Chapter 1
Introduction
This chapter is composed of nine parts. The background of the study, problem statement, theoretical framework, conceptual framework, research objectives, hypotheses of the study, significance of the study, scope and limitations, and definition of terms. The following will thoroughly explicate the significance of serious leisure qualities and economic index indicators in the Surf Resource Sustainability Index in choosing San Juan, La Union as a surf destination priority choice.
Background of the Study
During summer, both local and international tourists are thrilled to go under the sun to adore the white sands of the Philippines. The birth of surfing in the country is a great story that everyone should know. Baler is only known for fishing until the late 1970’s when the popular American film, Apocalypse Now, came to the Philippines to shoot. The movie starred Robert Duvali who plays Colonel Kilgroe, orders his men to ride the waves even though the surrounding is having a riot. While shooting the scene, a lot of locals were watching the shoot, they were amazed as the actors ride the big waves off-screen. After that, professional surfers extend their hand to teach surfing to the locals, but they always assure the safety of the locals (Conopio, 2013).
For almost 10 years the San Juan Beach is known for being the Surf Capital of the North in the Philippines because its waves are applicable for beginners, intermediate, and advanced surfers (Santos, 2013). The San Juan is bounded on the north by the municipality of Bacnotan along the Baroro River, and on the east by the municipalities of San Gabriel and Bagulin along the Dasay-Duplas-Nagyubuyuban Creek. On the south it is bounded by the City of San Fernando and on the west by the West Philippine Sea (San Juan La Union Government, 2014). The San Juan beach is six hours away from manila and it has a beautiful spot for surfing. It is the 4th longest coastline in the world with length of 36,289 km (Said, 2013).
However, it is lacking and losing its major market which are the surfers because of the existing surf spots in the Philippines (Buaron, La Union, 2009). Despite of the beautiful waves and scenery that San Juan, La Union can offer, the place lost its supremacy in terms of surf tourism here in the Philippines. The place has been overshadowed by the other places offering surf-related services.
As of today, The Department of Tourism is aiming to reform surf tourism in the Philippines as a major tourism product (Miraflor, 2016). The Department of Tourism has partnered with Australia’s Academy of Surfing Instructors (ASI) and its local chapter, the Academy of Surfing Instructors Philippines (ASIP). ASIP’s is obligated to practice all ASI functions, such as conducting instructor certification courses in the Philippines under strict ASI supervision (Lifestyle, 2016). These plans will also be applied to the different surfing facilities in San Juan, La Union.
This study aims to thoroughly explicate how the linkage of serious leisure qualities and the use of the economic index indicators in assessing and implicating can influence the mind of tourists and surfers. Through this study, we aspire to expose the surf tourism in San Juan, La Union to be recognized for its promising qualities and great potential and be the priority choice in choosing a surfing destination.
Problem Statement
San Juan, La Union, with world-class beaches, rich culture, and beautiful scenery that’s facing the South China Sea, is unfortunately off the track in tourism industry after more famous tourist attractions like Hundred Islands in Pangasinan, Palawan, Batangas, and Boracay obtained more prominence in the past 10 years (Buaron, La Union, 2009). Although San Juan, La Union is one of the best surfing spots in the Philippines, a lot of tourists don’t see it as main spot for surfing. Habitually, foreign tourists and locals think of other places like Baler and Siargo Islands to surf.
The dominance of San Juan, La Union with regard to surf tourism here in the Philippines has been undermined by the locals and tourists. The place is not gaining any recognition even though it has been dubbed as the surf capital of the north here in the Philippines. Tourists tend to consider other places that meet with their surf-related preferences.
Regardless, San Juan, La Union has a potential to be a top choice in the surf tourism industry in the Philippines. This study will give you an overview of the assessment of existing problemsand possible solutions for San Juan Beach, La Union. Through this, surfers, locals, and tourists who are interested in surfing trips will be enticed to visit the San Juan Beach.
