Communication and Other Factors Affecting the Practice on Ecotourism of Stakeholders in Guinobatan Albay, Philippines

Abstract

This study sought to answer the general question: what are the communication and other factors that promote the practice of ecotourism among stakeholders in Guinobatan, Albay. Guided by the Theory of Reasoned Action, 50 respondents were purposively selected to answer questionnaires and participate in focus group discussions from March 31- April 17,2019. The respondents were mostly 21-40 years old, male and female, grew up in Guinobatan, undergone trainings on ecotourism, and were members of ecotourism organizations or offices. They had general knowledge about ecotourism in Guinobatan, but some had wrong information about the Farm Tourism Act and the Tourism Code of the Municipality. Though majority had positive attitude towards ecotourism in Guinobatan, some had reservations in the preservation of cultural heritage, indigenous practices, ecotourism as an alternative source of income, and in the collection and use of users' fees. They sought and accessed information on ecotourism from various media platforms and shared information with others. While the study did not use a statistical test, various communication and noncommunication factors were related to their practice of advocating for ecotourism, visiting ecotourism sites, and spreading the ecotourism experiences. These included their sociodemographic profile (background and profession, ecotourism-related trainings, organizational affiliation); information-seeking behavior (mass media such as television and Internet); knowledge on the importance of and programs on ecotourism, positive attitude towards ecotourism especially on biodiversity conservation and protection, governance/policies, commercialization/marketing, and waste management. While those working in ecotourism-related jobs felt that as part of the system, they were already practicing and advocating ecotourism, the community members said that they needed a communication plan for ecotourism.