Analysis of Science City of Muñoz as an Edutourism destination towards a gender-neutral strategic framework
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Date
2023
Authors
Kimberly M. Balucanag
Mary Grace C. Fabro
Jemielyn H. Garcia
Stephanie Joi Garcia
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Abstract
This study examined the potential, initiation and subsequent development of edutourism in the Science City of Muñoz. This study analyzed how edutourism service providers view the Science City of Muñoz as an edutourism destination and sought to understand how tourists of different genders perceive the Science City of Muñoz as an edutourism destination. Edutourism is travel that promotes formal or informal education as well as lifelong learning in distinctly beautiful, historically significant and multicultural settings. An exploratory mixed-methods design was used with key informant interviews and online surveys as the primary tools for data gathering. In addition, this study used purposive sampling under non-probability sampling techniques to gather eight (8) responses from the key informants who are edutourism service providers in the Science City of Muñoz and 353 responses from the data or information on all tourists who visited at least one edutourism site in the Science City of Muñoz from January to September 2022. The data acquired from the information goes through a procedure: the data from Phase 1 is processed to develop a SWOC analysis, and the data from Phase 2 aids in assessing the tourist's perceptions. The researchers linked and integrated the data obtained in phases 1 and 2 to develop a gender-neutral strategic framework. The study utilizes SWOC analysis, internal factor analysis summary (IFAS) and external factor analysis summary (EFADS) matrices, and IFAS-EFAS strategy coordination from the collected data. the importance of this research relies on its potential to contribute to developing edutourism destinations that foster a welcoming and gender-neutral atmosphere. The findings and recommendations will be helpful for policymakers, destination managers, and stakeholders involved in the planning and operation of edutourism sites.