Sustainability of Tourism Operation in Oriental Mindoro Amidst Pandemic

Agustin Soriano / Hasmin Mortel / Daisy Fe Hapes

09300025993 / 09264038414 / 09654065582
Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management/City College of Calapan

Abstract

The outlook for the tourism sector remains highly uncertain. The coronavirus
COVID-19 pandemic continues to hit hard and posed significant effect on tourism
industry. Tourism industry is helping to soften the blow at least partially and
governments have taken impressive immediate action to restore guidelines and
protocols to reactive the sector while protecting jobs and businesses. Tourism
destination have embraced emergency health care measures and restrictions imposed
on human movement around the world. Beaches and resorts are empty people’s
movements are stopped and travelling between territories is strictly controlled. The
COVID-19 lockdown around the world has imposed negative impacts on the livelihood
of the people and world economy as well. Many countries are also now developing
measures to build a more resilient tourism economy post COVID-19. These include
preparing plans to support the sustainable recovery of tourism promoting the digital
transition and move to a greener tourism system and rethinking tourism for the future.

Introduction

The COVID-19 declared as a pandemic by World Health Organization on March

12, 2020 of significantly impacts the global economic, political, socio cultural systems.
Health communication strategies and measures includes social distancing, travel and
mobility bans, community lockdowns, stay at home campaigns, self or mandatory
quarantine and curbs and crowding have halted global travel, tourism and leisure.
Being a highly vulnerable industry to numerous environmental political and socio-
economic risks tourism is used to and has become resilient in bouncing back from
various crisis and outbreaks. However, the nature and the unprecedented
circumstances and impacts of the COVID-19 demonstrate signs that this crisis is not
only different but it can have profound and long term structural and transformational
changes to tourism as socioeconomic activity and industry. Indeed, the global and huge
scale the multidimensional and interconnected impacts challenging current values and
systems leading to a worldwide recession and depression are the most distinctive
characteristics of this pandemic.
COVID-19 tourism impacts will be uneven in space and time and apart from the
human tool estimates show an enormous and international economic impact.
International tourists’ arrival is estimated to drop to 78% causing a loss of US$ 1.2
trillion in export revenues from tourism and 120 million direct tourism jobs cut
representing seven times the impact of September 11 and the largest decline in the
history. Being one of the most important global employers and the major GDP
contributor for several countries tourism and COVID-19 are the epicenter of all
international discussions and economies within the tourism industry discussions and

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research within the tourism industry and COVID-19 there is a unanimous call to see and
to use the pandemic as a transformative opportunity.
Moreover because of the interlinked socio cultural, economic, psychological and
political impacts of COVID-19 of this magnitude unforeseen trajectories instead of
historical trends are expected and the predictive power of old explanatory models may
not work. Moreover, there is enough evidence to claim that both the tourism industry
and research have matured to a good extent providing sufficient knowledge about how
to study effectively.
Tourism industry thrives on the patterns of visitations and a considerable effort
are placed by decision makers to attract visitors to support the sector and enhance the
multiplier effect from the industry. But due to the travel restrictions are being observed.
It holds relevance for the industry actors and decision makers as they face crucial task
of reviving and sustaining enterprises and industry at large. It is imperative that
viewpoints of key individuals are investigated for guiding others who are engaged in
managing and observing this segment.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic the world has witnessed a considerable
decrease in emissions most notably within the transportation industry including tourism
related transportation. Simultaneously, the pandemic also caused severe economic loss
for the tourism industry in general as well as popular tourist destination.

Objectives

Specifically, the following objectives are stated below:

to sustain health protocols as long as there is no vaccine yet, so that travelers
can go to destination even though the pandemic are still there and will be able to
access safely and smoothly to their desired destination.
to sustain the adherence to the implemented health protocols so that the tourism
economy can grow even more, despite the pandemic and so that the tourism
sector is not wasted due to COVID19.
Able to access all tourist destination safely and smoothly by obeying the standard
health protocols implemented by the government.

Statement of the problem

The main problems are stated below:

Tourism industry operation was so much affected by COVID-19 pandemic it
results to many tourists will not easily go to different tourist destination.
Just not like before the number of tourists visited tourist destination decrease so
that the tourism industry also decreases.
Tourists will not go to their desired destination due to strict policy of every tourist
places.

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Review of Related Literature

Ulrika Person-Fischer and Shuangqi Liu (2012)

The impacts of global crisis in tourism industry.

According to them, tourism operation has placed considerable emphasis and

impact in the pandemic which is not surprising given the impact of the pandemic on
tourism operation. However, the pandemic can be seen as sustainability challenge. The
pandemic has a greater impact in tourism operation. On the other hand, there are other
ways to view the nature of sustainability in covid-19 issues.

