Chapter 1

BACKGROUND
1.1 RATIONALE OF THE STUDY
Rural tourism focuses on actively participating in a rural lifestyle. It can be a variant of ecotourism.
Many rural villages can facilitate tourism because many villagers are hospitable and eager to welcome (and
sometime even host) visitors. Agriculture is becoming highly mechanized and therefore, requires less
manual labor. This trend is causing economic pressure on some villages, which in turn causes young
people to move to urban areas. There is however, a segment of the urban population that is interested in
visiting the rural areas and understanding the lifestyle. This segment in the tourism industry has been
rapidly growing in the past decade, leading to rural tourism becoming not just a good business prospect,
but a genuine vacation trend.
The International Ecotourism Society (TIES) defines ecotourism as responsible travel to natural
areas that conserves the environment and improves the well-being of local people." TIES is an example of
a nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting companies in developing ecotourism practices and
promoting sustainable community development. Ecotourism provides an alternative form of travel to mass
tourism. Mass tourism is the idea of visiting a place with minimal responsibility to the local community and
environment. Tourism, the worlds largest industry of more than 10% of total employment and 11% of global
GDP, is also a quickly growing industry as total tourist trips are predicted to increase to 1.6 billion by 2020.
In order to accommodate these rising needs in the tourism industry, there must be a shift within this
industry. One in particular is the need to protect the environment and respect the local culture.
The ecotourism principles do just that, as they are the following:
To minimize impact
Build environmental and cultural awareness and respect
Provide positive experiences for both visitors and hosts
Provide direct financial benefit for conservation
Provide financial benefits and empowerment for local people
Raise sensitivity to host countries political, environmental, and social climate.
According to the World Tourism Organization, ecotourism is growing three times faster than the
tourism industry. This implies the already changing phenomenon occurring in traveling. Similarly, the World
Conservation Union goes one step further in defining ecotourism to include enjoying and appreciating
nature, have low negative visitor impact, and providing socio-economic involvement to the local

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populations. As ecotourism is growing, it is also focusing on especially vulnerable locations to climate
change. In a neoliberalism theory, ecotourism is a win-win for both the host and tourist. This is because
there is an effort for conservation when jobs are available outside of activities such as logging that harm the
environment and the intrinsic value of the environment is taken into consideration. Additionally, ecotourism
enhances social capital for both the host and tourist when engaging in social interaction and learning about
other cultures.
Given the importance of planning and development issues in the tourism and hospitality industry
such as sustainability, capacity planning, strategic infrastructure planning and forecasting, structural activity
re-alignments, the implications of advances in information technology and the globalization of tourism and
hospitality enterprises, this research focuses on bringing together facts and information, individuals and
organizations interested in both the theoretical and the practical aspects of planning and development on
the vicinity of Daraitan and Tinipak River, Barangay Daraitan, Tanay, Rizal.
The researchers find Barangay Daraitan as a potential place for development in terms of tourism
and business aspects, and thus, conducting this study will discuss different implications it may serve for its
further development.
1.2 STUDY AREA
Tanay is a 1st class municipality in the province of Rizal, Philippines. Having a total land area of
200 square meters equivalent to 77.21 sq miles, it is located 57 kilometers east of Manila, although a
typical commute between Manila and Tanay will take between one to three hours depending upon traffic
conditions. It contains portions of the Sierra Madre Mountains and is bordered by Antipolo City in the
northeast, Baras, Morong and Teresa in the west, General Nakar (Quezon Province) in the east, and Pililla,
Santa Maria (Laguna province) as well as the lake Laguna de Bay in the south. Tanay is said to be the
MUNICIPALITY IN THE SKY.
According to the latest census, it has a population of 94,460 people in 15,720 households. The
majority of the population consists of Tagalogs who live near Laguna de Bay, though there are also a
significant percentage of mountain dwelling people living in the northern portions of the municipality. The
towns major trades consist of fishing, agriculture and regional commerce. Tanay is also believed to be the
birthplace of the Sambal language.

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The researchers chose Barangay Daraitan in Tanay, Rizal as the field of study for Tourism Planning
and Development. Daraitan is a barangay of the Philippine Municipality of Tanay in the province of Rizal in
CALABARZON which is part of the Luzon group of islands. Daraitan is one of the barangays which are in
the outlying area of the Municipality of Tanay.
Tanay and its 19 barangays belong to the partly urban areas in the Philippines. While some of the
barangays developed modern urban structures, some others, especially those which are seated in the
outlying areas, remained rural. By the end of 2014 Daraitan had 4,122 residents.
Barangay Daraitan is a small community composed of more than 500 families. It is surrounded by
the mountains of Quezon Province namely Nilindigan, Atburan, and Nilubugan (this is according to the
residents but the official names of these mountains may vary) and other unidentified mountains of Quezon
and Rizal Province. Geographically, Daraitan is part of the Municipality of Gen. Nakar, Quezon Province but
politically, since the people have to circumnavigate the mountains in order to avail of services from the local
government of Nakar, the people of Daraitan chose to be part of the Municipality of Tanay, Rizal.

