Christiansen, S. F. (2013). Proposed participatory planning process for eco-tourism development in integrated areas: The BLISTT initiative (Unpublished master's thesis). Public Management Development Program, Development Academy of the Philippines.

Public Management Development Program. Middle Managers' Class. Thesis (MMC)--Development Academy of the Philippines.

The re-entry project (ReP) intended to demonstrate collaboration and participation to come out wit a strategic framework for eco-tourism development in an integrated area and ultimately a proposed process for participatory planning that can be replicated. It was implemented in BLISTT- Baguio City, La Trinidad, Itogon, Sablan, Tuba and Tublay - an initiative in the 1990s. An assessment of the BLISTT over the years shows, among others, two basic things that needed to be addressed: the perceived "Baguio-centric" growth in a supposed collaborative undertaking and the need to graduate from token to meaningful participation to improve the chance of implementation. The ReP saw an opportunity in the eco-tourism sector, an identified comparative advantage and one that is non-controversial among the local government units (LGU) concerned. The ReP intervention included the creation of an inter-LGU/inter-agency technical team to go through a planning process together. The LGUs were represented bu the desired participation of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR)- Cordillera Administrative Region was not fulfilled thus far. The team started to understand together who the stakeholders are, mapped the existing process of how the do tourism planning, analyzed the eco-toursm milieu and came up with general directions for eco-toursism development in BLISTT. Amidst the process were learning opportunities that came in the form of input lectures by the scholar stemming from tools and approached learned from the Public Management Development Program (PMDP). The learning was highlighted by the forum on sustainable heritage tourism given by Dr.Mary Anne Alabanza Akers, Dean of the School of Architecture and Planning, Morgan State University, Maryland U.SS.A.. The message on the principles of sustainable heritage tourism is very timely and a potent input as we draft a strategic framework. These principles are making the tourist experience the history of the place, clearly defining yourselves as a planning team and soliciting buy-in from local decision makers, developing a comprehensive plan first because all sites are integrated, one site cannot be everything to everyone. The resulting strategic framework consists of brief profile of BLISTT deifying the location, land area and access, describing the population, poverty situation and identifying economic drivers. The assessment of eco-tourism situation in BLISTT is also presented to cover eco-tourist assets, tourist arrivals and occupancy rate and length of stay in accommodation establishments and enhanced by a stakeholder analysis and SWOT analysis. The framework concludes with broad directions for eco tourism development in BLISTT thru a hierarchy of objectives and proposed tourism circuits. Te intended development outcomes are: host communities are productively engaged in environment-friendly and diverse-tourism-based economic activities; eco-tourism assets are management are enhanced. The ReP has substantially completed its proposed activities but there are other activities to pursue after the ReP period. These have been included in the NEDA-CAR 2013 work program for BLISTT to include refining and detailing the framework thru site validation bench marking and multi-stakeholder consultations and its deliberation at the BLISTT Development Council composed of local chief executives. Ultimately, the proposed process for participatory planning should have been completed after the reckoning of the whole planning process.