Theoretical Framework
It said that the Surf Resource Sustainability Index can be used in the conservation of surf tourism sites (Martin & Assinov, 2013). With help of the index indicators, evaluation, expounding solutions and application actions can be efficiently done to develop a surfing destination. The implications must comply with the serious leisure qualities to know the tourists’ preference in a surfing destination.
Figure 1: Sustainability of Surf Sites (Martin & Assinov, 2013)
Surf Resource Sustainability Index or SRSI is a conceptual model built to study sustainability of surf tourism sites (Martin & Assinov, 2013). The framework precisely presents the idea of every indicator in an index or context. Each indicator contains the assessment of the researcher and the possible implications that can be done to develop, improve, or sustain the surfing site.
As the time passes, Philippines is gradually said to be becoming the surfing capital in Asia (Asilo, 2016). However, San Juan, La Union is not renowned to be a priority choice. It doesn’t take place to the lists of top surfing destination unlike Baler, Pagudpud, Bagasbas beach in Bicol, Calicoanisland in Samar, Cloud Nine in Siargao, Majestic Surf Break, and San Fernando, La Union (Surfing, 2016).
The indicators are the characteristics of a surfing destination. The characteristics of a surfing site are one of the major factors why tourists and surfers choose their preferred surfing destination. The economic index indicators are variables to be used in the assessment of the surfing site in San Juan, La Union. Utilizing the economic index indicator can be a massive help in the efficiency of determining the problems and probable rectification and development to be done.
In order for the formation of solutions in enhancing the surfing destination to be effective, the serious leisure qualities must strictly be considered. The application of the serious leisure qualities connection to a traveller’s preferences is essential in developing and improving a surfing destination (Barbieri & Sotomayor, 2013).
Figure 2: Serious Leisure Qualities (Barbieri & Sotomayor, 2013)
The study of Barbieri & Sotomayor has found the strong implication of serious leisure qualities in surf tourism. It also proved how the serious leisure qualities do not have an effect surf travel behavior but it is significantly consociated with the preferences on the appeal of a surfing destination, thus influencing the decision of surf travellers or tourists in their willingness to go on a surf trip and in choosing a surfing destination.
Serious leisure can be distinguished in six qualities (Stebbins, 2007). The six qualities are what motivate someone in pursuing an activity. The six distinctive qualities are: persevere, effort, career, ethos, and identity. With the knowledge of a tourist’s motivation in their pursuit, knowing how to satisfy their needs and comply with their wants can be easily achieved.
Conceptual Framework
This encompasses the desired outcome of the study, which is to make San Juan, La Union a priority choice in the Philippines. This also elucidates the necessary measures to be conducted to achieve the coveted output and the possible threats through the utilization of the assessment and implications with the economic index indicators in acquiescence with the serious leisure qualities.
Figure 3: Conceptual Framework
The number of tourists visiting a surfing destination is the keystone to ascertain whether the place is the priority choice surfing destination or not. A tourist’s decision in opting for a certain destination is dependent to their leisure qualities which influences their preference in a surfing destination (Barbieri & Sotomayor, 2013). A leisure quality is the stimuli and their surf-related decision-making is the action. Whereas, the economic index indicators are what makes up a surfing destination. It characterizes what can be found and seen within the place. In a simplified exegesis, the indicators are what would satisfy or heed the leisure quality.
Using the leisure quality as a foundation, the economic index indicators can be assessed and formed an implication according to what the tourists want in a surfing destination. Once the economic index indicators are in compliance with the leisure qualities and the surf travel preferences, it will help tourists decide in their surf travel. This method will be applied to San Juan, La Union, in high hopes that it would serve as a catalyst in choosing San Juan, La union as the priority surfing destination in the entirety of the Philippines.
Research Objectives
This study aims to develop the Sustainability Development Plan based from the Economic Index Indicators and Serious Leisure Quality.
