CHAPTER I THE PROBLEM & ITS BACKGROUND
Introduction
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As the 21 century continues to unfold, tourism has been in great development due to modern communication and transportation improvements; making tourism as easy as traveling from state to state, region to region or country to country.
Because of the emerging growth of tourist travels in the Philippines, cultural/heritage sites and ecotourism destinations are one of the great attractions for domestic and international tourists. Ecotourism and historical tourism play vital roles in the employment of people living in the areas; furthermore maintaining the characteristics of the attractions in good condition. The Tourism Act of 2009 states that one of its objectives is to encourage activities and programs and programs which promote tourism awareness, preserve the country’s diverse cultures and heritage, and instill a sense of history and culture of tourism among the youth and populace. Furthermore, it aims to develop the country as a prime tourist hub in Asia as well as a center of world congresses and conventions by promoting sustainable tourism anchored principally on the country’s history, culture and natural endowments, and ensuring the protection, preservation and promotion of these resources.
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According to the Department of Tourism, an average of 3.52 million tourists have visited the country in the year 2010 surpassing the year target of 3.3 million; indicating that the Philippines is attracting more tourists in the coming years. In the past 10 years, San Miguel, Bulacan has not been part of the ecotourism drive of the government on including it as one of the tourist destinations in the country. The municipality has not developed into a “country-known ’’ diverse town in contrast to its natural characteristics and cultural/heritage history compared with other destinations like Vigan in Ilocos Sur and Calamba in Laguna. Tourists who visit a particular spot may find the place interesting if a specific characteristic of the place will give them satisfaction for a particular need or want. Tourist satisfaction should then be given immense importance for the attraction to be a successful tourist spot. Tourist satisfaction should be given great attention because tourists who find their money not worth the experience may find other tourist places to visit and therefore, facilities and services rendered in a place should be always looked upon. Tourist preferences should always be considered to achieve their satisfaction because satisfied tourists are most likely to become loyal and will eventually repeat visiting the place and this can attract more potential tourists in the future. The purpose of this study is to specifically assess the level of satisfaction of the tourists visiting the ecotourism and cultural/heritage sites found in San Miguel, Bulacan.
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Statement of the Problem
Among the towns found in the 3
rd
District of Bulacan, San Miguel is one of the
potential destinations that can draw tourist arrivals and be known to be one of the preferred places to be visited by tourists in Region III. The town is rich in natural, cultural, historical, agricultural and gastronomy tourism. The main problem is that tourist arrival in San Miguel, Bulacan is relatively low amidst the presence of natural and historical attractions the town has. Therefore, a study should be conducted to determine which tourist facilities and services should be prioritized and produced to cater tourist needs and wants. Significance of the Study
The study will benefit the tourism industry of the Municipality of San Miguel, Bulacan in developing their tourist attractions and will help them in formulating plans which targets potential tourists in the future. This research would help them determine which facilities or services should be produced or prioritized to further improve their tourism industry and will also serve as a guide to which tourist-related areas should be given further attention and maintenance. In relation, there has been a limited study about the relation of tourist satisfaction and tourist destinations in San Miguel, Bulacan making this study helpful in understanding tourist expectations and help tourism planners on developing the tourism industry more. This will also help students taking Hotel & Restaurant Management who plan to put up establishments aimed for tourists.
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Objectives
The main objective of the study was to assess tourist satisfaction in relation to their visit to an ecotourism attraction and historical tourist spots found in San Miguel, Bulacan. Specifically it aimed to:
Develop an in-depth understanding of tourist satisfaction with their experiences in San Miguel, Bulacan
Determine the satisfaction of tourist in relation to their demographic characteristics and individual behaviors
Scope and Limitation of the Study
This study focused on the assessment of tourist satisfaction on the natural and historical places they visited in the town of San Miguel, Bulacan. However, comparison of the satisfaction of the tourists against other tourist attractions is not included in this study. Data on tourists’ educational attainment, age, sex, and civil status were collected through survey questionnaires distributed to the tourists. The survey was limited only to the selected ecotourism and cultural/heritage destinations in the town of San Miguel, Bulacan.
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Time & Place of the Study
The study was conducted on November 2011 to February 2012 on selected tourist destinations in San Miguel, Bulacan namely Biak na Bato National Park, Banal na Bundok, Madlum caves and San Vicente old houses. Definition of Terms
To better understand the study, the following words are hereby defined: Cultural heritage. Complex of monuments, buildings and archeological sites of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science. Cultural tourism. Experiential tourism based on being involved in and stimulated by the performing and visual arts and festivals. Ecotourism. Form of sustainable tourism within a natural and cultural heritage area where community participation, protection and management of natural resources, culture and indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and ethics, as well as economic benefits are fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and the satisfaction of visitors. Heritage tourism. Form of visiting preferred landscapes, historic sites, buildings or monuments. Also, experiential tourism in the sense of seeking an encounter with nature or feeling part of the history of the place as stated by Hall and Zeppel (1990). The word “heritage” in its broader meaning is generally associ associated ated with the word “inheritance”, “inheritance”, that is, something transferred from one generation to another. Owing to its role as a carrier of historical values from the past, heritage is viewed as part of the cultural tradition of a society. 5
Tourist. Person who travels for entertainment purposes for more than 80 kilometers away from his/her home (World Tourism Organization, 2007). Tourist destination. A geographical unit which tourists visits and stay at. It may be a village, town, city, district, region, island, country or continent. Tourist satisfaction. Significantly related to customer loyalty, repeat visitation, and positive social communications (Beeho and Prentice 1997). Weighted mean. A measure of central tending and a form of arithmetic mean that gives different observations unequal weight in accordance with their unequal relative importance.