Jose Miguel Rodrigues Anton (2020)

Covid-19 impacts and recovery strategies.

According to her, the tourism industry health crisis caused by the pandemic
COVID-19 has been of such magnitude that the drop off in economic and tourist activity
in most countries is generating an economic crisis with consequences that are still
difficult to measure, although they have certainly measure based on distancing and
social isolation as well as strong limitations on all transport have caused an economic
crisis and effects in the country whether they have been strongly affected by virus or
whether the economic activity is going to be strongly affected through its induced
effects.

Ming Chi Tsai (2014)

Developing a sustainability strategy for tourism industry after COVID-19 pandemic.

According to her, the outbreak of COVID-19 around the world has caused great
damage to the tourism economy, the tourism industry is among the worst hit industries
that focus on visitors who are most helpful to the tourism industry and develop
sustainable strategy of operation is a very important question for after the pandemic is
over.

Novelli,Gussing Burgess, Jones & Ritchie 2018

Tourism and COVID-19 Impacts and Implications for advancing and resetting industry
and research.

Health communication strategies and measures social distancing, travel and

mobility bans, community lockdowns, stay at home campaigns, self or mandatory
quarantine, curbs on crowding have halted global travel, tourism and leisure. Being a
highly vulnerable industry to numerous environmental, political, socio-economic risks,
tourism is used to and has become resilient in bouncing back from various crisis and
outbreaks.

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Chen 2018
Impacts of COVID-19 on the travel and tourism industry.

Travel and tourism loss of a shocking one million jobs in the travel tourism sector
for the widespread impact of the coronavirus pandemic. The spread of coronavirus
however did not have important negative impact on the tourism demand despite the
high fatality rate. The COVID-19 inbound tourist arrivals recovered almost immediately
after the pandemic alerts were lifted this will not be the case for COVID-19 and we must
take that into account the new empirical models on pandemic impacts.

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Methods

In this research we use survey questionnaire to know the opinion of tourist if they
are agreed or disagree by using these health protocols there’s no harmful effects
happen and every establishment are safe to go through this way of acquiring guest. The
respondents of this research are the tourist who want to visit every tourist destination
around Oriental Mindoro. We choose 5 respondents were randomly selected as
participants.

We used questionnaire to make an assessment and research measurement. The

questionnaire was commonly used to distinguish the strength of opinion as they are
quick and easy to administer by self-completion, phone or face to face. It is necessary
to state the opinion, attitude and belief in clear terms.

Through literature review the study collects and discuss the opinion to formulate.
In this study a combination of a survey form and a questionnaire will be used as a vital
instrument in gathering data and information from the target respondents.

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Results

RESPONDENT #1

Research Question Respondent Answer

1. What is the effect of sustainability of 1. It could somehow increase the
tourism operation amidst pandemic for economy even just a little bit.
economy?
2. Nowadays, the tourism is affected by 2. The economy would deflate.
the pandemic. What will happen to the
country’s economy this year?
3. To increase their rate. What should the 3. They should think of new strategies
tourism industry do this year despite the that could cope with the new normal
pandemic facing the country? standards to open the tourism industries.
4. Can the tourism industry maintain its 4. Yes.
vitality even if there is a pandemic in our
country?
5. Is there an effectiveness with the 5. Yes.
implemented health protocols of every
tourism site to safely visit every
destination?

RESPONDENT #2

Research Question Respondent Answer

1. What is the effect of sustainability of 1. It will increase the rate of tourism in the
tourism operation amidst pandemic for economy.
economy?
2. Nowadays, the tourism is affected by 2. Revenue dropped quickly.
the pandemic. What will happen to the
country’s economy this year?
3. To increase their rate. What should the 3. Create new ways to promote tourism in
tourism industry do this year despite the the country and always follow the protocol
pandemic facing the country? and develop strategies and ways on how
to deal with such a problem.
4. Can the tourism industry maintain its 4. Yes.
vitality even if there is a pandemic in our
country?
5. Is there an effectiveness with the 5. Yes.
implemented health protocols of every
tourism site to safely visit every
destination?

