Place Packaging: Developing Communities for Tourism Marketing Tourism Development and Place Based Destination Branding: A Research on Tourism-Focused Development Agendas for the Province of Marinduque

Abstract

Profitability due to tourism in Marinduque, has pushed pivots toward tourism development. In the hopes of making the province a year round tourist destination, to further boost the local economy. With this, issues from residents residing in these areas of interest have sprung up. Based on this and other observed changes, the researcher sought to pose a critical place-based analysis on these area developments to craft the “place image” that these destinations implicitly hold. The researcher consulted publicly available resources on the internet, written documents from national and local libraries, official government websites, reputable news outlets, academic journal publishers, online books, articles, and videos. Semi-structured interviews with 6 residents were also conducted to detail local life. Interviews with 4 local officials, copies of the minutes from development council meetings, and copies of the municipal development plans were also gathered. The results gleaned infrastructure development as the primary thrust for tourism and economic development. Infrastructure design followed tourism architecture trends that would ensure year-round tourist interest with high profitability for a wide range of audiences. Stated benefits include job opportunities, cleaner surroundings, and bigger business clientele. Issues include, pollution, accessibility, loss of livelihood and space, and forced displacement. Uneven power dynamics between residents and development planners hinder mass oriented development. Issues on proper heritage site remodeling and environment conservation effects on fishing were also raised. Calling for a paradigm shift in the development planning process that is authentic and representative, towards an identifiable destination brand to both residents and tourists.