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CHAPTER II REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
According to Cruz (2007), a tourist destination is a geographical unit which tourists visit and stays at. It may be a village, town, city, district, region, island, country or continent. Cruz (2007) also cited that tourism is essentially a pleasure activity in which money earned in one’s abode is spent in places places visited. “things to see, activities to do and experiences Lew (1986) defines attractions as “things to be remembered.” He suggests that attractions are elements and conditions that are not available at home that motivate tourists to venture temporarily outside of their residential areas. The principal components of a tourism attraction are those that entice people from other areas to travel there in order to see or do something. Victor (1989) explained that “attractions are something which motivates tourists to visit.” Pearce (1991) provides provide s an operational definition of tourism attraction as being a “named site with a specific human Prentice or natural feature which is the focus of visitor and management at tention”. Prentice (1993) cites the definition of attraction as “a site, theme or area which attracts visitors.” visitors.” Gao (1995) defines attraction as “a destination with unique features in which visitors are interested .” However, many writers have not defined tourism in a more precise definition which makes tourism a vast term. According to Huh (2002), heritage tourism as a part of the broader category of “cultural tourism” is now a major pillar of the nascent tourism strategy of many countries. Cultural/heritage tourism strategies in various countries have in common that
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they are a major growth area, can be used to boost local culture and can aid the seasonal and geographic spread of tourism (Richards, 1996). Heritage/cultural tourist destinations can be towns having architectures where heroes or wealthy families used to live. Cruz (2007) cites that tourism has provided preservation of historical buildings and creation of museums. Developing nations realize that their historical sites or traditional towns and neighborhoods untouched by progress are economic assets. People travel for different reasons. Some are interested in historical or cultural activities such as museums and monuments while others prefer the sun, sea and sand. As tourists are becoming more sophisticated, their need to recapture the past has increased. Tourists have been visiting cultural/heritage sites more frequently. Following Huh (2002), cultural/heritage tourism offers several benefits to tourists and residents, as well as governments. First, cultural/heritage tourism protects historic, cultural, and natural resources in communities, towns and cities. Second, it educates residents and tourists about local/regional history and traditions. Through research about and development of heritage/cultural destinations, residents will become better informed about local/regional history and traditions which can be shared with tourists. Third, cultural/heritage tourism builds closer and stronger communities. Knowledge of heritage provides continuity and context for communities which instills respect in their residents, strengthens citizenship values, builds community pride and improves the quality of life. Fourth, it promotes the economic and civic vitality of a community or region. Economic benefits include creation of new jobs in the travel industry, cultural attractions and travelrelated establishments; economic diversification in the service industry (restaurants, 8
hotels/motels, bed-and-breakfasts, tour guide services), manufacturing (arts and crafts, souvenirs, publications) and agriculture (specialty gardens or farmers’ markets); encouragement of local ownership of small businesses; higher property values; increased retail sales; and substantial tax revenues. According to Cruz (2007), ecotourism is another growing segment of the tourism industry. Since tourism is now the world’s largest industry, the envir onment onment is becoming the center of tourism development. It is also the core of tourism products. Cruz (2007) describes ecotourism as green, natural, sustainable, alternative, appropriate and low impact. The Tourism Act of 2009 defines ecotourism as a form of sustainable tourism within a natural and cultural heritage area where community participation, protection and management of natural resources, culture and indigenous knowledge and practices, environmental education and ethics, as well as economic benefits are fostered and pursued for the enrichment of host communities and the satisfaction of visitors. Ecotourism is the appropriate word describing tourism that is environmentally focused and is composed of flora and fauna. Huh (2002) states that there is a need to investigate the relationship between destination attributes and tourists’ satisfaction from the tourists’ perspective in order to gain an in-depth understanding of tourists’ attitudes and behavior after they visit cultural/heritage destinations. Tourists express satisfaction or dissatisfaction after buying tourism products and services (Fornell, 1992). If tourists are satisfied with the products,
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they will have the motivation to buy them again or they will recommend them to their friends. Bitner and Hubbert (1994) describe customer satisfaction as a feeling or an attitude of a customer towards a service after it has been used. Studies have also confirmed that there is a relationship between service quality, satisfaction and behavioral intentilon, and service quality and behavioral intention. According to Cronin and Mackey (1992), service quality reflects a cons umer’s evaluative perceptions of a service encounter at a specific point in time. In contrast, customer satisfaction judgments are experimental in nature, involving both an end-state and process and reflecting both emotional and cognitive elements. According to Oliver (1997), satisfaction is defined as the customer’s fulfillment. It is a judgment that a product or service feature, or the product or service itself, provided (or is providing) a pleasurable level of consumption-related fulfillment including levels of under- or over-fulfillment. Need fulfillment is a comparative process giving rise to satisfaction responses. Without assessment on consumer satisfaction, businesses which render services and products to tourists will find it hard to sell and in return will mean no revenue or in greater case, total business failure. There is a need to investigate the relationship between destination attributes and tourists’ satisfaction from the tourist’s perspective in order to gain an in -depth understanding of tourists’ attitudes and behavior after they visit cultural/heritage destinations. Tourists express satisfaction or dissatisfaction after they buy tourism products and services as stated by Fornell (1992). If tourists are satisfied with the
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products, then they will have the motivation to buy them again or they will recommend them to their friends. Tourist satisfaction for a particular destination may be the result of multiple factors including expectations generated before and during the trip as well as perception of the services received. Tourist satisfaction is also significantly related to customer loyalty, repeat visitation and positive social communications according to Beeho and Prentice (1997). To further determine the satisfaction of tourists, their behavior and demographic attributes should be assessed. Research shows that satisfaction can affect customer retention and also lead them to recommend the goods or services to others. This can be applied to tourism. Therefore, it is crucial to investigate which factors are important for tourists. Furthermore, tourist satisfaction usually contributes to increased rates of tourist patronage, loyalty and acquisition retention which in turn helps to achieve economic goals such as increasing number of tourists and revenues. These factors, among others, are the reasons why tourist satisfaction is a subject worth being studied as Akama et al. (2002) state. Kozak and Rimmington (2000) note that tourist satisfaction is important to successful destination marketing because it influences the choice of destination, consumption of products and services and decision to return. Pizam et al. (1978) state that it is important to measure consumer satisfaction with each attribute of the destination because consumer dis/satisfaction with one of the attributes lead to dis/satisfaction with the overall destination.
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Research about the relationship of demographic attributes on the satisfaction of an individual are all measured so as to correlate the satisfaction of a tourist on a particular destination. When researchers analyzed tourism attraction and tourist satisfaction with destinations, knowing the differences influenced by demographic characteristics was a must according to Huh et al. (2006). Many consumer behavior literatures contain significant differences in the definition of satisfaction. According to Giese (2000), all of these definitions share some common elements. When examined as a whole, three general components can be identified: 1) Consumer satisfaction is a response (emotional or cognitive), 2) the response pertains to a particular focus (expectations, product, consumption experience, etc.) and 3) the response occurs at a particular time (after consumption, after choice, based on accumulated experience, etc). As Sparks (2002) cites, tourism product is multifaceted. As a result, the satisfaction of visitors to a destination can be impacted by a range of tourism experiences which may derive from many sources (e.g., accommodation, use of natural attractions, restaurants and so forth). Similarly, when using any one tourism product, there are many aspects that influence satisfaction. For instance, the treatment provided by service personnel, physical environment or ease with which a visitor can access the product. Thus, the research took an approach which investigated both satisfactions with tourism objects as well as dimensions of tourism experience. Sparks (2002) cites that value for money is measured using visito rs’ perceived value of a product and assessment of prices paid for that product. Access is designed to measure views on how accessible a tourism object is, as well as its hours of operations.