This research will seek to answer the following:
A. What is the level of agreement in assessing a surf destination using the Economic Index Indicator?
B. What is the level of influence of Serious Leisure Qualities in choosing a surf destination?
C. Is there any relationship between the Economic Index Indicator and Serious Leisure Qualities?
The goal of this study is to reform San Juan, La Union as a priority choice in the surf industry through the assessment and formulation of implications using the Economic Index Indicators with consideration of the serious leisure qualities. The first step is to recognize and familiarize with the criteria. Second step is to discover the problem or the improvements needed by evaluating the surfing destination and assessing the problems that require attention. The third step is to formulate the solution or the approach to be made. The last step is the application of the suggested implications.
Hypothesis of the Study
This study provides a hypotheses in able to interpret the importance of Economic Index Indicatorand the Serious Leisure Qualities, to utilize it in order to develop San Juan, La Union to its peak.
H1:There is a high level of agreement in assessing a surf destination using the Economic Index Indicator.
H2: There is significance in using Serious Leisure Qualities in selecting a surf destination.
H3:There is a significant relationship between Economic Index Indicatorand Serious Leisure Qualities in reforming surf tourism in the Philippines.
Significance of the Study
The researchers hope that the results of this study will yield to the benefit of the people of the surf industry. This paper revolves around the reformation of the surf industry in San Juan La Union.
Employees of Surf Tourism. Escalation in their value as a surfing instructor will be evident. The desired outcome of this study will rouse the demand of surfing instructors in the tourism industry. An international certification of surfing instructors will open up opportunities not restricting to the locality but to the whole country, enabling them to compete globally.
Surfers. The surfers will grant opportunities to improve their quality and familiarity in terms of services and it will help the surfers to flourish their skills. Reforming surf tourism will also deliver new and improved surf training and lessons that will act as catalysis in perceiving new knowledge and information.
San Juan Beach, La Union. The place will benefit once the implantation met the preference, it will lead the Surf Tourism in the Philippines. In terms of environment, rules and regulations will generate the awareness of tourists visiting the place. Through the reformation San Juan Beach, La Union will be getting a lot of recognition both domestic and international.
Department of Tourism. Reforming surf tourism in the Philippines as a major product will bring in foreign tourists to patronize the service but not only that the locals will get entice to try surfing. Increase in tourists will be expected once the surf tourism reformed. Department of tourism can utilize the surf tourism in promoting the Philippines to attract tourists.
Business owners in San Juan, La Union. The researchers hope that the existing businesses will be able to use this paper in possible studies for further expansion and bettering of the quality of service and experience for those in the surf industry.
Residents of San Juan, La Union. Aspiring entrepreneurs will have the opportunity to start their own business because of the expected growth in tourists visiting the place. Locals living in San Juan, La Union will no longer have to leave the area to fulfil their satisfaction in recreational activities.
Scope and Limitation of the Study
This study will only focus on aiming to acquire the reformation of San Juan, La Union to be the priority of choice in terms of surf tourism in the Philippines while assessing the situation and forming implications and solutions. The researchers are going to accomplish the study by first, through understanding what the relationship of the Economic Index Indicatorand Serious Leisure Qualities in reforming surf tourism in the Philippines is. Next is, through determining the importance of linkage between Economic Index Indicatorand Serious Leisure Qualities to San Juan, La Union as a priority choice in surfing destination. And lastly by defining what the proposed ‘Tourism Planning and Development’ is.
Since the goal of this study is to reform San Juan, La Union as a priority choice in the surf industry through the assessment and formulation of implications using the Economic Index Indicator with consideration of the Serious Leisure Qualities, the researchers will no longer include in this paper the aspects outside of the said location, San Juan La union and outside the said proposed assess indicators above. Only the surfers, residents of San Juan, La Union, tourists and surf-related employees will be the respondent of this study. This research will start in the first week of November cover at least two months of data gathering. The constraints are limited time, different class schedules of the researchers, and budget allotted for the study.
