Callejo, Jasfher

2010-18654

Cupang as a Pilgrimage destination : Community

Based Approach
Inroduction

A community participation approach has long been advocated as an integral part of

sustainable tourism development. It is envisaged that the approach can increase a community’s
carrying capacity by reducing tourism’s negative impacts while enhancing its positive effects
(Okazaki quoting Haywood, 1988; Jamal & Getz,1995; Murphy, 1985).

According to Connell (1997: 250), participation is ‘not only about achieving the more
efficient and more equitable distribution of material resources: it is also about the sharing of
knowledge and the transformation of the process of learning itself in the service of people’s self-
development’. Arnstein (1969) states that the purpose of participation is power redistribution,
thereby enabling society to fairly redistribute benefits and costs. In the context of tourism
planning, Haywood (1988: 106) defines community participation as ‘a process of involving all
[stakeholders] (local government officials, local citizens, architects, developers, business people,
and planners) in such way that decision-making is shared’.

Pilgrimage can be compared to tourism today in the sense that both can be seen as travel
away from the daily routine for another purpose, although that tourism may no longer be so
intrinsically attached to one’s religion or god/s. However, since pilgrimage is different from
Antiquity to the Middle Ages, must we not also accept that it comes in a different guise today as
well? In this sense, one could agree with MacCannell when we consider tourism to be the
pilgrimage of modern man (Cohen, 1996). However, as Cohen describes, one important
difference between pilgrimage and tourism is their direction of the path of travel. He argues that
in pilgrimage, one travels “from the periphery toward the cultural center, in modern tourism,
away from the cultural centre into the periphery… toward the center of other cultures and
societies”

First, local issues have a direct influence on the tourist experience: a backlash by the
locals results in hostile behavior towards tourists (Pearce, 1994). Thus, tourist environments
should be created in harmony with the social climate, where residents will benefit from tourism
and not become the victims (Okazaki quoting Wahab& Pigram, 1997).

Second, the image of tourism is based on the assets of the local community, including not
only the local people but also the natural environment, infrastructure, facilities and special events
or festivals; therefore, the cooperation of the host community is essential to access and develop
these assets appropriately(Murphy, 1985).
 Third, public involvement functions as a driving force to protect the community’s natural
environment and culture as tourism products, while simultaneously encouraging greater tourism-
related income (Felstead, 2000).

Fourth, because the tourism industry is sensitive to both internal and external forces,
many tourism development plans are often only partially implemented or not at all (Okazaki
quoting Bovy, 1982). Moreover, even those that are fully implemented are not always
sustainable. Thus, to increase the feasibility and longevity of projects, all plans should be linked
with the overall socioeconomic development of the community.

Accommodation and Transportation

In today’s modern world, religion is certainly still practiced but it is no longer such a part
of everyday life as it was in the Middle Ages. In those days, religion and life were inseparable,
the activities of the everyday were for the gods and the relationship of the people to their gods
was forever present.

After Elsa's death, people in the community clamor for wider development by tapping
into the tourism opportunities presented by the fascination for Elsa's past and future as saint.
Hotels were made available in the film when influx of tourism occurred. When tourism died after
Elsa’s death, they closed. As for the transportation, it is only by private cars or by jeepneys and
tricycles that the place could be reached. The roads are not developed and parking lots are not
designated. Anywhere is a loading area.

Population, Geography and Tourism Impacts

The population of Cupang is relatively small. Poverty is shown in the film and everyone
strives to eat three times a day. Their only livelihood includes small stores and driving
jeepneys/tricycles. The place is set on a deserted area where houses are actually built on barren
land and sand.

Tourism can provide direct jobs to the community, such as tour guides, hotel
housekeeping, masseur/masseuse, etc. Since we are focusing on religious tourism for the post-
Elsa town of Cupang, we will use the mountain where she supposedly saw the Virgin Mary as
the main attraction point. A monument here will be built and in order for tourists to be able to get
close to it, there will be an entrance fee. The money generated here can be used by the officials
in whatever way they feel its necessary in order to improve the lives of the local community.