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Service is measured using two questions which sought information
on visitors’
perceptions of overall service levels and consistency of service delivery. The physical environment dimension sought information about the actual physical set-up (or environment) of the tourism object as well as the visitors’ perceived level of safety. Finally, communication is primarily concerned with seeking feedback on visitors’ assessment of service personnel’s communication style and helpfulness. satisfaction depends o n one’s expectation According to Cruz (2007), the level o f satisfaction situation. If the level of of a situation situation as well as one’s perception of an actual situation. expectation is higher than the actual experience, the tourist will be dissatisfied. For the traveler to be satisfied with a product, service or situation, the level of actual experience must be equal to or greater than the level of expectation. Hence, the level of service given to the vacationer must be given great importance in order to assure quality experience and high level of satisfaction that t hat will bring the traveler back. Furthermore, Furthermo re, through an analysis of previous studies, this research chose tourists’ demographic and travel behavior characteristics and destination attributes in order to determine the differences in the contribution of attributes to tourists’ to urists’ satisfaction. satisfaction.
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CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY
This chapter focuses on research design, respondents, data gathering procedure, and statistical tools that were used to test the association between model variables. Research Design
To obtain data for the purpose of this study, the descriptive type of research was employed. A survey was conducted in the selected destinations in San Miguel, Bulacan by distributing a set of structured questionnaires to tourists who arrived. Data were gathered from a total of 80 respondents (20 respondents from each tourist attraction). The random sampling method was used in order to collect these data from the respondents wherein the respondents were selected randomly and survey questionnaire were distributed and collected by the researcher. After collection, data were computed and interpreted using weighted mean, scoring mode and percentage distribution.
Respondents of the Study
Randomly selected respondents, specifically non-residents of San Miguel, Bulacan, participated in the study comprised of tourists who visit the selected attractions in San Miguel, Bulacan; giving attention to their educational attainment, sex, age, household income and civil status.
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Data Gathering Procedure Procedure
The Tourism office of the Municipality of San Miguel was given a request letter from the school by the researcher to achieve permission to conduct survey on the areas concerned.
Research Instrument
Collection of data was done through survey questionnaires distributed to the random by selected tourists. This instrument was used to determine the level of satisfaction of the tourists in terms of the services and products they received during their trip. The survey questionnaire is composed of question categories such as accessibility, accommodation, communication, environment, food and beverage establishments, price, security, shopping and recreational facilities, and tourist personnels. Respondents rated the subcategories on satisfaction on the service and products they received. Information on age, sex, household income, educational attainment and civil status of the respondents were also gathered. Statistical Tools
The gathered data were pre sented based on the tourists’ responses on the survey questionnaires. Weighted mean and percentage distribution were used as statistical tools to interpret and arrive at the results. 15
1. Weighted mean was used to distinguish which attributes of tourism highly satisfies tourists and facilities that do not satisfy them. The formula below was used and applied during data calculation. WM = __ N Where WM – WM – weighted weighted mean – frequency f – frequency – category rating x – category – total number of respondents N – total
- summation 2. Percentage distribution was used to determine the overall share of the tourist s’ demographic characteristics and travel behavior characteristics in relation to their satisfaction.
f P=
x 100 n
Where P – P – percentage percentage – frequency f – frequency – total number of responses N – total
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Scoring Mode
As a guide to data interpretation, the scoring mode for the different mean of the four tourist attractions is shown below; Statistical Limit
Verbal Description Descript ion
3.26 – 3.26 – 4.0 4.0
– Highly HS – HS Highly Satisfied
2.51 – 2.51 – 3.25 3.25
– Moderately MS – MS Moderately Satisfied
1.76 – 1.76 – 2.50 2.50
– Slightly SS – SS Slightly Satisfied
1.00 – 1.00 – 1.75 1.75
NS – Not NS – Not Satisfied
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CHAPTER IV
RESULTS & DISCUSSION
This chapter presents the data that were collected, tallied and
presented in
narrative with the use of tabular and graph form and were analyzed statistically through weighted mean, scoring mode and percentage distribution. Table 1 show the calculated grand mean of the respondents in each tourist attributes. Table 3 - 13 shows tourist demographics and travel behavior characteristics. Verbal descriptions were also indicated in the preceding results. Weighted Mean Result
Table 1.Grand mean result of tourist satisfaction on the attributes connected with the tourist areas Attributes
Grand Mean
Verbal Description Descript ion
Accessibility Accommodation Communication Environment Food and beverage establishments establishment s Price Security Shopping facilities Recreational facilities Tourist personnel
2.76 3.56 2.54 3 2.41 2.33 2.14 2.22 1.94 2.61
Moderately Satisfied Highly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
As stated in the first specific objective of this study which is to develop an indepth understanding of tourist satisfaction with their experiences in San Miguel, Bulacan, the tabulated results were found to have variation in each category (Table 1).
