Project Info

In 2006, Philippine President Macapagal-Arroyo in her State of the Nation Address (SONA) established Central Philippines as a Super Region for tourism. The Department of Tourism commissioned the CHL Consulting Group to prepare the Sustainable Tourism Management Plan for the Central Philippines in 2007. CHL enlisted TAM Planners to provide tourism planning expertise and technical assistance.

Two principals serving as tourism development planners (i.e., Tomeldan, Alli), an infrastructure planner, and a mapping expert from TAM Planners Co. were committed for the preparation of the Sustainable Tourism Management Plan of the Central Philippines (STMP-CP). The planners from TAM Planners along with the rest of the team surveyed tourism development areas in Regions 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and analyzed existing conditions and opportunities for their further development as premier ecotourism destinations. The entire Study Area has a total area of 97,781 square kilometers.

Part of the tasks of the Planning Team was to consult with key stakeholders in the development of tourism in the identified areas. Based on the analyses of data derived from plans for the super region, consultations with key stakeholders, surveys of the tourism sites and products, marketing studies, and projections of visitor arrivals, a structure plan was conceptualized to direct how tourism should move forward in the region. The Structure Plan espoused Strategic Destination Areas (SDAs) where tourism investment would be concentrated, with the intent that tourism will grow in these areas and spillover to the rest of Central Philippines. The Study Team identified infrastructure and soft project that would encourage sustainable tourism in the SDAs.