Community and Perceived Benefits of Culinary Tourism in Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines Towards the Development of a Culinary Tourism Framework

This study determines the level of community participation in the culinary tourism industry of Los Baños, Laguna, associated with the significant predictors derived from the extent of the effect of factors associated with participation and benefits derived from culinary tourism. The quantitative method was utilized in this research through survey questionnaires answered by respondents from a specified community, their answers were then statistically presented and summarized into tables. Based on results, awareness and knowledge are significant predictors of factors in participation while income and preservation of cultural heritage are significant predictors from perceived benefits. Among four types of community participation, the community falls under the passive type of community participation with a numerical value of 3.60. Overall, regression analysis shows that 74.5 percent of the presence of the passive type of community participation in the culinary tourism industry of Los Baños, Laguna can be explained by determined significant predictors. Results gained were further conceptualized into a culinary tourism framework to be proposed to the community for the sake of further culinary tourism industry development.

Keywords – Community Participation, Culinary Tourism, effects, benefits, significant predictors