Balancing tradition and profit: Exploring business opportunities and cultural impacts of domestic tourism through the lens of sustainable tourism development framework

Abstract

This study, titled “Balancing Tradition and Profit: Exploring Business Opportunities and Cultural Impacts of Domestic Tourism in Iloilo, Philippines,” investigates the interplay between economic opportunities and cultural preservation in the context of domestic tourism. Employing a qualitative research design, data were collected through focus group discussions with 15 purposively sampled participants, including traditional craftsmen, farmers, business owners, and other tourism stakeholders. The study draws on the Sustainable Tourism Development Framework and Cultural Preservation Theory to guide the analysis of how tourism reshapes traditional livelihoods and cultural practices. Data were analyzed thematically using NVivo to identify recurring patterns and relationships. The primary aim of the study was to explore how the growth of domestic tourism has influenced traditional practices and contributed to economic transformations in Iloilo. Significant findings reveal that while domestic tourism has created new business opportunities, such as hospitality services, food and beverage enterprises, and souvenir production, it has also led to the decline of traditional practices like weaving, indigenous farming, and heritage cooking. The tension between the economic benefits of tourism and the erosion of cultural identity is reflected by those transitions. Hence, there is an urgent need to balance economic development with cultural preservation. This study recommends to promote sustainable tourism practices. Also, incentives to preserve traditional crafts and farming must be offered. Tourism policies should integrate cultural preservation. These strategies will ensure that the economic growth and gains are not compromising the cultural heritage in the province. The overall results and findings of this research provide recommendations for policymakers, tourism stakeholders, and local communities. These recommendations serve as groundwork for future studies on the sustainability of economic and cultural transitions from domestic tourism.