply (Distance from supply main or water plant/ water resource)
4: Available at site
2: Less than 5 'KM
2: More than 1 km but can be connected
1: Only independent generator can provide
Sanitation (sewerage (sewerage system and solid waste collection)
4: Available for both sewerage and garbage collection
3: Independent sewerage system and garbage collected availabie

2: Garbage dumping site provided by the

public
1: No sanitation system provided at present
Power [Distance from supply main or power plant (linear meters)]
4: Available at site
3: Less than 1 km
2: More than 1 km but can be connected

Telecommunications
4: All means of telecommunication facilities available
3: Landline and mobile available
2: Mobile phone service but no landline
1: Special means (VHF, satellite phone)
Target Setting Methods
The local tourism plan indicates future targets for (a) tourist arrivals, (b) number of rooms
required, and (c) number of jobs generated.
Targets can be set based on local estimates or the national figures, as indicated by the
current national tourism development plan.
Target for visitor arrivals can be based on average growth rate during the past several
years (e.g., past five years).Targets for employment are based on the assumption that in
general terms, three to five people are employed directly and indirectly for every room of an
accommodation establishment. It can be assumed that at least two direct employments, out of
the five, would be generated by one AE room as the national average of the.Philippines .(JICADOT)._ .
So, if an additional 10,000 rooms are built in a tourist de .stination area that will
translate into 20,000 new direct jobs and 30,000 indirect jobs.
To calculate for the total number of rooms required, the following formula may be
applied:

TRR = (TRN)/AOR/ 365 (nights)

Where,
TRR = total number of rooms required;
TRN = total room nights; and
AOR = average occupancy rate.
Further,
TRN = (TGN)/AGR
Where,
TGN = total guest-nights;
AGR = average number of guests per room; and

TGN = OV x ALOS.
Where,
OV = overnight visitors; and
ALOS = average length of stay.

Let us say that these are the following variables for a destination:
OV = 100,000;
ALOS = 2.0 nights;
AGR = 1.5 persons; and
AOR = 70%.

Step 1. Compute for total guest-nights (TGN).

TGN = OV x ALOS
TGN = 100,000 guests (2 nights)
TGN = 200,000
Step 2. Compute for total room nights (TRN).
TRN = TGN/AGR
TRN = 200,000 guest-nights/1.5 guests per room
TRN = 133,333.33
Step 3. Compute for TRR.
TRR =TRN/AOR/355
.
TRR = 133,333.33 room nights/.70/365 nights
TRR = 521.85 (rounded to 522)
The final targets set may be lower or higher than national average
depending on expected socio-economic impact of development projects in
the area. For example, if transport conditions are expected to improve
considerably due to the opening of a new international airport in the
destination area, then the expected increase in arrivals, rooms, and jobs
will be greater than the - national average. On the other hand, if the
destination had been damaged- bye-major typhoon, such as Yolanda, then
the projected values might be a lot less as tourism capacity would have
tremendously shrunk.
According to DOT-JICA, the final targets should be made in consultation
with stakeholders to get inputs regarding the following:

Does the industry feel the targets are attainable?

Does the public investment plan for infrastructure meet future

increased demand and its attendant impacts? For example, will there
be a new airport to accommodate the projected increase in arrivals?

Are there sufficient human resources available in the LGU that can
be hired and trained as hotel staff?

Is the capacity of the water and electricity Utilities enough to

accommodate the increased demand?

How a Plan Is Adopted

How does a plan get to be approved? In the case of a regional tourism
plan covering the Island of Samar, the plan had to be presented in public
hearings at the LGU level aid at the Regional Development Council before
they are finally given approval for implementation. These public
consultations are meant to ensure that the inputs of the stakeholders are
incorporated into the plans. There might be some difficulties encountered
when, for example, local politicians or congressmen withhold approval of
the plan until their political units are made part of the priority tourism
development areas. Otherwise, they would feel that their respective places
had been ignored. After a successful defense of the plan, the plan is
adopted. Whether or not the plan is implemented is a different story. In
some cases, the written document becomes the output of the whole
planning exercise.