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Respondents who sought for availability of tents and cottages and affordability were highly satisfied with the accommodation on the place. Tourists having a tent or cottage in the place where they are visiting can leave their things and this can also be a venue where they can eat and relax. This factor can be one of the major major reasons for a tourist to visit a tourist destination. Opportunely, the tourist areas where the study was conducted were all equipped with cottages and tents and pricing was affordable enough for customers. With a grand mean of 2.76, accessibility with regards to the roads’ ease of traveling and comfort while driving to these areas was ranked to be moderately satisfactory due to the fact that the roads connected to these places were good enough during travel and pavements were being built at the time. At some point however, areas through which the roads intersect are rough and most of the time, absence of vehicles passing by were hard to find. The Madlum caves, Biak na Bato and Banal na Bundok the tourist areas where absence of vehicles was recorded to be the reason why tourist-owned cars and vehicles were used, leaving a probability of not being visited. Therefore, good roads and vehicles should be provided. Communication and tourist personnel play important roles in the tourism industry being a people-oriented industry. Communication with a grand mean of 2.54 and verbal description of moderately satisfactory implies that the hospitality and approachability of service personnel in the areas were effective. The environment attribute which has a grand mean of three (3) and a description of moderately satisfactory proves that the environment in the areas have minimal or no
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pollution and noise. Travelers that come from cities or nearby provinces may travel to a place like the Madlum caves or Biak na Bato if this attribute is to be considered. Some tourists who come from busy cities may visit these places to escape from noise and stress and experience nature. Garbage collectors should be deployed in these areas to ensure that wastes are properly disposed. Under the attribute environment, availability of direction and caution signages should also be provided because ecotourism areas like Biak na Bato and the Madlum caves are situated in a mountainous landscape, making trekking and cave exploring safe. The tourist personnel attribute with a grand mean of 2.61 and verbal description of moderately satisfactory show that the tourists ’ interaction with employees in the areas are acceptable. Thus, it is very important that the personnel interacting with the tourists should be accommodating and friendly to make the customers feel special. Employees should be responding to the tourists ’ needs hospitably because they travel to the place not just to relax and experience the environment but to be served responsibly. Personal encounters make the travel experience for the tourists memorable and lasting. Tourist personnel available in the areas to which tourists are in direct contact with are tour guides. Out of the four tourist areas, three have tour guides available for tourists to be accompanied with during their trip. There is no tour guide for the old houses in San Vicente but are the ones who are also curators of the history of the old Spanish houses they own. The Municipality of San Miguel can make the town known and be recognized by tourists by providing needed tour guides and curators to make trips to these places educational and also pass the history of San Miguel continuously from generation to generation.
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These attributes with verbal descriptions as slightly satisfactory indicates that tourists are 26-50 % satisfied with the areas. These are therefore essential to tourists because they make the experience delightful and worth the time. Food and beverage establishments with a grand mean of 2.41 and described as slightly satisfactory should be available because tourists in a certain place have the tendency to find a pleasant place where they can eat and drink, has varied choices and pricing is affordable. Cleanliness and sanitation should also be monitored to give the tourists the security of getting nutritious food and served hospitably. Price as one of the attributes had a grand mean of 2.33 and a verbal description of slightly satisfactory. As cited by Sparks (2002), value for money was measured using visitors’ perceived value of a product and assessment of the prices paid for that product. Pricing for a particular product or service must be studied first, analyzing its outcomes and possible effects as to how tourists will be receiving the product. Security as an attribute had a grand mean of 2.14 and slightly satisfactory description. This implies that personnel who are concerned with the safety and security of the tourists in the areas are few or are not visible to the tourists. Tourist areas must have security personnel and assistance centers were visitors can approach whenever they need assistance and help during their trip. On table 1, shopping facilities with a grand mean of 2.22 and is slightly satisfactory as verbally described implies that tourists find that there is limited establishment where they can buy souvenirs or there is no variety of products. Tourists express satisfaction or dissatisfaction after they buy tourism products and services, Fornell (1992).
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If tourists are satisfied with the products they bought, they will have the motivation to buy these products again or they will recommend them to their friends. Tourists have the tendency to buy products as they travel to a certain place. They may look for products that are in connection with their trip so as to take home the memory of their trip to that particular place. Recreational facilities as one of the attributes and had a grand mean of 1.94 and a verbal description of slightly satisfactory implies that facilities where a tourist can have recreation achieved 26 26 – – 50 50 % of their expectation. The areas may lack facilities that the tourists can use for recreation aside from the usual sightseeing in the area. These facilities would make the area generate income, attract more potential visitors and above all, satisfy the tourists visiting the area. Percentage Percentage Distribution Result
Table 2. General assessment of respondents on the areas as tourist attractions
Answer Yes No
Frequency 77 3
Percentage 96.25% 3.75%
In connection with the overall satisfaction of the tourists, table 2 shows the general assessment of the respondents on the attractions San Miguel, Bulacan as tourist destinations. Majority of the tourists answered yes on the question asking if great improvements should be rendered to improve their satisfaction. The satisfaction of the tourists who experienced the trip would improve if the attributes cited in the questionnaires will be also enhanced and improved.
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This result can summarize the result of the overall satisfaction of the tourists being satisfactory in terms of the indicated attributes. To provide excellent services and tourists’ satisfaction is a good guide which planners can rely on. facilities, assessment of of tourists’ Table 3. Frequency and percentage of tourists for every area in terms of sexual orientation
Male
San Vicente Old Houses 7
Female
13
Sex
Biak na Bato
Banal na Bundok
Madlum Caves
12
11
11
8
9
9
Percentage 50% 50%
Results of the frequency of tourists based on their sexual orientation show that there are more males than females visiting Biak na Bato, Banal na Bundok and the Madlum caves (Table 3). Visits to the old houses of San Vicente were mostly by females implies that males prefer eco-tourism areas. The percentage of the male and female tourists in the table shows that there is equal percentage of the male and female tourists. The fact the both sexes travel to the tourist attractions found in San Miguel, Bulacan can be used by the management of the areas to consider the different needs of both sexes regarding facilities which will cater to their differing preferences. Accessibility is also a factor why more males are visiting the areas that are somewhat far from main roads, noting the situation of the roads where small vehicles (i.e., motorcycles, tricycles) are the main modes of transportation available on the place. It can also be noted that males find the old houses of San Vicente not satisfactory.
