Assessment of Tourist Attractions and Facilities in Ilocos Norte

Abstract

Introduction

The tourism program of Ilocos Norte dubbed as Paoay Kumakaway was launched in 2011 to lure tourists to visit and enjoy the stay in the province. The study aimed to assess the various attractions and facilities of tourism as perceived by tourists. It assessed whether they are aware of these facilities, are they used, and whether they were satisfied by it.

Methods

Tourist respondents were interviewed in the tourist spot they are seen in the summer of 2016. Key tourism towns were selected as data-gathering sites. A socio-demographic profile was gathered per respondent. For analysis, this study is patterned to the Department of Interior and Local Government Citizen Satisfaction Index System. Each was asked on specific tourist sites whether they are aware of it, have availed it, and asked of their assessment and importance of the site through a scaled scoring.

Results

The majority of these tourists are females, single and college graduates. Most tourists stayed in Hotels and that their primary purpose of travel is for Holidays followed by VFR (Visiting Relatives and Friends). The majority of the tourists learned about Ilocos Norte through social media such as Facebook and Instagram. Results show that most tourists are aware of the province's tourist facilities and attractions and they have availed it. The satisfaction of tourists falls mostly in the "satisfied" and "definitely satisfied" category. Importance of the programs and facilities fall mostly on the the "high" to "veryhigh"

Discussions

The overall rating of the tourism industry in Ilocos Norte is "high" which means that the tourism industry of the province is pleasing and satisfactory to the tourists. The Provincial Tourism Office of Ilocos Norte should continue the active management and development of the province as a prime destination. The creation of new themes for tourism in the province and product innovation is encouraged to not just invite more tourists but also encourage repeat visits. Moreover, if the creation of new tourist attractions will require time and major financial consideration, the Tourism Office may target a new market segment that is emerging worldwide and has economic benefits such as the differently-abled tourist. Research towards inclusivity in tourism can also be conducted for continuing tourism development in the province.