TOURISM DEVELOPMENT PLANNING DIGEST

Local tourism development plans must be prepared into a tourism

development planning digest. This document summarizes the tourism
development plans of cities and municipalities and serves as a
communication tool among stakeholders, decision makers, and potential
investors. The digest is prepared and distributed to all planning participants
prior to discussions/consultations.
. _

The tourism development planning digest consists of eight pages, the

sample layout of which is shown on pages 46-53 of the DOT-JICA Guidebook.
The cover page should show the title "Tourism Development Planning
Digest" and the name of the province/city/town, the names of the
governor/mayor, city/town planning and development officer, and the
tourism officer.
The body of the digest should have:
1. Background of the plan and the outline of presentation.
2. Present Condition and Identification of Development Issues" in
tabular _format showing the following information:
a. Location (region, province) and location map
b. Land use area composition
c. Po p u l a t i o n
d. Employment
e. Major Industries

f. A c c e s s i b i l i t y
g. Top fi ve tourist attractions
h. Estimated number of overnight visitors during the previous
year
i. Seasonality: peak, lean, or off-season months
j. Accommodation establishments' supply data (number of rooms,
number of establishments, employment data)
k. Accommodation establishments' demand data (number of guests
check in, guest-nights, length of stay, average occupancy rate)
l. Number of visitor arrivals at the port of entry broken down into
residents/
visitors, foreign visitors/domestic visitors according to overnight or
same-day visitors
m. Visitor profile according to origin and characteristics and market
segments.
Origin may be domestic from what region; foreign from what country,
age, sex, etc. Market segments may be by group, activity, or purpose.
n. Tourism service industry (number of tour operators, travel agents,
tour guides,
handicraft shops, etc.)
o. Conservation of attractions (policies)
3. Tourist attraction maps for beaches, festivals, structures, wildlife, etc.
(with photos and descriptions)
4. Formulation of development frame and strategies showing:
a.Direction, policy, and strategies related to tourism according to
policy levels
national (DOT, NEDA), regional (DOT, NEDA), local (PPFP, CLUP).
b. P o p u l a t i o n
c. E m p l o y m e n t
d.Development direction (descriptions of vision, mission, goals,
image)
5. Target-settings (Years -XXXX--XXXX)
a. Number of overnight visitors and growth rate
b. Number of accommodation establishments and growth rate
c. Average occupancy rate and growth rate
d. Average length of stay and growth rate
e. Direct employment and growth rate
6. Target markets and market segments (select and describe each)
7. Tourist sitesby munrcipatfty or-city (names and descriptions)

This section can contain diagrams, charts, photos, and maps with
accompanying descriptions.
8. Ongoing and proposed projects and programs by name, profile,
location, period
(year) to complete project, development body in charge (national, province,
LGU, private, NGO, etc.), cost, and target beneficiaries. This should be
accompanied by maps, diagrams, schemes, and descriptions.
Examples of Project/Programs:

Airport, seaport, road, water supply, other infrastructures

Parking area, signboard, tourist map, toilet in the tourist areas
(improvement of tourist sites)

Promotion of private investment, such as

hotel/resort/commercial/theme park
Promotion of CBT and/or eco-, agro-tourism project

Promotion to potential tourists (website, pamphlet, trade fair, etc.)

Promotion to potential investors (brochure, investment guide)

Promotion of MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference, Events)

Landscape/townscape control, zoning regulation, tourism code

Wa s t e m a n a g e m e n t c a m p a i g n

Development and promotion of souvenir, handicraft

H u m a n re s o u rc e d e ve l o p m e n t

Institutional and organizational improvement

Implementation of basic and/or visitor surveys

9.Action plans, such as capacity building, advocacy for community tourism awareness,
private-public partnership promotion
The back cover should have the following contact details .: address, phone,
email, and web URL, if available.
The digest must be distributed and revised accordingly. For municipalities with
limited printing capacity, a pdf file using Adobe Acrobat or equivalent may be
distributed to stakeholders, decision makers, and potential investors. This could be
either a soft copy or uploaded on the LGU website.
Revise the digest periodically as socio-economic data and planning information
get updated.

