Local Communities' Perception of Local Sustainable Development Among Ecotourism Sites in Davao City: Basis for Training - Workshop Activities

The local communities' perception is determined to have a substantial influence in acquiring sustainable development among ecotourism sites. For this reason, it helps preserve the natural environment and provides insights into understanding the issues and context of sustainability present in ecotourism sites. Disregarding the local communities' perception, sustainable development in ecotourism sites may cease since the leading factor towards sustainability is the local communities' perception. With that stated, the local communities' perception is the advancement of ecotourism sites. The researchers aim to determine the relationship between local communities' perception and local-sustainable development among ecotourism sites in Davao City, which will be the basis for training-workshop activities through environmental awareness, protecting the existing environment, reducing risk to future development, revenue, environmental features, and disposition of the local communities. To answer these, the researchers employed a descriptive research design and gathered the data using the questionnaire made by the researchers validated by the Davao City Tourism Operations Office and another validator from the University of Southeastern Philippines, then surveyed five (5) ecotourism sites in Davao City with eighty-six (86) respondents, the local communities. After collecting and analyzing the gathered data, the results revealed a high average of protecting the existing environment, indicating that the respondents conclude that it is significant to preserve the natural environment and its resources. Furthermore, the respondents strongly agree that providing them with education through trainingworkshop activities would cultivate their environmental awareness further, which is essential for sustainable development.