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Table 4. Weighted mean result of attributes based on sexual orientation Male Attribute
WM
Accessibility
2.57
Accommodation
2.35
Communication
2.41
Environment Food and beverage establishments
2.45 2.25
Price
2.23
Security
2.03
Shopping facilities
1.96
Recreational facilities
1.88
Tourist personnel
2.59
VD Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
Female WM WM 2.79 2.20 2.44 2.90 2.54 2.18 2.22 2.15 2.07 3.07
VD Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Highly Satisfied
Satisfaction of the tourists based on sexual orientation on table 4 shows that both males and females are slightly satisfied on the attributes related to the areas. The rate of – 50% satisfaction on the areas is 26 26 – 50% which therefore implies that consideration on the sexual orientation of the tourists needs improvement. Table 5. Frequency and percentage of tourists for every area in terms of civil status
Civil Status
San Vicente Old Houses
Single Married Widow
20 0 0
Biak na Banal na Bato Bundok Frequency 9 16 10 4 1 0
Madlum Caves
Percentage
13 6 1
72.5% 25% 2.5%
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As shown on table 5, tourists are mostly single. This indicates that most of the areas possibly appeal to young tourists. Married and widow tourists on the other hand can visit the areas to enjoy together with their families. Most singles visit the San Vicente old houses while most married tourists visit Biak na Bato and widows visit Biak na Bato and the Madlum caves. Singles visiting the San Vicente old houses were students who go there as part of their school activities. Married and widowed tourists together with their families, may view Biak na Bato and Madlum caves as places to unwind and enjoy time. These areas should have facilities which families can use. Table 6. Weighted mean result of attributes based on civil status
Single Attribute
WM
VD
Accessibility
3.2
Accommodation
2.42
Communication
2.84
Environment Food and beverage establishments
2.68
Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
1.83
Slightly Satisfied
Price
2.48
Security
2.39
Shopping facilities Recreational facilities Tourist personnel
2.26 2.17 2.76
Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
Widow
Married WM
VD
2.43
Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied
2.25
Slightly Satisfied
2.03 2.42 2.39
2.11 1.89 2.37 1.59 2.72
Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately
Satisfied
WM
VD
2.67
Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
2.5
Slightly Satisfied
2.75 2 2
2.5 2.5 2.67 2.67 3
Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied 25
Table 6 shows the weighted mean result of the tourists ’ satisfaction in relation to their civil status. With respect to civil status, results range from slightly to moderately satisfactory indicating that the areas rendered 50 – 50 – 75% 75% of their expectation. For tourists to visit again, their expectation from that area should be met, which will make them potentially become repetitive visitors. Table 7. Frequency and percentage of tourists for every area in terms of age
Age Below 20 years old 20-29 years old 30-39 years old 50 & above
San Vicente Old Houses
Biak na Banal na Bato Bundok Frequency
Madlum Caves
Percentage
13
3
9
9
42.5%
7 0 0
10 7 0
9 2 0
8 2 1
42.5% 13.75% 1.25%
Table 7 shows that there is an equal number of tourists’ aged below 20 years old and 20-29 years old. Different age brackets can influence tourists ’ satisfaction especially if facilities and amenities are not inlined with their age. Planners can base their projected facilities and amenities to what their target tourist ages are adding that planning costs can also be minimized if they know in advance who their common visitors are. Results of the frequency of visitors based on age indicates that teenagers and young professionals can be drawn to visiting San Miguel, Bulacan. It can be caused by the fact that these areas have nice views that can help them relax and enjoy or serve as venues in celebrating with friends or fellow workers during holidays. As previously stated, establishing facilities that targets specific groups of tourists will attract more visitors depending on their age.
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Table 8. Weighted mean result of attributes based on age
Attribute
Below 20 years old WM VD
20-29 years old WM VD
30-39 years old WM VD VD
50 and above WM VD
Accessibility
2.6
SS
3.08
MS
3.14
MS
2
SS
Accommodation
1.93
SS
2.46
SS
2.73
MS
1
NS
Communication
2.35
SS
2.98
MS
2.55
MS
2
SS
Environment Food and beverage establishments
2.75
MS
2.95
MS
2.73
MS
2.5
SS
2.26
SS
2.61
MS
1.87
SS
2
SS
Price
2.11
SS
2.68
MS
2
SS
2.13
SS
Security Shopping facilities Recreational facilities Tourist personnel
2.03
SS
2.59
MS
1.86
SS
2.5
SS
1.77
SS
3.61
HS
1.73
NS
2.5
SS
1.81
SS
2.18
SS SS
1.34
NS
2.5
SS
2.63
MS
3.03
MS
2.17
SS
2
SS
Legend: NS- Not Satisfied SS- Slightly Satisfied MS-Moderately Satisfied HS-Highly Satisfied
A result of the weighted mean of the attributes assessed by the tourists is shown – 39 on table 8. Among the age brackets, tourists who are 30 30 – 39 years old and 50 above and are not satisfied on accommodation and shopping and recreational facilities. With a weighted mean of 1.73, shopping facilities is described as not satisfactory by tourists aged 30 – 39 39 years old. This may be because there are minimal stores to shop and therefore there is lack of available items to buy. Tourists included in this group can be considered professionals who are able to buy tourism products as well. As tourists leave a place which they visited, they would want to buy products related to the place or souvenirs which makes their travel memorable. Also, recreational facilities as assessed by this age 27
group are not satisfactory, which implies that the areas lack facilities and has no safety gears and first aid. It could also be implied that the tourists aged 30 – 30 – 39 39 years old want to find facilities that can improve their health. The results suggests that facilities and services should be improved to enhance the satisfaction of tourists with respect to their age. Tourist attractions could be incorporated with activities and facilities that would cater to the needs of tourists other than the usual sightseeing a place can offer which can also boost its marketability. Table 9. Frequency and percentage of tourists for every area in terms of household income
Estimated Income Less than PHP10,000 Less than PHP30,000 Above PHP50,000
San Vicente Old Houses
Biak na Banal na Bato Bundok Frequency
Madlum Caves
Percentage
9
18
18
18
78.75%
8
1
2
2
16.25%
3
1
0
0
5%
Results on the percentage and frequency of tourists for every area as assessed through their household income (Table 9) show that families earning less than PHP10,000 a month are the majority of tourists who visits the place. Low income families tend to travel to these places to enjoy the site, affected by the fact that these areas has low fees in terms of entrance, parking and cottage rent. This should be considered because the results predict the pricing strategy that the tour ist areas’ management should consider. Income earned by a family could also predict their satisfaction of the area. High income families tend to spend their money by how it will give them satisfaction aside from the fact that their capability to buy tourism products is relatively higher than that of low income families. 28
Frequency of the tourists for every area based on estimated household income as shown on table 9 shows that families earning less than PHP10,000 a month is high on ecotourism destinations. These areas may have low fees and families from this group can afford the rates. The concentration of these tourists based on their income in connection with the place should be considered by tourism planners in establishing business that can be afforded by their target market to obtain a particular tourism product. Products are items that vary in prices which should be affordable to low income families as well as middle earning families. Table 10. Weighted mean result of attributes based on estimated household income
Attribute
Less than PHP10,000 per month WM
Accessibility
2.77
Accommodation
2.59
Communication
2.95
Environment Food and beverage establishments
3.19
VD Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
2.79
Moderately Satisfied
Price
2.97
Security Shopping facilities Recreational facilities
2.60
Tourist personnel
3.04
2.47 2.24
Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
Less than PHP30,000 per month WM
Above PHP50,000 per month
VD Moderately Satisfied
WM
3
2.81
Not Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
2.80
Moderately Satisfied
2.76 1.69 3.16
2.63 2.59 2.72 2.08 2.84
Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
3
VD Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
2.42
Slightly Satisfied
2.25
2.75
3 2.38 2.75 2.08 2.25
Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied
29
Table 10 shows tourist s’ satisfaction in relation to their household income. It can be implied that satisfaction can be varied as influenced by household income particularly tourists who earn less than PHP30,000 a month. They are not satisfied on the accommodation, which shows that there is lack of accommodation available to them and affordability is not good. Tourists may want to find a place where they can spend their trip for a couple of days or so. Respondents in this study came from places not in or near San Miguel, Bulacan and the possibility of staying for a couple of days could be their option. In terms of accommodation, it could be derived that there is a need to improve the areas because not all visitors are from or living near San Miguel, Bulacan. Table 11. Frequency and percentage of tourists for every area in terms of educational attainment
Educational Attainment Doctorate degree or w/ unit in doctoral Masteral degree or w/ unit in masteral College graduate College undergraduate High school level Elementary level
San Vicente Old Houses
Biak na Banal na Bato Bundok Frequency
Madlum Caves
Percentage
0
0
0
0
0%
0 5
0 8
0 6
0 2
0% 26.25%
1 14 0
8 4 0
7 7 0
15 3 0
38.75%% 35% 0%
Table 11 presents the percentage and frequency of the tourists based on their educational attainment. There is an average percentage of tourists with formal education. Linked to the said fact, these groups of tourists possess varied expectations on the place in relation to their educational attainment levels.
