Republic of the Philippines

CAMARINES SUR POLYTECHNIC COLLEGES

Nabua, Camarines Sur

TPE 116 | Heritage Tourism

Handout No. 1
February 25, 2023

The flow of discussion:

1. Recap all our discussions last meeting.
2. Introduce the objectives of today’s discussion:

a. Understand the two types of heritage (tangible heritage, intangible

heritage)

A tangible cultural heritage has a physical presence. It includes buildings and

historic places, monuments and artifacts which are considered worthy of preservation
for the future. They include objects significant to the archaeology, architecture,
science or technology of a specific culture. Objects are important to the study of
human history because they provide a concrete basis. A tangible heritage comprises
movable and immovable heritage. A movable heritage can be moved from one place
to another whereas an immovable heritage, such as a building, cannot.

An intangible cultural heritage is commonly defined as not having a physical

presence. It includes traditions or living expressions inherited from our ancestors and
passed on to our descendants, such as oral traditions, performing arts, social practices,
rituals, festive events, knowledge and practices concerning nature, religious
ceremonies, skills to produce traditional crafts, music, dance, literature, theatre,
languages, and food. An intangible heritage is particularly difficult to protect as it is
only experienced and cannot be kept in a sheltered place to be guarded. More than
an individual or an organization, it requires efforts by an entire community to protect
it. This is because an intangible heritage gives us a sense of identity. We can use
different ways and methods to protect our intangible cultural heritage.
Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES SUR POLYTECHNIC COLLEGES
Nabua, Camarines Sur

Tangible Cultural Heritage’ refers to physical artefacts produced, maintained and

inherited by the future generations in society. It includes monuments, buildings,
artistic creations and other physical or products that have a cultural value attached to
it.

Intangible Heritage is the cultural inheritance that we pass on from one generation
to another. It includes but is not limited to practices, crafts, traditions, languages,
rituals, recipes, skills and all other living cultural heritage that people inherit through
the ages. Intangible Cultural heritage is passed down through word of mouth and is
thus vulnerable to extinction. Many forms of intangible cultural heritage are at risk
because of globalization and cultural homogenization. The lack of public support and
governmental schemes also contributes to the heritage dying out.

b. Discuss the importance of cultural heritage

✓ It conveys messages and values that give meaning to people’s life.

✓ It represents the identity of a social group.

✓ It can provide a sense of unity and belonging within a group and allows us to
better understand previous generations and the history of where we come
from.

✓ It is a source of economic development.

✓ It represents a vehicle for understanding the diversity of people and

developing a policy for peace and mutual comprehension.

✓ It strongly influences our sense of identity, loyalties, knowledge, beliefs,

emotions, and behavior.

✓ It leads to wider awareness of our cultural complexity and their bases.

✓ It is a reflection of people’s technology, creativity and their level of

intellectual development.

✓ It is a unique and irreplaceable source of life and inspiration.

c. Discuss the Heritage Cycle from Simon Thurley

The Heritage Cycle from Simon Thurley helps explain the process of finding
and incorporating culture into our lives, if we wish to do so. It begins with
understanding the culture. Only then may we begin to value it. From there, we
can learn to care for a culture and eventually enjoy it. With more enjoyment, we
will want to learn and understand more—and so the circle goes.
Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES SUR POLYTECHNIC COLLEGES
Nabua, Camarines Sur

Architecture Historian Simon Thurley in his paper in 2005 talked about the
‘Heritage Cycle’. He created a diagram that explains how we can protect and
propagate heritage to ensure that it continues to be a part of our future.

When people understand heritage, they value it. By associating value to it,
people feel responsible to care for their heritage. When they care for it, they can
enjoy it better. When people enjoy their heritage, they want to understand it
better; and the cycle continues. This cycle is vital for the survival of our cultural
heritage.

The Heritage Cycle from Simon Thurley

d. An overview New Trends in Tourism Planning and Development in the context of

Tourism Development

➢ What is Tourism Planning? Tourism planning consists of creating strategies

to develop tourism in a specific destination. Knowing and understanding
current trends allows those in the industry to tailor their operations to meet
demand. It is crucial for DMOs and tourism businesses to stay up-to-date.