COMPONENTS OF TOURISM MASTER PLAN

A tourism master development plan may contain the following elements (or sections):
1. Gender and development
2. Product development
3. Infrastructure development plan ._
4. Site plan (facilities)
5. M arketing plan

6 . H u m a n re s o u rc e d e v e l o p m e n t p l a n
7. Investment plan
Each section must' contain its own' situation analysis, statement of objectives, strategies;
action plan, and budget.

Discussion Questions
1.
2.
3.
4.

What are the diff erent models of planning?

What are the major elements (sections) of a tourism master development plan?
How does ecotourism planning differ from the mainstream (regular) tourism planning?
What are the components of a tourism development plan digest? What do you think is the
purpose of a digest?

Exercises
1. Compute the following:
a. Total overni gh t vi s i tors (V )
b. Total room s requi red (TR R )
Given:

Total number of arriving passengers surveyed = 502,300

Number of residents of the island = 203,000

Number of same-day domestic tourists = 45,000

Number of domestic tourists Visiting Friends and Relatives = 205,000

Number of same-day foreign tourists = 16,000

Number of foreign tourists Visiting Friends and Relatives = 10,000

Average length of stay = 3 nights

Average number of guest per room = 1.5

Average occupancy rate = 80%

2.Answer the following based on your computation.

a.

is there a shortage or oversupply of rooms if the .town has a total of 250 rooms?

b.

How can you increase the demand for rooms if the number of overnight tourists
actually declined? How can you make tourists stay longer?

c.

If the number of rooms cannot be increased, what else can you do to accommodate
the increased number of tourists?

3. Form a group of four members each. Go to a city or town website. Come up with an
inventory of tourism resources. Prioritize the resources to be developed or promoted
according to the evaluation criteria proposed by the DOT-JICA as presented in this chapter.
YOur group must deliberate on your scores. Be able to -ifistify ydur thoites.
4.

Visit your City or Municipal Tourism Office and ask about their tourism planning
procedure.
Answer the following questions:
a.How does it compare with the tourism planning models you learned in this chapter?
b.What are the key issues (problems, constraints, concerns) they face in tourism
planning?
c.How does planning for a city or town's tourism development differ from planning for
a tourism enterprise?
d.How does ecotourism planning differ from other tourism planning process?

References

Brian McLoughlin and the systems 'approach to planning. European Planning Studies.
Special Issue: J. Brian McLoughlin: In Memoriam. 5(6) 1997.
Candrea, A. N. & lspas, A. (2009). Visitor management, a tool for sustainable tourism
development in protected areas. Bulletin of the Transilvania University of Brasov, 2 (51).
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Carlizal, R. personal communication, October 20, 2013.
Court, S. (2013). Information And Guidelines For Writing A Protected Area Management Plan,
Solomon Islands. Coral Triangle Initiative on Corals, Fisheries and Food Security (CTI-CFF).
De Leon, F. Jr. (n.d.). Understanding the Filipino (a PowerPoint presentation).
Department of Environment and Natural Resources (2013). Administrative.Order No. 201319: Guidelines on Ecotourism Planning and Management in Protected Areas.
Department of Tourism, Republic of the Philippines and Japan International Cooperation
Agency (2012). Tourism Development Planning Guidebook for Local Government Units. DOT
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Drumm, A. & Moore, A. (2002). Ecotourism Development - A Manual for Conservation
Planners and Managers, Volume 1. Arlington, Virginia, USA:The Nature Conservancy.
Espino, E. personal communication, October 20, 2013.
Hall, P. (1975). Urban and Regional Planning. Middlesex, England: Penguin Books, 312
pages.
Lew, A. (2007). Invited Commentary: Tourism Planning and Traditional Urban Planning
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Association of Leisure Studies, 31(2):383-392.
Pike, S. (2008). Destination Marketing. Butterworth-Heinemann.
Queensland Government (no date). Queensland Ecotourism Investment Opportunities
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Tourism Recreation Research and. Education Lenter (TRREC) (2006). Tourism Planning Tooikit
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