30
Results of the frequency of visitors in every area based on their educational attainment as shown on table 11 show that tourists who are under high school graduates/undergraduates mostly visiting the old houses of San Vicente. This is because most of them are students having a trip as a part of their school activities which in particular may be connected to heritage sites as areas where history can be learned. College graduates visiting the area of Biak na Bato travel to the place in connection to their profession where as some of them go there for journalism purposes or documenting the area for photography. Knowing the kind of possible visitors, tourism planners can derive ideas on what amenities should be provided. Table 12. Weighted mean result of attributes based on educational attainment College Graduate Attribute
WM
Accessibility
3.26
Accommodation
2.64
Communication
3.05
Environment Food and beverage establishments
3.04 2.54
Price
2.82
Security Shopping facilities Recreational facilities
2.43
Tourist personnel
2.52
2.36 1.98
VD Highly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
College Undergraduate WM VD Moderately 2.87 Satisfied Slightly 2.48 Satisfied Slightly 2.8 Satisfied Moderately 2.95 Satisfied 2.42
2.27 2.34 2.47 2.17 3.17
Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied
High School Level WM 2.94 1.84 2.22 2.82 2.26
1.80 2 1.81 1.80 2.07
VD Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Moderately Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied Slightly Satisfied
31
Table 12 shows the results of weighted mean of the attributes based on the tourists’ tourists ’ educational attainment. Tourist destinations attract visitors because of their natural beauty and characteristics. The satisfaction of tourists depending on what they are expecting to see in a place will determine their possibility of returning back to the place. Tourists who finished high school level who mainly visit the old houses of San Vicente are slightly satisfied with the attributes of the area. Developing interest in the place makes this group one of the tourists to be prioritized. As suggested, educational and school trips should be developed in San Miguel for its rich culture showed in their architectures. College graduate and undergraduate tourists are satisfied with the attributes attribut es of the place.
This means that
improving the area more will further attract more tourists. Table 13. Frequency and percentage of tourists for every area in terms of travel party
Travel Party Organized group Friends and relatives Family members A couple Alone
San Vicente Old Houses 10 9 1 0 0
Biak na Banal na Bato Bundok Frequency 6 5 6 7 0 0
5 9 1 0
Madlum Caves
Percentage
1
27.5%
15 3 0 1
43.75% 25% 1.25% 1.25%
The concentration of organized groups visiting the areas was mainly on the old houses of San Vicente because schools usually visit the place as part of their school activities (Table 13). The frequency of tourists with friends and relatives as their travel party mostly visit the Madlum caves because the area is ideal in having picnics at the side of the river followed by cave explorations after. Family members have high visitation rate 32
at Banal na Bundok because the area is said to be religious and additionally, there is a zoo which is suitable for a family. Organized groups are also one of the travel in the tourist areas with a percentage of 27.5% they are the second type of group of tourists visiting the areas. They visit the tourist areas to enjoy time with their colleagues and classmates. Thus, the areas concerned should produce amenities that can be enjoyed by both parties, which can be either sports facilities or venues where groups of friends, families or clans of relatives can celebrate or have tour activities like camping or mountain trekking. Results shown in figure 1 indicate that there is a repetition of visit on the tourist attractions found in San Miguel, Bulacan. Frequency of visit to a particular place can be a sign that there is effective tourism, making previous travelers influence other travelers to visit the place. The level of satisfaction of the tourists who visited the place before should be higher than the second time they will be travelling again to the place to make their experience even more satisfying to them.
No
63.75%
Yes
36.25% 0
25
50 Percentage
75
100
Figure 1. Result of percentage distribution in terms of repeat visit at the areas Figure 2 shows the percentage of the number of times a tourist has been on the place. Most tourists have gone to the areas two to four (2-4) times before, higher than the percentage of tourists that who have been on the place 5 – 5 – 10 10 times before. This means that the respondents have visited the areas for the second time and that the tourists this time has learned about the place. This could lead to the conclusion that managements of the 33
establishments should have a further understanding of their customers because second time visitors may be developing interests to visit the areas more often.
100% e g a t n e c r e P
50% 25
35 17.5
5 0% More than 10 times
5-10 times
2-4 times
once
Figure 2. Result of percentage distribution in terms of count of visits at the areas
Travelling with friends and relatives (43.75%) as shown in figure 3 can be interpreted that these group of tourists find these areas as to where they can enjoy visiting with, accompanied with their friends and relatives. They may find these areas where they can celebrate or experience the site as an area that can give them pleasure and experience other than what they do in everyday life.
34
Percentage of the source by which tourist found information about the place is shown on figure 3. Results indicate that majority of the tourists knew about the place through word of mouth this implies that there is low publicity about the places. Many of the tourists cited that word of mouth is the major means of knowing about the areas. To make a tourist place marketable, the management should exert effort on advertising their place for it to be marketed to potential tourists. The results manifest why tourist visits in San Miguel, Bulacan is low despite the fact that it has attractions that can compete with other tourist destinations offering the same amenities and facilities.
