In today's society, when a significant number of people feel discontented with their day to-day routines, there is a noticeable desire for ways to break free. Exploring protected ecotourism areas or participating in nature therapy stand out as helpful ways for individuals to relax and rejuvenate. Consequently, the development of a web application like ECOTOUR becomes imperative to cater to these needs, prompting researchers to embark on its creation. The purpose of this website is to promote and preserve Protected Ecotourism Sites in the Philippines, automate the processes of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources regarding ecotourism activities, provide a platform for tourists to learn more about the beauty of Ecotourism in the Philippines, and provide real-time exchange of information between Tourists, Hotel/Resort Owners, and DENR. Thus, the objectives of this study are to analyze the database and web programming concepts, design ECOTOUR according to DENR's requirements, develop ECOTOUR according to design specifications, and evaluate the proposed website, ECOTOUR using ISO 9126 which is the quality standard for software usability. The research design used throughout the project is Developmental research and Agile for the research methodology since it promotes an iterative process. The group utilized the User Acceptance Test (UAT) with a 5-point Likert scale to analyze the data gathered from respondents composed of tourists and hotel owners. The group accumulated positive feedback from the client which is DENR and the users of the website. In conclusion, the researchers were able to analyze the concept of database and web system development, design and develop a user-friendly website that aims to promote protected ecotourism sites, add additional features from the original plan that are beneficial to various users, and evaluate the web application, ECOTOUR, using ISO 9126’s Usability Acceptance Test. In addition, DENR CALABARZON is willing to endorse the web application to its main office as it believes that this application will cater to the needs of every region in monitoring the activities and promoting protected areas in the country. |
Abbaspoor, Niloofar & Pour, Rasoul & Bagheri, Fatemeh (2021). An Evaluation of the Usability of Tourism Destination Websites of Iran and Malaysia: an ANP and DEMATEL Hybrid Method. International Journal of Digital Content Management. 2. 10.22054/DCM.2021.13068. http://doaj.org.
Bautista, K., Juan, J., Valenzuela, L.E., Garcia, E. (2018). The Essence of Ecotourism: An Environmental Study to the Application of Carrying Capacity in Mt. Gulugud Baboy in Batangas. Lyceum of the Philippines, Calamba, Laguna. https://bit.ly/3GB7Rik
Bishop, C. (2022, December 7). What to know about ecotourism. WebMD. http://tinyurl.com/54ps4bnj
Calderon, A.G., Calderon, L., Elpedes, D. (2018). Ecotourism Tracking Tool in Monitoring and Evaluation of Ecotourism Sites or Projects in the Philippines. Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Ecosystem Research and Development Bureau (DENR-ERDB).
http://tinyurl.com/5n77aeax
Coursera. (2023). What is agile? and when to use it. Coursera. http://tinyurl.com/3b9r672e
De Luna Carada M. C. (2019). The role of ecotourism in resilience building in disaster-vulnerable communities in the Philippines. http://tinyurl.com/s5b6n8k9
International Organization for Standardization. (2020). ISO. https://www.iso.org/home.html.
Manalo, J. J. (2019). The Puerto Princesa City's Ecotourism and its contribution to Philippine Development. Ust-ph. http://tinyurl.com/2s4xxnw6
McRae, E. R. (2023, September 20). 9 Trends that will shape work in 2023 and beyond. Harvard Business Review. http://tinyurl.com/5cnpkv6u
Miguel, M. (2022). DENR, DOT, and DILG lead the 'Year of the Protected Areas' campaign. http://tinyurl.com/yehz4mdy
Pamplona, K. (2022, February 28). Ambon Ambon Falls and Malagaslas Falls in Laurel Batangas | BARAKO PH. BARAKO PH. https://www.barako.ph/ambon-ambon-falls-and-malagaslas-falls-in-laurel-batangas/
Parks, A. O. (2023, May 1). Mental health benefits of spending time in nature. Parks Blog. https://bit.ly/3ThdJF5
Revfine.com. (2023). Ecotourism: What it is, Advantages & Disadvantages, Examples & More. Revfine.com. http://tinyurl.com/4uetkb9p
Sevillano, S. (2022, May 23). PH's protected areas are seen as ecotourism assets: DENR. http://tinyurl.com/mvphp6fe
Xu, L., Ao, C., Liu, B., & Cai, Z. (2022). Ecotourism and sustainable development: a scientometric review of global research trends. Environment, Development and Sustainability, 25(4), 2977–3003.http://tinyurl.com/4u8am8fp
Yu, S. B. (2020). Paraisong Nawala: Exploring Sustainable Ecotourism in the Philippines [Thesis]. Claremont Colleges. http://tinyurl.com/2h89cr5a |