Robert David Fox| Edward Guidangen | Edd Malit
School of International Hospitality and Tourism Management
ABSTRACT
Agritourism is one of the forms of tourism that is growing in popularity. In the Philippines, the promotion of agritourism sites has been one of the strategic priorities of the Department of Tourism. Barangay Alapang in La Trinidad, Benguet is known for its potted flowers and is currently a thriving agritourism destination with the birth of flower farms or gardens. This thriving destination inspired the researchers to conduct this study to establish the amount of consensus among residents, officials, and farmers in Barangay Alapang on the potential advantages of the barangay’s long-term development as an agritourism destination. Specifically, the study aims to determine the potential benefits and perceived effects of the sustainable development of Barangay Alapang as an agritourism site. A quantitative descriptive research design was employed in this study wherein data was gathered through a questionnaire administered to barangay officials, tourism officers, and barangay residents. Results indicated that the respondents totally agree with the perceived benefits of the development of Barangay Alapang as an agritourism site, such as on the potential of the barangay to gain more stakeholders, to generate income, additional infrastructure to boost the production of the barangay’s flora products as well as looking into the opportunities for the residents. The study reveals that the respondents are open to the idea of sustainable development given the potential benefits. The results also reflect the total agreement on the perceived effects of the sustainable development of the barangay as an agritourism site as to the opportunity to showcase local products, for the barangay to be more accessible, for more tourists to visit the barangay as well as an increase in job opportunities.
Keywords: sustainable development, agritourism site, benefits, perceived effects,Barangay Alapang
