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[2N01] The Nexus of Tourism and Environment: A Multidimensional Examination of Local Perceptions within Pagsanjan and Cavinti, Laguna

*Maria Kristina G. ALINSUNURIN², *Naoko SHINKAI¹ (1. Tsuda University, 2. University of the Philippines, Los Baños)

Keywords:Sustainable Tourism , Economic Sustainability , Environmental Sustainability, Local Perceptions, Local Governance

As the relationship between tourism and environmental sustainability garners increasing global attention, understanding local perceptions becomes paramount, especially within ecologically vulnerable regions. This study focuses on the Philippines, a nation where tourism holds significant economic weight, yet its environmental repercussions often compromise local community sustainability. After the travel ban due to the COVID-19 pandemic was lifted last year in the Philippines, the number of tourists is growing. In this paper, we investigated what the role of local community is to have sustainable development through tourism and strategies. We particularly analyze two municipalities within the Province of Laguna, the municipalities of Pagsanjan and Cavinti, recognized for their flourishing eco-tourism sectors featuring attractions like Pagsanjan/Magdapio Falls and Cavinti Underground River.
This research adopts a qualitative paradigm, executing focus group discussions in eight barangays (villages) within the selected municipalities. We engage with 64 individuals, encompassing diverse stakeholders in the localities impacted by tourism, thereby ensuring a comprehensive array of perspectives.We utilize thematic analysis to analyze the data. The results elucidate multifaceted local perceptions concerning the environmental effects of tourism, emphasizing their necessity in sustainable tourism planning and management. Initial discoveries highlight that locals perceive a dichotomy of tourism outcomes: the economic prosperity induced by tourism is appreciated, yet concerns surface over cultural and environmental degradation if left uncontrolled. We also scrutinize how the interplay between national policies and barangay-local government relationships act as either catalysts or barriers to sustainable tourism. Additionally, we dissect the community's perceptions of infrastructure development and modernization propelled by tourism and development in general.By offering an intimate examination of local viewpoints, this study contributes to the expanding scholarship on the intersection of tourism and environmental sustainability. Moreover, it proposes invaluable insights for policymakers and practitioners seeking to foster a form of tourism that reconciles environmental preservation with community prosperity.