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RESPONDENT #3

Research Question Respondent Answer

1. What is the effect of sustainability of 1. Sustainability of tourism operation
tourism operation amidst pandemic for amidst pandemic benefits the
economy? environmental help local communities
and can have economic advantages and
growth.
2. Nowadays, the tourism is affected by 2. The economy will suffer a great loss.
the pandemic. What will happen to the
country’s economy this year?
3. To increase their rate. What should the 3. Promote good ideas and maintain
tourism industry do this year despite the positive standing amidst of pandemic.
pandemic facing the country?
4. Can the tourism industry maintain its 4. With proper maintenance and services
vitality even if there is a pandemic in our offered new normal ways of working and
country? approaching the situation then yes vitality
can be maintained in tourism industry.
5. Is there an effectiveness with the 5. Yes, being responsible and disciplined
implemented health protocols of every citizens implemented health protocols can
tourism site to safely visit every be effective.
destination?

RESPONDENT #4

Research Question Respondent Answer

1. What is the effect of sustainability of 1. The sector will not greatly loss their
tourism operation amidst pandemic for level in the economy.
economy?
2. Nowadays, the tourism is affected by 2. The economy would be decrease by
the pandemic. What will happen to the different ways due to COVID-19
country’s economy this year? pandemic.
3. To increase their rate. What should the 3. Should advertise more, do some
tourism industry do this year despite the protocols.
pandemic facing the country?
4. Can the tourism industry maintain its 4. Yes, if the council and people unite.
vitality even if there is a pandemic in our
country?
5. Is there an effectiveness with the 5. Yes.
implemented health protocols of every
tourism site to safely visit every
destination?

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RESPONDENT #5

Research Question Respondent Answer

1. What is the effect of sustainability of 1. the economy will not be more critical if
tourism operation amidst pandemic for we sustain the tourism operation.
economy?
2. Nowadays, the tourism is affected by 2. the rate will decrease due to pandemic.
the pandemic. What will happen to the
country’s economy this year?
3. To increase their rate. What should the 3. Adopt more strategies to be followed
tourism industry do this year despite the by the people.
pandemic facing the country?
4. Can the tourism industry maintain its 4. Yes.
vitality even if there is a pandemic in our
country?
5. Is there an effectiveness with the 5. Yes.
implemented health protocols of every
tourism site to safely visit every
destination?

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Discussion

After we conducted a survey questionnaire the discussion was drawn, most of

the respondents are answering that COVID-19 pandemic are very big threats to the
tourism economy the tourism sector now is in the high-risk level due to the pandemic.
The tourism sector is suffered by these world crises. Oriental Mindoro tourist spot and
destination were loss some income and the tourism jobs are greatly decreases. This
crisis will give an intense experience to people to strive hard for the better future.

Based on the respondents we may sustain the adherence implemented health

protocols by properly obeying all the rules. The results imply that the new normal have a
big impact in every tourism operation. Based on the data collected we may say that
there are many ways to sustain the tourism operation in Oriental Mindoro in spite of
pandemic some of the respondents answer that with proper maintenance and services
offered new normal ways of working and approaching the situation then yes vitality can
be maintained in tourism industry. Other respondents said that creating new ways to
promote tourism in the country and always follow the protocol and develop strategies
and ways on how to deal with such a problem.

The results show that most of the respondents are agreed that we will sustain the
tourism operation by properly obeying the standard health protocols mandated by the
government. If we have unity and helping our front liners, we may end up this crisis. By
implementing some ways on how to end up these problems nothing is impossible.

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Conclusion

After we get the data and discussed it, the researcher concludes that:

Sustainability of tourism operation in Oriental Mindoro is effective by ensuring

that we properly obey the standard health protocols.
The standard health protocols implemented by the Department of Health and
IATF in going to every tourist destination is a greatly help in lessening the spread
of the virus.
Going to every destination in Oriental Mindoro are safe to access if we properly
apply all the things needed.
The tourism operation in the Province of Oriental Mindoro are so much affected
by the COVID-19 Pandemic in terms of economic loss, loss of jobs, industry and
etc.
The COVID-19 pandemic is not hindrance to continue operating the tourism
industry in our province.
COVID 19 pandemic creates negative and positive impacts in the tourism sector.

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Recommendation

After we conclude the study, the researcher recommends that:

Department of Tourism should implement new and more protocols or guidelines

to every tourist destination so that we are greatly ensure the safeties of every
tourist that are visited.
Oriental Mindoro Tourism Council should adopt more trainings upon employee of
every tourist establishment in enhancing their skills about the new normal
situation.
Developing more strategies for coping up this crisis.
Every tourist establishment should add more advertisement with their destination
to encourage tourist.
Tourist establishment should not stop promoting their places so that the income
will not stop.
The sector should not stop operating even if there are pandemic, by these they
ensure not to loss things from there.
Tourism leaders should conduct more meetings to explain and plan more
agenda’s regarding the crisis happen.

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