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Figure 4
Map of Barangay Daraitan

Source: Barangay Daraitan Office

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The Daraitan, Tanay Rizal Tourism Destination Area Plans goal is to identify tourism
development issues and opportunities, and to recommend specific strategies and actions to deal with
them. It is designed to integrate the needs of the tourism industry with those of other industries in the
area, with a view to ensuring ecological, economic, social, and cultural benefits for present and future
generations.
1. Give an overview about Barangay Daraitan in terms of:
History
Population
Attractions in the area
Mode of Transportation
Environment

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Cultures and Beliefs
Source of Livelihood
2. Study the potentials of Barangay Daraitan for further tourism development.
3. To improve the quality of tourism products that attracts visitors to the area.
4. To support business retention, expansion, and development.
5. To recommend specific strategies and actions to develop the area as a more competitive,
investment ready, and marketable tourism destination.
6. To recommend specific strategies and actions to overcome barriers to development and population
growth.
7. To provide a plan implementation strategy.
1.4 OUTPUTS OF THE STUDY
After this study, the researchers will produce the following output:
Business plan for Barangay Daraitan
General Plan to promote tourism in Barangay Daraitan without taking the risk of environmental
destruction.
Provide a plan implementation strategy.
1.5 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK
Tourism being an extremely competitive industry requires a coordinated management approach
based on collective vision and strong partnership. The programme for "Destination Management" is
committed to respond positively to the growing need for systematic, multidisciplinary and intersectoral
strategies for tourism at local or regional level and in particular to provide strategic guidance in destination
management which is a recent conceptualization of a micro-level activity at regional and/or local level in
which the tourism stakeholders carry out their individual and organizational responsibilities in a coordinated
manner aiming to achieve the macro-level policies.
Figure 1.5A
Conceptual Framework Structure

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A local tourism destination is a physical space in which a visitor spends at least one overnight.
It includes tourism products such as support services and attractions, and tourism resources within one
days return travel time. It has physical and administrative boundaries defining its management, images
and perceptions defining its market competitiveness. Local tourism destinations incorporate various
stakeholders often including a host community, and can nest and network to form larger destinations.
Some benefits of this conceptual structure can be outlined as below:
1.5.1 Establishing a competitive edge
1.5.2 Ensuring tourism sustainability
1.5.3 Spreading the benefits of tourism
1.5.4 Improving tourism yield.
1.5.5 Building a strong and vibrant brand identity.
1.6 VARIABLES
Dependent Variables
Tourist Attractions in Daraitan
Number of Visitors
Accommodations
Independent Variables
Barangay Ordinance
Environmental Laws in the Municiplity
Number of Tourguides
1.7 METHODOLOGY

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The tourism master plan preparation is guided by the following five (5)-step iterative and
cyclical process:
1.7.1

DATABASE DEVELOPMENT
The preparation of this Master Plan Report involved extensive data collection and consultation

focusing on the components of the conceptual framework structure presented in Figure 1.5A.
The comprehensive sets of information were collected from the concerned agencies as well as
review of current and previous land use plans. The data and information gathered was obtained from the
Municipality of Tanay itself and from Barangay Daraitan Barangay and Tourism Office.
The survey was conducted not so much for comprehensiveness of data to be gathered but
more to get a complete representation of tourism characteristics and indicators in all the LGUs; a key
purpose of the survey is to compile sufficient spatial data to start setting up a database system in support
of this engagements planning activities. The other purpose is to help pave the way for an integrated
tourism-based information system that the province could build upon in subsequent detailed tourism
planning efforts. Necessarily, these results will have to be updated and validated through periodic field
works and surveys.
The information gathered will be presented under the Chapter of this Master Plan.
1.7.2 ANALYSIS AND STRATEGIES
The SCOT (Strength-Challenges-Opportunities-Threats) was the analytical technique used for
evaluating the area in an integrated manner. Preliminary strategies were then formulated to address
the key issues and concerns arising from the analysis. The SCOT findings are presented in Chapter 3
while the proposed thrust/strategies and anticipated impacts of these are discussed in Chapter 4.
1.7.3

CONCEPT AND SYNTHESIS

These strategies were then synthesized and translated into a set of plans dealing with the

physical, environmental and socio-cultural aspects of the tourism master plan. The components of each
plan are outlined in Chapter 5.
1.7.4

PROJECT FORMULATION PROFILING AND MODELING

The plans developed in the conceptual and synthesis stage were the basis for deriving a

checklist of programs from all sectors. In the succeeding stages of tourism master plan preparation,

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key projects will be developed and short-listed for profiling. A project profile contains key elements such
as description of the project, schedule, and statement of need, project benefit and cost. Conceptual
area plans shall be prepared (as needed) for the selected projects. A checklist of initial programs
identified is outlined in Chapter 6.
1.7.5

MANAGEMENT PLAN AND EXECUTION

Under this step, the focus was on identifying the key elements of the tourism system enabling

environment or framework whereby role-players at government, labor and business levels can optimize
the value of its tourism resource. The implementation plan in Chapter 7 discusses these elements such
as development controls and guidelines, private investment climate and the role of government.

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