Definition of Terms
The following terms are operational:
Surf Tourism. Is a rapidly expanding market segment of the wider tourism industry and the purpose of this study is to provide an analytical representation of surf tourism research literature.
Tourist.A person who is traveling or visiting a place for pleasure.
Assessment.The evaluation or estimation of the nature, quality, or ability of someone or something.
Implication.The conclusion that can be drawn from something, although it is not explicitly stated.
Serious Leisure Qualities. Is the systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer core activity that is highly substantial, interesting, and fulfilling and where, in the typical case, participants find a (leisure) career in acquiring and expressing a combination of its special skills, knowledge, and experience.
Reform. Make changes in (something, typically a social, political, or economic institution or practice) in order to improve it.
Indicator. A thing, especially a trend or fact, that indicates the state or level of something.
Economic Index.In economics and finance, an index is a statistical measure of changes in a representative group of individual data points. These data may be derived from any number of sources, including company performance, prices, productivity, and employment.
Surf Resources Sustainability Index. Is a conceptual model made to study the sustainability of surf tourism sites.
Beach. Is an area covered with sand or small rocks that is next to an ocean or lake.
Surfer/s.Is a person who rides on a wave on a special board.
Utilize.To use (something) for a particular purpose.
Surfing. Is the activity or sport of riding the ocean waves on a special board called a surf board.
Coastline. It is the shape of the land next to the sea, esp. when seen from the air or as shown on a map.
Dominance. Power and influence over others.
Chapter 2
Literature Review
This part of the study expounds the different literatures that are relevant with the reformation of San Juan, La Union as a priority surf destination choice in the Philippines. This would define and allow additional information concerning the several sub-topics using published journal articles and a few other published materials. On top of that, this chapter would further justify the best interest of the study.
Surf Tourism
Sports and nautical tourism are a way of combining leisure with sports/nautical activities, allowing the tourist to enjoy both a sport activity and contacting with nature (Reis & Jorge, 2012). As a sports activity, surfing is, simultaneously, a touristic/economic activity and it became a lifestyle. In addition to that, surf tourism is currently in a period of increasing growth because of its thrilling characteristics. The study of Martin Fluker and Sara Dolnicar (2003), stated that, surf tourism is importance to the tourism industry. Nevertheless, very few investigations of the surf tourism market exist. Surf tourism plays a big role in bringing tourists in different countries. The global surf tourism industry has grown significantly since the middle of the 2000’s. When measuring the economic scale of the surfing industry, including travel, surf-branded clothing, and the manufacture of surfboards, it has been estimated to be in the order of ten billion USD per annum with some ten million surfers worldwide (Buckley, 2002). Surf tourism is becoming a phenomenon and showing its potential as a major product in tourism industry. But, it also needs a consistent support from the local government and locals, in the study of Steven Andrew Martin and Ilian Assenov (2011), regarding the low awareness of the sport in Thailand, promotions may target soft surf tourists and surf tourism as a value-added product alongside other available activities. Promoting awareness to a surf destination should be regular in order to obtain proliferation in tourists that are visiting the destination.
In the other study Steven Andrew Martin and Ilian Assenov (2011) Surf tourism began with attention to artificial surfing reefs, surfing events, recreational capacity, marine tourism, and tourism marketing data. It is becoming an eye catcher research because of its characteristics and potentials. One of the factors that helps destination to execute proper surf tourism is the beach. In the research of Mike Raybould, David Anning, Dan Ware, Neil Lazarow (2013), beaches is stated as recreation environments for recreational activities. Having said that, consistency on proper execution is a requirement to acquire preferable surf tourism, in Maldives, consistency fell short, the area has no access to local surfers or live-aboard surf charter boats (Ponting, 2014).
