Institutionalizing Fiesta Tourism as a Local Governance Strategy: Community-Based Tourism and Public Administration in Zamboanga City, Philippines

Abstract

Local governments in developing contexts increasingly adopt Community-Based Tourism (CBT) as a strategy for inclusive and sustainable development, contributing to the localization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). In culturally diverse cities such as Zamboanga City, fiesta tourism has emerged as a prominent manifestation of CBT, grounded in local traditions, collective identity, and long-standing socio-cultural practices. Despite its growing prominence in local development programs, fiesta tourism is often examined primarily as a cultural or economic activity, with limited scholarly attention to its role as a public administration and governance intervention. This study examines how fiesta tourism is institutionalized and implemented as a local governance strategy within the public administration framework of Zamboanga City. Using a mixed-method research design, the study analyzes institutional arrangements, governance mechanisms, administrative capacity, and policy coherence supporting fiesta-based CBT initiatives. Findings indicate that fiesta tourism strengthens community participation, reinforces cultural legitimacy, and generates short-term local economic activity aligned with SDG 8 while contributing to place-based cultural sustainability consistent with SDG 11; however, its long-term sustainability remains constrained by fragmented institutional coordination, limited policy integration, and dependence on political leadership, weakening collaborative governance arrangements envisioned under SDG 17. The study contributes to public administration literature by reframing fiesta tourism as a governance instrument for sustainable development rather than a cultural event alone and underscores the need for stronger institutionalization and policy alignment to ensure continuity beyond episodic celebrations.