FUELLED by a new breed of travellers seeking more exotic and enriching experiences, the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) is now promoting community-based tourism to lend support to a fast-growing market segment.
PHILTOA president Cesar Cruz told TTG Asia e-Daily that community-based tourism includes reviving dying artisan crafts like pina and hablon cloth-weaving in Antique and Iloilo; river rafting and other soft adventure travel activities in Antique; and vegetable and flower farming in the Cordillera.
The association is promoting the tours with newly-formed G Eco Tours, which has developed 11 community-based tourism sites across the Philippines.
Mael Cabigao, manager, G Eco Tours, said the brand was formed in January this year under the non-profit organisation Bantay Kalikasan.
“There’s a market for these products for both foreign and Filipino travellers. There’s a lot of awareness now for ecotourism,” said Cabigao.
Non-profit Gawad Kalinga (Give Care) founder, Tony Meloto, expects more voluntourists when they embark on the second phase of their social entrepreneur projects in 25 more sites.
The first phase, Enchanted Farm in Angat, Bulacan, has foreign volunteers staying several years to develop, teach and guide the communities to form their own livelihood programmes.
“These are good examples of experiential tourism (and) community immersion,” said PHILTOA’s Cruz. “We’re still looking to include other community-based attractions but they have to pass our criteria involving safety and hygiene standards, especially in preparing and handling food.”