In some cases the travel facilitated experiences that influences individuals decisions about what they wanted to do with their lives, or gave the opportunity of developing a hobby such as surfing. In other cases experiencing something as a holidaymaker made individuals aware of the potential for offering the same service or product back home. So in many ways travel has been a catalyst for their entrepreneurial journey (Marchant & Mottiar, 2011). Marchant & Mottiar study aims to expose the balance between lifestyle and entrepreneurship, while having your hobby you can do also business, surf tourism is not only for leisure travellers it also caters entrepreneurs.
Sustainability Indicators
Sustainable development encompasses sustainability, which is defined as a process that meets with the necessity of the present without compromising the capacity of future generations to meet their own needs (UNWCED, 1987). A valid tool to measure sustainability is a set of indicators (Carraro, et al., 2013). In (2014), Tom Waas, Jean Hugé, Thomas Block, Tarah Wright, Francisco Benitez-Capistro, and Aviel Verbruggen said that even in our daily life, we continuously use indicators to understand and interpret the world. Also according to (Waas, et al., 2014), an indicator is the operational representative of an attribute (quality, character, property) of a given system, by a quantitative or qualitative variable, including its value, related to a reference value. Combining the two, Sustainability Indicators is the characteristic of an area that communicate structured information of sustainability performance, identifying knowledge and gaps, and operationalizing sustainable development.
The application of Sustainability Indicators is said to be a promising tool in terms of addressing the definition of lines of actions for local development and evaluating both short and long term effects of the strategies formulated. The use of indicators is a gateway to identifying the objective, subjective and strategic keys. It is a powerful instrument of an optimistic potential of a certain area. Through the sustainability indicators, assessing of “what to sustain” and “to what extent” can be provided. (Castellani & Sala, 2010). Sustainability assessment generates information that would help for decision-making related to sustainability development, it is a process of identifying future outcome of a current or proposed action (Waas, et al., 2014).
To cite an example, Martin and Assenov developed a conceptual model called Surf Resource Sustainability Index. It was built to study the sustainability of surf tourism sites, which provides a distinct method in assessing surf sites and presents tangible benefits to respondents. It aims to address the gap and developments that can be applied concerning to surfing destinations that are less-known surf tourism and are not well represented. Using the indicators, Martin and Assenov also formulated assessment and implications (2013). The idea of the study is similar to (Waas, et al.), how there’s a link between Sustainability Indicators and decision outcomes or implications. In addition, a study focusing on measuring the importance of the four indices: social, economic, environmental, governance for Surf Resource Sustainability Index was done. The study aimed to help in developing the sustainability indicators in the assessment and sustainable management of coastal surfing resources (Martin & Assesnov, 2012).
According to Arthur Lyon Dahl (2012), Indicators can be a powerful tool in making important dimensions of the environment and society visible and enabling their management. Planetary sustainability is an issue viewed as a challenge and indicators can help as a guide to make the imperative transition. The sustainability is a useful instrument in assessing policy efficacy in defining models and sustainable tourism, and more useful as it evolves through time (Castellani & Sala, 2010).
Serious Leisure Quality
Serious leisure is defined as the systematic pursuit of an amateur, hobbyist, or volunteer activity sufficiently substantial and interesting for the participant to find a career there in the acquisition and expression of a combination of its special skills, knowledge, and experience (Moore, Gould, Karlin, Gaede, Walker, & Dotterweich, 2011). Serious leisure qualities are the tools that motivate the serious leisure participants. It is the serious leisure qualities connection to a traveller’s preferences that helps in developing and improving a surfing destination (Barbieri & Sotomayor, 2013). The Study of Barbieri & Sotomayor aims to have a deep understanding on the capacity to produce positive economic impacts especially in areas that has a poor execution in terms of developments. The study shows how a preference influences the surfers in picking a surf destination. Surfers tend to travel searching for perfect waves (Butts, 2001). Serious leisure can be utilized in knowing your capacity in recreational activities. Serious leisure theory suggests that people engaged in a serious leisure pursuit will develop careers. The serious leisure career consists of evolving stages and includes turning points, and it is logical to extend the construct to an investigation of the role of events and travel in serious leisure careers (Getz & McConnell , 2011). In Getz & McConnell study, the serious leisure qualities plays a big role in knowing what are the motivations that influences the mountain bikers in choosing a sport events and how does athlete sport leisure can be converted into an athlete possible career.
