Thoughts on eco-tourism part 1

 

Before we came to the Philippines, we have all heard many things about Bohol. The white sandy beaches, rich dense forests and warm friendly locals. This is almost the end of Day 4 and it has been this and so much more than we ever anticipated. We have all seen, experienced and learnt so much. This is especially so for group 1— E.T. (Eco-Tourism); given that our research question is based on the perception and evaluation of eco-tourism operations, we have gotten up close and personal with places and people. Bohol relies on tourism to sustain ecosystems and improve the welfare of Boholanos. I’m sure everyone will never forget the devastatingly beautiful Panglao Island; especially the view from the Panglao Island Nature Resort (PINR). A quick google search revealed that there are ongoing plans to construct an airport on the island. Overall, the project intends to achieve sustainable tourism development after the completion of the construction of the new airport. Governor Edgar Chatto insisted for ecological respect as a major concern and an uncompromising part of the social preparation for the airport on Panglao island. Even our HNU group mate explained to us that the people of Bohol are proud of the exceptionally rich biodiversity and for the sake of their children and grandchildren, this has to be preserved. This is a huge contrast to our usual skepticism about motivations behind eco-tourism— that economic development take precedence over protection of our Earth. What we have seen and heard so far destroyed this image and replaced it with a gratifying motivation (especially to conservationists like ourselves), seeing how Bohol secures its environmental integrity.