61.25%
15% 5% Word of Mouth
Printed Materials
Television
7.5%
Internet
10%
Others
Figure 3. Result of percentage distribution based on source by which tourists learned about the place
35
CHAPTER V SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
On every category related to tourist satisfaction, the results are presented based on verbal description used in this study. Attributes based on the tourists’ experience and assessment on the areas can be summarized that the whole tourist experience is slightly satisfactory for them. Satisfaction Satisfact ion of tourists can also be affected by their demographics in terms of sex where preference of males and females is significant. On estimated household income, those earning less than PHP10,000 a month are satisfied with the facilities. Those earning PHP30,000 below a month were moderately satisfied with the facilities and amenities while tourists who earn PHP50,000 a month are also moderately satisfied with the same attributes. Civil status is also significant because the results show that singles, married tourists and widows have different preferences when the attributes of a place is concerned. However, they all prefer to visit areas in line with ecotourism. On travel behaviors, there are repetitive visitors which is an indication that the tourist areas are gaining more tourists. Results also show that groups of friends together with their relatives visit San Miguel, Bulacan and they have knew the places through word of mouth.
36
Conclusions
Based upon the results, tourists have varied satisfaction levels based on each weighted mean result and verbal description. On provision facilities and amenities, tourists are slightly satisfied. The attributes that either meet or do not meet the needs of the tourists should therefore be studied carefully. Tourist demographic characteristics in terms of sex, civil status, age, educational attainment and estimated household income affect the level of satisfaction of tourists differently. This should therefore be studied as well. Travel behavior characteristics also affect satisfaction because it can be considered in predicting the type of tourists. Satisfied tourists tend to travel back to the place as indicated by their count of visit, usual travel group and source by which they found information about the areas. Recommendations
This study provides information on tourist satisfaction based on attributes related to the tourist areas and gives opportunities to the beneficiaries to study the areas they must improve to give tourists great experience. Based on the results, tourism-related establishments with facilities and amenities aimed for visitors should develop an in-depth understanding of what tourist from a tourists deem satisfactory in a tourist spot. For other researchers, distribution of additional questionnaires to a greater number of tourists in a place is important to further assess the respondents for greater observation and feedback about their satisfaction and expectations.
37
LITERATURE CITED
Books:
Cruz, Z. 2006. Principles of Tourism II. Cruz, Z. 2007. Principles of Tourism I. Websites:
Al-Ali, R., Consumer Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction in Tourism as Related to Jordan Image Perception, Available at: www.nu.edu.sa/userfiles/maalshiek/t www.nu.edu. sa/userfiles/maalshiek/thesis.doc. hesis.doc. Accessed September 7, 2011. Budiono, O., Customer Satisfaction in Public Bus Transport - A Study Of Travelers’ Perception In Indonesia, Available at: www.diva-portal.or www.diva- portal.org/smash/.../fulltext g/smash/.../fulltext01. 01. Accessed September 7, 2011. Daud, N., Abdul R., Sofiah, Mior H., Mior H. and Adam, A., Measuring the Satisfaction Level of Tourists: Empirical Evidence from Taman Negara Visitors, Accessed September 7, 2011. Department of Tourism, Visitor arrivals reach all time high, Available at: http://www.tourism.gov.ph/Pages/2010VISITORARRIVALSREACHANALLTI ME%20HIGH.aspx. Accessed September 6, 2011. Ellis, C. and Vogelsong, H. Ph.D., Assessing Indicators Relating To Overall Tourist Satisfaction of Ecotourism Developments in Eastern North Carolina, Available at: nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/gtr/gtr.../gtr_ne302_052.pdf. Accessed September 6, 2011. Esu, Dr. B. and Arrey, V., Touris Tou rists’ ts’ Satisfaction with Cultural Tourism T ourism Festival: a Case Study of Calabar Carnival Festival, Nigeria, Available at: http://www.ccsenet.org/journal/index.php/ijbm/article/download/274/251. 38
Accessed September 6, 2011. Furutani, T., and Fujita, A., A St udy on Foreign Tourists’ Behavior And Consumer Satisfaction in Kamakura, Available at: www.easts.info/onLine/journal_06/2154.pdf. Line/journal_06/2154. pdf. Accessed September 7, 2011. Foster, D., Measuring Customer Satisfaction in the Tourism Industry, Available at:http://www.google.com.ph/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=Measuring+Customer+Satisfacti on+in+the+Tourism+Industry&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCYQFjAA&url=http %3A%2F%2Ftorc.linkbc.ca%2Ftorc%2Fdowns1%2FMeasuring%2520Customer %2520Satisfaction.pdf&ei=X_9RT9amLa7ImAW_rqiECg&usg=AFQjCNFrLLq 0uMChrRmAOZHoEN27B4Lbpg&sig2=oVN T6zihrJFGu2AKXhtr1g Accessed September 6, 2011. Huh, J., Tourist Satisfaction with Cultural / Heritage Sites: The Virginia Historic Triangle, Available at: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-051420021171010/unrestricted/Thesis.pdf. Accessed September 6, 2011. Implementing Rules and Regulations of R. A. 9593, Otherwise known as the Tourism Act Of 2009, Available at: www.tourism.gov.ph/.../RA%209593.pdf. Accessed September 6, 2011. Liu, Y. and Ko, P., Analyses of Region Preference and Tourist Sati sfaction from China’s Outbound Tourists – Tourists – An An Empirical Study Conducted in Taiwan, Available at: http://academicjournals.org/ajbm/PDF/pdf2010/18July/Liu%20and%20Yen.pdf. Accessed September 7, 2011. Montero, J., Ph.D. and Avilés G., Ph.D, An Alternative To Test Independence Between Expectations And Disconfirmation Versus The Positive Version Of The
39
Assimilation Theory. An Application to the Case of Cultural/Heritage Tourism, Available at: http://journals.cluteonline.com/index.php/IJMIS/article/view/844 Accessed September 7, 2011. Naidoo, P., Munhurrun, P., and Ladsawut, J., Tourist Satisfaction With Mauritius As A Holiday Destination, Available at: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=1633688.Accessed September 7, 2011. Odunga, P., Choice of Attractions, Expenditure and Satisfaction of International Tourists to Kenya, Available at: edepot.wur.nl/121685. Accessed September 7, 2011. Snow Leopard Conservancy: Los Gatos, California; WWF-Nepal Programme Kathmandu, Visitor Satisfaction and Opportunity Survey Manang, Nepal: Market Opportunities for Linking Community-Based Ecotourism with Conservation of Snow Leopard in the Annapurna Conservation Area , Available at: http://www.snowleopardconservancy.org/pdf/Manang%20Visitor%20survey%20f inal%20report.pdf www.snowleopardconservancy.org. Accessed September 7, 2011. Sparks, B., Visitor Satisfaction Survey on the Gold Coast, Available at: www.crctourism.com.au/... www.crcto urism.com.au/.../2-3_visitorsur /2-3_visitorsurvey_ vey_ Accessed September 7, 2011. Tezcan, B., Developing Alternative Modes of Tourism in Turkey, Available at: etd.lib.metu.edu.tr/upload/12605524/index.pdf. Accessed September 7, 2011. World Tourism Organization, Available at: http://www.WorldTourismOrganization.com. Accessed September 6, 2011.