Serious leisure can be seen as personally meaningful engagement and a strong commitment to enjoyable activities (Stebbins, 1992). Stebbins also classifies the six characteristics of serious leisure: perseverance, significant effort, career development, personal and social benefits, expression of self and identity, and unique ethos. These characteristics can defined as major tools in assessing serious leisure participants on their needs and wants in picking a destination for their recreational activities. Serious leisure participants are people who, within a given activity, persevere and overcome difficulties, have careers involving the activity, evince effort and utilize specialized knowledge and skills, pursue their avocations within leisure social worlds, and experience durable benefits (Scott, 2012). In Scott’s study, he explained that serious leisure participants should be serious in doing recreational activities in order to obtained leisure satisfaction. Utilizing serious leisure qualities in assessing sport participants is a key in helping sport tourists to pursue their recreational activities. In the study of Zachary Thomas Herman (2015), looking at serious leisure motivations by age, there was a steady proliferation in motivation as age increased. The study proves that, once a cyclist get older, their motivation to continue cycling will generate. Serious leisure is activities whose motivation rises in intensity with time. Across all age groups, the strongest serious leisure motivator was pleasure followed by a sense of effort.
In terms of social benefits as part of the serious leisure qualities, few have focused on how serious leisure experiences play a role in communities by influencing participants’ perceptions of their communities (Gallant , Arai, & Smale, 2013). In their study, they stated that, they used the six qualities of serious leisure which are the perseverance, significant effort, career development, personal and social benefits, expression of self and identity, and unique ethos as a motivation in volunteering. Having a motivation to do a certain goal can influence us to do it properly and push hard in order to pursue it.
According to Stella Liu, Lowell Caneday & Tyler Tapps (2013), other influential variables related to participants’ characteristics of serious leisure, such as perceived skills or past experience, can be used for enhancing the understanding of their behavioural pattern. In addition to that, their study utilized the serious leisure qualities by assessing the athletes and the positive impacts once the serious leisure qualities meet the lifestyles of the amateur athletes. Though, serious leisure is defined as a tool that motivates the sport tourists in pursuing their recreational activities, Jinmoo Heo and Youngkhill Lee (2010) stated that, serious leisure as measured by affective attachment and behavioural consistency was not significantly related to life satisfaction. It means meeting your preferred leisure activities will not give you a life satisfaction, people’s perspectives, desires, routines, goals and preferences always change because of the technology and trends people’s mind tend to change.
Tourist
According to L. Murphy & P. Pearce (1995), Grand Tours created the Independent traveller during 17th century in Europe. Budget hotels are perfect for independent tourist who are finding lowest or cheapest hotel that they can stay up all night. They can also try the food or learn the culture of the place, because they don’t need to follow some itinerary unlike the tourist who has their tour package. This study explains on how they will handle the emergency if they are on its situation and how they will overcome it. Knowledge and skills are important also for tourist, because they know how to budget their money. The purpose of this study is how to understand the knowledge skills of tourist and how can make their trip safer. Independent travellers are the one who is willing to travel without airfare or no travel bookings. According to A. Morrison, M. S. Hsieh & J. T. O’Leary (1993), there are tourist also who called as Backpackers, these are the tourist who travel with only one bag and has no problem with their accommodation. They can also travel anytime where they want to go and have no problem with the budget. This study also explains how to reach the level satisfaction of every tourist (Tsaur, Yen, & Chen, 2010). In the study Tourist information search and destination choice in digital age contains on how tourist can search information thru the place where they want to be. With the help of Technologies, tourist can easily search a place or destination where they want to visit during holidays. This is perfect for the first time travellers, because they don’t need to go to the place just to have some information or the price rates of the accommodation. They can also easily book a flight to a destination that they want to go and they can search for a guide wherever they are. Internet also helps on how they can promote their places (Jacobsen & Munar, 2012). Resorts and Hotels are in digital age also, because they have also their own website where you can browse their facilities and prices of their rooms if it is affordable for the tourist. In social media, they can create their own account where they can save their pictures to Facebook App. and etc. There is an application where you can find some place or you can visit other places. There is also an applications where they can help you find your destination or can help you directory, even when you’re in other countries, you can ride a cab thru booking on the said application.
