Potentials of Cascada of Las Haciendas to be DOT Accredited as a Recreational Tourist Destination

Marjorie  C. Jimenez,; Frances Elize  T. Diaz,; Mary Darylene  V. Roman,

Potentials of Cascada of Las Haciendas to be DOT Accredited as a Recreational Tourist Destination

Marjorie C. Jimenez | Frances Elize T. Diaz | Mary Darylene V. Roman

Discipline: Tourism

Abstract:

Amansinaya Mountain Resort is well-known as Las Haciendas. It is located in Laurel, Batangas and is considered as an evergreen community because of the flora and fauna surrounding it. One of the five haciendas in the place is Hacienda Cascada. Cascada can be a recreational tourist destination because of its present amenities and equipment available for sports and recreational activities and other services.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) is the government agency responsible for accrediting a particular place to be a recreational tourist destination. The agency provides the checklist for accreditation and set rules and regulations related to tourism industry. It is also the one responsible in discovering a place with great potentials to be a tourist destination.

This study aimed to determine the following: (1) factors affecting the operation of Cascada of Las Haciendas; (2) level of satisfaction of the tourists visiting the place; (3) Cascada’s strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats; and (4) potentiasl of the place to be DOT as a recreational tourist destination. The study utilized descriptive method of research. The respondents of the study were the 50 tourists selected through convenience sampling, the researchers themselves, and the operation manager of Cascada as the key informant. The statistical tools used were frequency distribution and weighted mean.

Three types of research instruments were used in the study: survey questionnaire, observation checklist for the researchers, and checklist for sports and recreational center. These instruments were adapted from the booklet of DOT’s guidelines for accreditation, Rules and Regulations to Govern the Accreditation of Tourism Related Establishments.

The observation checklist was answerable by a “Yes” or “No” and provided spaces for remarks while the survey questionnaire used Likert Scale. Another checklist was also used for sports and recreational center to determine the readiness of Cascada to be DOT accredited as a recreational tourist destination. The checklist was also answerable by a “Yes” or “No.”

Findings revealed that Cascada of Las Haciendas has 80% to be DOT accredited as recreational tourist destination. Moreover, majority of the tourist-respondents were very satisfied with the amenities, services, accessibility, activities, security, and tariff that Cascada provided.

This study recommended that Cascada’s management should improve some of its facilities to fully comply with the criteria of DOT to be a recreational tourist destination.