40
APPENDICES
Appendix A. Sample survey questionnaire Republic of the Philippines BULACAN AGRICULTURAL STATE COLLEGE INSTITUTE OF MANAGEMENT Pinaod, San Ildefonso, Bulacan
Directions: Please write down down your answers on the space provided or place a check inside the parenthesis where appropriate a ppropriate.. Part I. Tourist’s Demographic Characteristics Name (optional):_________________________ (optional):_________________________ Name of Tourist Place:________________ Place:________________ Date:_____________ Do you reside in San Miguel, Bulacan? Yes ( ) No ( )
( ) below 20 yrs old Gender: ( ) Male ( ) Female Age: Estimated household income: ( ) 20-29 yrs old ( ) Less Php10, 000.00 Civil status: ( ) Single ( ) 30-39 yrs old ( ) Less Php30, 000.00 ( ) Married Married ( ) 40-49 yrs old ( ) Above Php50, 000.00 ( ) Widow ( ) 50 and above Educational Attainment: ( ) Doctorate degree w/ unit in doctoral ( ) College under graduate ( ) Masteral degree or w/ unit in masteral ( ) High school level ( ) College graduate ( ) Elementary Elementar y level Part II. Travel Behavior Characteristics
1. 2.
3.
5.
Is it your first visit in this place? ( ) Yes ( ) No 4. In what types of sources did you you If no, how many times have you visited find information about this place? this place before? ( ) Internet ( ) Once ( ) 2-4 times ( ) 5-10 times ( ) More than 10 ( ) T.V. ( ) Printed materials Which of the following best describes your travel party? ( ) Word of mouth ( ) Others ( ) Alone ( ) A couple ( ) Family members ( ) Friends and relatives ( ) Organized groups Are you you a foreign tourist? ( ) Yes
( ) No
Part III. Instruction: Please read the survey questionnaire listed below by putting a check on the appropriate column for the following. following.
4 – Highly – Highly Satisfied 3 – Moderately – Moderately Satisfied 2 – Slightly – Slightly Satisfied 1 – Not – Not Satisfied Satisfied
means that the tourist is 76 - 100% satisfied in the facilities and services available in the area means that the tourist is 51 – 51 – 75% 75% satisfied in the facilities and services available in the area means that the tourist is 26 – 26 – 50% 50% satisfied in the facilities and services available in the area means that the tourist is 0 – 25% – 25% satisfied in the facilities and services available in the area
41
Attributes 4
3
2
1
Accessibility i. ease of mobility ii. availability of transport vehicle in the area Accommodation i. availability of lodging house, motels, tents and cottages ii. affordability Communication i. service personnel's hospitality and approachability Environment i. pollution free surroundings ii. free from noise iii. availability of direction and caution signages Food and Beverage Establishment i. availability of varied choices ii. affordability iii. pleasantness of the establishment Price i. affordability ii. discount promos Security i. visibility of law enforcers ii. presence of tourist assistance center Shopping Facilities i. availability of stores to shop in the place ii. availability of novelty items and souvenirs in the area iii. available varieties to choose from Recreational Facilities i. availability of sports facilities ii. availability of safety gears and gadgets iii. availability of first aid and medical assistance during emergency Tourist Personnels i. availability of tour guides
According to you, should great improvements need to be carried out to enhance your satisfaction with San Miguel, Bulacan as a tourist destination? ( ) Extremely Yes ( ) Extremely No
42
Appendix B. Letter of request
43
Appendix C. Sample survey questionnaire with answer from respondent visiting Biak na Bato
4- Highly Satisf ied 3- Moderately Satisf ied 2- Slightly Satisf ied 1-Not Satisf ied
44
45
Appendix D. Sample survey questionnaire with answer from respondent visiting Banal na Bundok
4- Highly Satisf ied 3- Moderately Satisf ied 2- Slightly Satisf ied 1-Not Satisf ied
46
47
Appendix E. Sample survey questionnaire with answer from respondent visiting the Madlum caves
4- Highly Satisf ied 3- Moderately Satisf ied 2- Slightly Satisf ied 1-Not Satisf ied
48
49
Appendix F. Sample survey questionnaire with answer from respondent visiting the old houses of San Vicente
4- Highly Satisf ied 3- Moderately Satisf ied 2- Slightly Satisf ied 1-Not Satisf ied
50
51
Appendix G. Documentation
Figure 4. Respondent from Biak na Bato while answering the survey questionnaire
Figure 5. Respondents from the Madlum caves while answering survey questionnaires
52
Appendix H. Curriculum vitae
Personal Background Name
:
Mark John L. Abo
Age
:
21 years old
Nationality
:
Filipino
Gender
:
Male
Civil Status
:
Single
Father
:
Mariano P. Abo
Mother
:
Marcela L. Abo
Contact Number
:
09052920059
:
Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Hospita lity Management
Educational Background Tertiary
Bulacan Agricultural State College Barangay Pinaod, San Ildefonso, Bulacan 2008-2012
Associate in Hospitality Management Bulacan Agricultural State College Barangay Pinaod, San Ildefonso, Bulacan 2008-2010
Secondary
:
Laboratory High School Bulacan Agricultural State College Barangay Pinaod, San Ildefonso, Bulacan 2003-2007
Elementary
:
San Ildefonso North Central Elementary School Barangay Poblacion, San Ildefonso, Bulacan 1997-2003 53
