Project Title & Location
VISAYAS TOURISM CLUSTER DEFINITIONAL STUDY
Visayas Region (Regions 6, 7 and 8)

Client
DEPARTMENT OF TOURISM
DOT Building, T.M. Kalaw St, Luneta, Manila

Project Completion
1995

Associated Firms
Orient Integrated Development Consultants, Inc.
SEASTEMS, Inc.
Transportas Consulting

Services Provided
- Inventory of destinations
- Establishment of tourism clusters
- Identification of Transport Needs
- Evaluation of established programs
- Validation of clusters to develop viable tourism clusters
- Reinforcement of tourism circuits

The Definitional Study aims to provide a firm development framework that integrates the tourism programs of Visayas. Clearly the commonalities of the three regions of Visayas strongly express the specifics of uniqueness of the area. When enhanced these provide order in how the clustering of destination circuits can be organized. The "island feature" of the Visayas calls for an efficient water transport system.

To firm up the direction, classification and paradigms for defining the tourism clusters, seven models are developed:

- A behavioral model, a schema of perceptions, actions and responses to visits in tourist destinations.
- A visitor trip model to distinguish types, character and lengths of visits.
- A development model or classifying tourist sites that are market responsive to the state development the site is in.
- A model for rating places which is an approach to establishing indicators for locational issues, for promotional strategies, and for setting of hierarchies of services.
- An environmental protection model that gives the premise that natural environments are areas that possess a variety of opportunities for value adding.
- A water-oriented utilization model which identifies the array of activities that can occur along the coasts, in inland waters and in the marine areas of the Visayas.
- A recreational model which categorizes the visit on the length of the time-distance trip and the site. Hence, defining the geographic extent and time a visitor is willing to venture out from the service core.

In fine, the study expresses the belief that the attitude of developing destinations in a holistic manner must integrate the elements of tourism development: nature, person, structures, infrastructure and community. Emphasis must also be given to harnessing grassroots support.