Puerto Princesa City CBSTs Develop Business Plans

Twenty-eight (28) community-based sustainable tourism (CBST) associations in Puerto Princesa City developed sustainability and operational plans for 2020-2021 after participating in a workshop on business planning organized by USAID’s Strengthening Urban Resilience for Growth with Equity (SURGE) Project in collaboration with the Puerto Princesa City Tourism Office on November 28 to 29, 2019. A total of 65 representatives from the different CBST associations prepared business plans for their respective tourism and livelihood activities, and during the business planning process, community enterprise and livelihood initiatives were identified for handicrafts using tikog, pandan and buri for CBSTs located in the barangays of Marufinas, Batak, Cabayugan, and San Rafael, among others. The participants also gained basic knowledge and skills on how to improve visitor experience. The business plans will be presented to development partners and the city government during the CBST Convention on December 4, 2019. USAID/SURGE supports the Puerto Princesa City government in sustaining the livelihoods and socio-cultural traditions of communities by strengthening the capacity of CBSTs to sustainably manage tourism destinations.