Grassroots Participatory Tourism Resource Inventory & Assessment(GPTRIA)

 

1.1. Rationale

     The Grassroots Participatory Tourism Resource Inventory and Assessment (GPTRIA) is a community-based and multi-sectoral approach in determining what the Municipality of Castilla has to offer to tourists. It is an essential process performed within the situational analysis paradigm that seeks to identify the major issues related to tourism and poverty, nature of poverty, obstacles, opportunities, policy fit, competitive position and community impacts.

 

       The conduct of GPTRIA includes gathering of primary and secondary data which serves as baseline information in establishing the foundation for the eventual destination assessment of the locality. 

 

      The GPTRIA was conducted in the Municipality of Castilla as part of the strategic tourism development process purposively to develop a “Pro Poor” Municipal Tourism Development Plan. It follows the Poverty Alleviation through Sustainable Tourism Development methodology as prescribed by the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) published by the United Nations as implementing guidelines imbibed in the National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) as the National Sustainable Pro Poor Tourism Development Policies and Strategies  actualized and strengthened  through  the National Government Inter-Agencies (NGAs) poverty reduction convergence program of the present administration - the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process (GPBP).

 

1.2. Objectives

 

The objectives of this Grassroots Participatory Tourism Inventory and Assessment (GPTRIA) process are the following:

• To determine what potential tourism resources and attractions exist, including its specific location within the Municipality of Castilla;

• To assess the tourism qualities of resources and attractions;

• To determine what stage of readiness the attractions and resources are in for tourism;

• To develop some initial priorities; in order

• To outline an action plan.

1.3. Approach, Scope and Limitations

 

      Participatory approach was employed in the conduct of the GPTRIA with the collaboration of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and newly organized Municipal Tourism Council composed of community-based multi-sectoral stakeholders in the tourism inventory and assessment of resources within the Municipality of Castilla.

 

1.4. Data Collection Tools, Methods and Analysis Framework

 

The data collection tools, methods and analysis framework are the following:   

 

• On-site gathering of primary data through familiarization tour, mapping, photo-documentations, and observations;

• Off-site gathering of secondary data through review of documents from the municipality and data sourced from the internet and video documentations;

• Seminar and workshops;

• Focus groups;

• Meetings; and

• Interviews

 

2. Grassroots Participatory Tourism Resource Inventory and Assessment

(GPTRIA) Site Profile

 

     2.1. Biophysical Characteristics

 

            2.1.1. Location and Administrative Coverage

 

Castilla is a coastal municipality that lies on the northwestern part of the Province of Sorsogon.  It is 38 kilometers from the regional center of Legaspi City and 22 kilometers from the city proper of Sorsogon.