In its quest to reach its targets of 10 million international and 35.5 million domestic tourists by 2016, the Department of Tourism unveiled in 2012 the Philippine National Tourism Development Plan. a P265-billion national tourism blueprint .
The said Plan outlines Tourism Development Areas which can guide investors in choosing the location for their planned tourism business.
(Legend: Lumped into 20 clusters, the Tourism Development Areas (TDA) are mostly long recognized as protected areas (PA) being natural parks (NP), marine reserve (MR), protected landscape (PL), wildlife sanctuary (WS), protected seascape (PS), protected landscape-seascape (PLS), watershed reservation (WR), or watershed forest reservation (WFR).)
| Grouping | Cluster Destinations | Tourism Development Areas |
| NorthernPhilippines | NP-1: Batanes, Cagayan Coast and Babuyan Islands | NP-1A: Batanes IslandNP-1B: Babuyan IslandNP-1C: Cagayan Coast |
| NP-2: Laoag-ViganTheme:Beach Resort, historic heritage, ecotourism, events | NP-2A: Laoag-PagudpudNP-2B: Vigan | |
| NP-3: Sierra Madre | NP3-A: Tuguegarao-TabukNP3-B: Ilagan & Isabela CoastNP3-C: Quirino | |
| NP-4: Cordillera | NP4-A: Central CordilleraNP4-B: Benguet-Baguio-Mt. ProvinceNP4-C: Nueva Vizcaya | |
| NP-5: Lingayen Gulf | NP5-A: La Union CoastNP5-B: Western Pangasinan LoopNP5-C: East Pangasinan Circuit
NP5-D: Lingayen Coast & Islands |
|
| NP-6: Central LuzonTheme: Entertainment/amusement, sports, beach resort, events, MICE, ecotourism, wellness, medical and retirement tourism |
NP6-A: Subic-Clark-Tarlac CorridorNP6-B: Nueva EcijaNP6-C: Pampanga
NP6-D: Bulacan NP6-E: Zambales Coast NP6-F: Bataan Coast and Inland NP6-G: Aurora |
|
| NP-7: Metro Manila andCALABARZONTheme: MICE, Business, Resort, history, medical, and wellness, events, sight seeing, entertainment, shopping |
NP7-A: Metro Manila & EnvironsNP7-B: Nasugbu-Looc-Ternate-Cavite CoastNP7-C: Laguna de Bay
NP7-D: Batangas Peninsula NP7-E; Quezon Coast & Islands |
|
| CentralPhilippines | CP-1: Bicol & MasbateTheme:Resort, marine, ecotourism, water sports, MICE | CP1-A: Camarines & CatanduanesCP1-B: Albay-Sorsogon-Masbate |
| CP-2: Marinduque-Mindoro-Romblon | CP2-A: Marinduque IslandCP2-B: Romblon IslandCP2-C: Puerto Galera
CP2-D: Southwest Mindoro Coast |
|
| CP-3: PalawanTheme:Coastal Island resort, ecotourism, sightseeing, MICE, adventure | CP3-A: San Vicente-El Nido-TaytayCP3-B: Puerto PrincesaCP3-C: Southern Palawan
CP3-D: Busuanga-Coron-Culion Islands |
|
| CP-4: Western VisayasTheme: Coastal and island resort, ecotourism, marine sports, events, MICE |
CP4-A: Metro Iloilo-GuimarasCP4-B: Bacolod-SilayCP4-C: Boracay Island-Northern Antique-Kalibo
CP4-D: Capiz |
|
| CP-5: Central VisayasPanglaoIslandTheme: MICE, Business, resort, history, events, sightseeing, entertainment, shopping, ecotourism | CP5-A: Northern Cebu-Bantayan-MalapascuaCP5-B: Metro Cebu-Mactan-Olango IslandCP5-C: Southern Cebu
CP5-D: Negros Oriental-Dumaguete-Siquijor CP5-E: Tagbilaran-Panglao |
|
| CP-6: Eastern Visayas | CP6-A: Northeastern Leyte-Basey-MarabutCP6-B: Northeastern Leyte-BiliranCP6-C: Southern Leyte
CP6-D: West Samar CP6-E: Eastern Samar CP6-F: Northern Samar |
|
| SouthernPhilippines | SP-1: Surigao-Dinagat Island | SP1-A: Dinagat-Siargao IslandsSP1-B: Surigao City-Lake Mainit |
| SP-2: Agusan River Basin | SP2-A: Butuan City-CabadbaranSP2-B: Agusan MarshSP2-C: Agusan Sur-Hinatuan
SP2-C: Agusan Sur-Bislig |
|
| SP-3: Cagayan de Oro Coastand HinterlandTheme:Island resort, marine sports, history, sightseeing, events, ecotourism, adventure, business, MICE, entertainment | SP3-A: Camiguin IslandSP3-B: Cagayan de Oro-MisamisOriental CoastSP3-C: Iligan City/Lanao del Norte
SP3-D: Misamis Occidental Coast and (Tangub Bay / Ozamis-Oroquieta) SP3-E: Bukidnon |
|
| SP-4: Zamboanga PeninsulaTheme:Resort, marine sports, events, sightseeing | SP4-A: Zamboanga SibugaySP4-B: Zamboanga City-Sta Cruz- IsabelaSP4-C: Pagadian City-Zamboanga Del Sur
SP4-D: Dapitan SP4-E: Dipolog |
|
| SP-5: Davao Gulf & CoastTheme:Island Resort, marine sports, history, sightseeing, events, ecotourism, adventure, business, MICE, entertainment | SP5-A: Davao City – Samal Island –Davao Del NorteSP5-B: Davao Del SurSP5-C: Compostella Valley – Davao
Oriental |
|
| SP-6: Cotabato-Sarangani | SP6-A: Cotabato Province – Mt. ApoSP6-B: South Cotabato – Lake SebuSP6-C: Sultan Kudarat
SP6-D: General Santos – Sarangani SP6-E: Cotabato City |
|
| SP-7: ARMM | SP7-A: Basilan – Tawi Tawi – JoloSP7-B: Lanao Del Sur – Maguindanao |
The above strategy divides the country into 20 thematic destination clusters, covering 78 priority tourism areas that will be the focus of massive development in four years.
Most of the investments in hotels, resorts, leisure and entertainment facilities, shopping areas, health and wellness, convention, cruise and transport facilities will come from the private sector under the public-private partnership program of the government. Private investments include the construction of 50,867 hotel and resort units from 2012 to 2016.
It will surely be more fun to be part of this booming industry.