It should not only be a day tour, but at least worth staying a night so that more jobs are to
be produced because inns will then be needed for accommodations. This will not only have
direct effects, but indirect effects as well. People, who are not directly working for the inns, will
also have additional jobs. If there are a lot of visitors, the demand for food will also be high. This
 will definitely put pressure on the suppliers to hire additional workers in order to meet the
demand. This in effect will produce additional jobs for the locals.

VISION

“To empower the rural community in Cupang and to make a substantial contribution to
development and the eradication of poverty through tourism.”

Objective/Target Strategy Program Project

Generation of income Enhancing of Capacity Allocate income

and employment knowledge in crafts Development revenues to social
and skills to aid in Program/Livelihood development projects
the creation of an Program in the community
ecologically
sustainable
livelihood

Linking the local Involving the Community Conduct seminars for

community to the community in Involvement Program the locals regarding
tourism supply chain - tourism planning, on- marketing and tour
Development of going decision guiding in the
religious tourism in the making, development religious sites
community of Cupang and operations

Conduct tour guiding

trainings for the
locals

Marketing of potential Development of Product Development Conduct of seminars

tourism products and by- tourism products that Program on
products engage local
community tourism product
development and
marketing

Goals

 To make Cupang a pilgrimage destination

 To generate income and employment thus, contribute to rural development
 To effectively connect the local community to the tourism supply chain (supply of agricultural
products, handicraft, local transportation, etc.)
 To market potential tourism products and by-products available on the town

Strategies

 Creation of a monument where Elsa died or a chapel near the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared
 Tour guiding can also be used
 Allocation of income revenues to social development projects in the community and
conservation of pilgrimage asset
 Development of tourism products that engage local community (crafts made by locals)
 Enhancing of knowledge in crafts and skills to aid in the creation of an ecologically sustainable
livelihood.
 Involving the community in tourism planning, on-going decision making, development and
operations.

Projects/Programs

 Capacity Development Program/Livelihood Program through education and skills training

 Provision of accessible tourist facilities and services (healthcare infrastructures) to the physically
challenged visitors and community members
 Identification of stakeholders and acquiring their recommendations with regard to developments
in conservation of culture and the environment.

Resources:
Arnstein, S.R. (1969) A ladder of citizen participation. Journal of the American Institute of
Planners 35 (4), 216–224.

Haywood, K.M. (1988) Responsible and responsive tourism planning in the community. Tourism
Management 9 (2), 105–108.

Jamal, T.B. and Getz, D. (1995) Collaboration theory and community tourism planning. Annals
of Tourism Research 22 (1), 186–204.

Murphy, P.E. (1985) Tourism: A community approach. New York and London: Methuen.

Okazaki, E. (2008). A community-based tourism model: Its conception and use. Journal of
Sustainable Tourism, 16(5), 511-529.

Connell, D. (1997) Participatory development: An approach sensitive to class and gender.

Development in Practice 7 (3), 248–259.

Pearce, P.L. (1994) Tourist-resident impact: Examples and emerging solutions. In W.F.

Theobald (ed.) Global Tourism: The Next Decade (pp. 103–123). Oxford: Butterworth-
Heinemann.

Wahab, S. and Pigram, J.J. (1997) Tourism and sustainability: Policy considerations. In

S. Wahab and J.J. Pigram (eds) Tourism, Development and Growth: The Challenge of
Sustainability (pp. 277–290). London and New York: Routledge.

Felstead,M.L. (2000) Master Plan for Community-Based Eco-Tourism in Ulgan Bay, Palawan,
Republic of the Philippines. Puerto Princesa City (PPC), Philippines: UNESCO-UNDPPPC.

Bovy,M.B. (1982) New concepts in planning for tourism and recreation. Tourism Planning 3 (4),
308–313.