The Philippines recognizes that ecotourism is a tool for sustainable development. This is validated by the first ten years of implementing the National Ecotourism Strategy (NES), and the NES and Action Plan 2013–2022 maintains this recognition by sustaining the original ecotourism principles adopted by the first NES, namely: Sustainable management of natural and cultural resources; Empowerment of local communities to participate and benefit from ecotourism; Development of ecotourism products that satisfy visitors and position the Philippines as a globally competitive ecotourism destination; Environmental education and conservation awareness. This vision of the National Ecotourism Strategy 2013–2022 as a globally competitive ecotourism destination with the need to conserve, enhance, sustain and develop natural assets and ensure equitable sharing of benefits among its people was established on the principles of sustainable development, and the NES was built on the advocacy of mobilizing and fostering support for ecotourism development. The NES defined the initial task of jumpstarting ecotourism awareness and promoting cooperation, seeking the participation of national government agencies, LGUs and other stakeholders in the development of ecotourism in the Philippines. The goal of the NES is: Environmentally and socially responsible ecotourism development that safeguards the integrity and diversity of its natural resources, provides education and enjoyment to visitors and delivers larger and more widely distributed income and employment opportunities to the local communities and their constituents, especially the women, youth, indigenous peoples, and other vulnerable groups. The three major strategic directions are: 1. Development and marketing of competitive tourist products and destinations; 2. Improvement of market access, connectivity, and destination infrastructure; and 3. Improvement of tourism institutional governance and industry manpower capabilities. The updating of the National Ecotourism Strategy responds to the recent call of the United Nations under a resolution entitled "Promotion of ecotourism for poverty eradication and environment protection", for member countries to include in its plan and programmes the development of ecotourism; Spreading tourism benefits to rural areas for employment generation and poverty alleviation, and for the sustainability of the tourism sector. The overall goal of the NES is to develop and manage globally competitive ecotourism sites, products and markets that will contribute to inclusive growth. This is to be achieved by way of the eight strategies as discussed below. Strategy 1: Developing and marketing diversified and competitive ecotourism products. Strategy 2: Creating conducive environment for ecotourism investments. Strategy 3: Maximizing economic benefits for the host communities. Strategy 4: Promoting and developing a culture of ecotourism. Strategy 5: Strengthening institutional capacity. Strategy 6: Developing and strengthening partnerships. Strategy 7: Establishing mechanisms for sustainable financing. Strategy 8: Monitoring outcomes and impacts.
Filipinas · 2014-02-01