Abstract

Eco-tourism is a well-known concept of tourism industry in the Philippines, considering that the country is rich in different natural resources. The province of Rizal is one of the famous provinces in the Philippines because of its upland ecosystems that can be utilized for tourism activities. Some tourists’ destinations that showed attractions of the natural environment are already offered for the tourists in Barangay Laiban, Tanay, Rizal. However, there are still potential areas that need to be studied for better management in terms of tourism services. Thus, this study intended to provide a systematic approach in managing the newly discovered tourist spots in Barangay Laiban. The study identified three potential ecosystems that can be offered as tourist destinations - Laiban Falls, Puting Bato River and Mount Matang Ulang. The study used Carrying Capacity through Map-based Information System to acquire baseline data as basis in the management of the tourism operations. The method identified the number of tourist that can be accommodated in the identified tourist spots. Based on the result, the Carrying Capacity is an efficient approach to be used for the decision-making procedure of the possible number of individuals allowable in the identified eco-tourism locations.