According to Nina Kathrinen Prebensen & Lene Foss (2011), being on a vacation isn’t easy especially if you’re travelling alone. Here are some tips to better your vacation. First, you can create a day to day diary for you to have a little documentation yourself. Talking to fellow tourists can also help you gather information’s to the said area you visited. You can also observe and keep day to day documentation of events and experiences for you to have personal knowledge about the place you visited. These tips can help you develop your coping and co creating your personal experiences in travelling. There is a lot of ways to talk about tourist experience, and we chose to divulge real, in – depth, self – experienced examples are coped with and co – created; Thus, our main purpose: an in – depth exploration on how they co – create and cope with their experiences. This study promotes a new way or approach in tourist experience and we will discuss more of the topic as we me move further on our study.
In the journal of Joaquín, Alegre & Jaume Garau (2010), the study contains on they will be able to meet the tourist satisfaction by taking surveys from them. According to M. L. Mangion, R. Durbarry, & M.T Sinclair (2005), during holiday the supplies are in demand and the prices are increasing because of the season. One of the example is the beaches, because tourist loves the sand and waves of the beach, they feel comfortable and very relaxing because of the ambiance of the beach. We need to satisfy the tourist in terms of service, accommodation and foods because it is what they deserve, so that they will come back again because of the service we gave to them. A conclusion about the measurements of competitiveness has asymmetry and drawbacks like: there could be a positive correlation between importance and satisfaction. This effect was detected in our sample and it therefore invalidates the use of this weighting. Thus, compromising the accuracy of their arguments, the use of implicit importance as a weighting is more revealing and accurate, because this weighting is independent form satisfaction with the attributes (Kozak & Rimmington , 2000).
The study of Enrique Martin Armario (2010), aims to satisfy the tourist when it comes to the services, accommodation, activities performed at the destination. We need also to pay attention to others visitors who came just for their business meetings or conferences held at the destination, because these are the tourist who has the higher standard of satisfaction. Other tourist also visits the place because they are producing events, sporting events which are good for the destination to know more the facilities of the place and to try the services of the destination. In this study, during holidays the tourists are searching for fun and relaxation, resort is one of a good place to relax and have fun also. Foreign tourist also searches for an exciting places, like museum, they can learn the culture of the country and historical places. In order to satisfy the tourist, they need to create some activities which is trend and not boring, because it is also a part of tourism marketing. If you create an activity and it became trend, expect many tourist will arrive at your destination, because of your creation that tourist want to. According to Zamali Tarmudi, Tammie Christy Saibin, Nasrah Naharu & Nowyannie Willie D. Tamsin (2014), their study aim to investigate the existing tourist trend arrival in Sabah based on fuzzy approach. It focuses on the latest 12 years (2002 – 2013) visitors’ arrival based on their nationality for forecasting purposes. The study mainly focuses on the arrival of tourist visiting Sabah and its impact on the economic growth of tourism.
