Abstract

Tourism has always been regarded as one of the Philippines’ most important industries and a major source of revenue. Different destinations in the country are known for their cultural diversity and natural beauty. In fact, many sites are still left to be explored and developed. The study assessed the local community’s perception of tourism development in the area and aimed to propose a community-managed tour trek. Interviews, surveys, ocular visits, and mock tours were conducted to achieve the objectives of the study. Results show that the local community perceives that tourism development in the area can be a tool to help the community through improved livelihood, environmental protection, and cultural appreciation. The local community recognizes the importance of tourism development and the need for participation of all the stakeholders. A community-managed tour trek was proposed by the researcher based on the inventory of tourism products in the area. The tour trek highlights the natural and cultural resources of Sagñay, Camarines Sur. The local community was tapped as the primary stakeholders together with the local government unit. A pilot test was conducted to evaluate the proposed trek and provide a suitable offering to prospective tourists.  Furthermore, the study shows that there is a need for strong commitment among the local community and the local government to assure the successful management of the proposed community-managed tour trek. It has the potential to have a significant impact, particularly in terms of improving the community’s welfare in the future.

Keywords: tourism, development, community, tour