Tourism Planning and Development
Tourism planning and development in terms of ‘Surf Tourism’ in the case of our study we have come up some pointer from (Ponting, 2011) studying abroad students can earn university credits while catching waves. And we think that this can uplift our study with its plan by promoting surf tourism and people or students overseas can be aroused by the idea that surfing can help not just in academics but as well as in lifestyle. There are schools abroad that are just a drive away from the coast and nowadays surfing helps you build your physical figure and give back to your school and help you earn a degree. Our team believes that you have to balance things out in both educational and extra-curricular that is why we think that this is an enticing approach to promote surf tourism. He added also that by this plan or program it will help you get closer or learn more about marine biology that could be an advantage for your personal career. (Persaud, 2013) Surf tourism: A sustainable alternative. We read about his work and there is a place called Manta located at Ecuador that shows potential for surf tourism he mentioned that most of the earnings or work available in the said place is that thru the marine ecosystem however thru the human intervention there has been lack of care in the said place but with this research. Somehow we could be able bring awareness and be able to seek attention and bring rehabilitation and start surf tourism at Ecuador. (Dodge, 2016) Surfing is one of the fastest growing action sports in the world and new waves are becoming more difficult to discover as surfers travel to the ends of the Earth in search of perfect, empty a-frames. As what he said this another opportunity or plan for the other nations to promote their very own surfing spot that could easily promote surf tourism and that could also help the economy of their country (Buckley, 2010) Commercial surf tourism is recent in origin but is now a significant component of the worldwide adventure tourism sector. There are over 10 million surfers worldwide and a third of these are cash-rich, time-poor and hence potential tour clients. Now here we have found something concrete more stable proof that can support surf tourism and may even persuade people on supporting surf tourism. (Martin, 2014) Surf tourism is a rapidly expanding market segment of the wider tourism industry. We also found out that from 1997 up to 2010 unpublished or not there were insights on surf tourism was already gaining good feedback and that is why maybe we could even more expand or pro-grow what they did back in the days.
Looking further our group was a bit shocked on how they used surf tourism as their medium in order to attract students which gives us more opportunities to show readers that surf tourism is a dynamic and more fun and provides leisure yet somehow promotes tourism (Payne, 2013) life is an adventure and this just shows that despite the struggles in our everyday career there are offers like this that can help us cope up with both our careers and hobbies. To sum it up, our team has concluded that you can see how they were able to develop a simple hobby or leisure activity into a more complex type that was able to promote tourism, develop profit, and help out people who are close to the big waves that could help them glide thru the everyday waves of life.
Synthesis of the Study
All of the researches done are aimed at one direction, and that is to contribute sustainable development. The same goes as our main objective, which is to make surf tourism known in the Philippines and provide further knowledge that would be beneficial to everyone involved. Similar to our study, the reviewed materials aspire to promote surfing sites that has not reached its full potential or has so much potential but is underrated by the mass. The articles pertaining to the sustainability indicators also mirrors how our study utilizes the sustainability indicators in assessing San Juan, La Union to generate information in a structured manner and a systematic approach. The discussion of serious leisure qualities as a tourist’ motivation in their destination preferences is in the same light with what we have discussed in our study. In connection with that, the value of different tourists, their knowledge and skills about the destination, and the importance of their tour experiences to the marketing strategies and product placement discussed in the materials are analogous to our study, and that is using the preferences of the tourists as a foundation in developing solutions and future results.
In general, the scope of the various locations where the researches were done in the academic materials is different from our study. The methods that were used in getting information are in contradiction with the mixed-mode method that we’ll be using. For example, one of the researches only did an interview to gather information from their respondents. The span of time spent in the reviewed studies differs from the duration of our study which is only for two months. The main goal of contributing sustainable development also differ when discussed specifically, wherein our study focuses more on the sustainable development that can be applied to San Juan, La Union to be the priority choice as a surfing site. One of the journals recommended planning and development and the suggested approach is dissimilar to our study, one is only to promote surf tourism in a surfing site than reforming it to be the priority surf destination choice, thus deeming it different to the tourism planning and development of our study.