➢ Origin and development of tourism planning. Tourism planning was born

from the necessity of simultaneously balancing the economic goals of tourism
and preserving the destination’s environment and local welfare. It arose in the
second half of the 1990s, when mass tourism brought an unparalleled change
in the travel environment. Consequently, the industry had to develop new
standards to adapt to this change.

➢ The current objective of tourism planning is to control tourism’s unprecedented

expansion to limit its negative social and environmental effects, while
maximizing its benefits to locals.
 Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES SUR POLYTECHNIC COLLEGES
Nabua, Camarines Sur

These goals can be reached by:

• Analyzing the development of tourism in the destination
• Examining the state of affairs in a specific area and executing a
competitive analysis
• Drafting tourism policies
• Defining a development strategy and actionable steps

➢ Why is Tourism Planning Important? Tourism planning should be part of

destination development plans because it supports a destination’s long term
success and incentivizes the collaboration of key stakeholders.
Tourism planning maximizes tourism benefits like:

✓ Promotion of local heritage and cross-cultural empathy

✓ Optimization of tourism revenue
✓ Natural environment and resource protection
✓ Tourism planning also minimizes tourism drawbacks such as:
✓ Overtourism, and consequently anti-tourism feelings
✓ Economic leakage
✓ Disrespect for the local culture
✓ Damage to the local environment

What are the Newest Tourism Trends?

In the planning process, it is fundamental to consider how new tourism trends influence
the future of tourism planning and allow destination strategies to stay innovative.

1. Safety and Cleanness

The Covid-19 pandemic brought about significant change to tourism and tourists’
perception of travel. Tourists are now more concerned about safety and cleanliness. They have
a preference for private home rental, contactless payments, and booking flexibility due to the
constantly-evolving global health situation. They are also more willing to visit natural
environments and less crowded destinations where they feel safer.

Tips for DMOs: Have safety and cleanliness standards, allow flexible bookings and contactless
payments, and focus on open-air experiences.

An excellent example of these practices is Thailand, which decided to boost tourism after Covid-
19 by rebranding itself as a safe tourist destination, issuing safety certificates to infrastructures
to build public trust.

2. Social Media
Social media is the preferred channel for travel inspiration, influencing travelers’ decision-
making because videos and pictures create an emotional bond between people and places.

The preferred platform depends on the traveler’s generation:

Gen X uses Pinterest and aesthetically pleasing blogs
Millennials use Instagram
Gen Z uses TikTok
 Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES SUR POLYTECHNIC COLLEGES
Nabua, Camarines Sur

Generation Z is also more willing to travel after Covid, and they will have high spending
power in the next few years.

Video content is favorable because of the high engagement and interaction it creates
compared to pictures. In this context, TikTok is the future of travel marketing. On this fast-
growing platform, videos are likely to become viral because of the app’s algorithm. For example,
the travel campaign #TikTokTravel, where people were invited to share videos of their past trips,
was viewed by 1.7 billion people.

DMOs can use TikTok to promote attractions, restaurants, and tours partnering with
influencers. Social media can attract new customers, monitor Instagrammable locations, and
manage overcrowding by promoting lesser-known areas. This all helps shift tourists away from
hot spots.

3. Leisure Travel
Due to technology, the separation between work and life is blurred. This premise gives
birth to the Leisure travel, a genre of travel that combines business and leisure. Aside from those
who travel for work, combining some leisure during their stay, there is an increasing number of
digital nomads. These people are freelancers or smart workers who decide to adopt a traveling
lifestyle. They will look for business hotels where they can easily obtain a fast Internet connection
and a good working environment.

4. Destination Uniqueness
The tourism market is becoming increasingly competitive, especially for destinations with
similar climates or natural features. To stand out, destinations need to focus on their distinctive
assets. Places should identify a destination brand, which highlights their culture and the unique
experiences they offer to tourists, instead of branding common and widely-available tourism
practices.

An example of destination uniqueness as a trend of tourism planning is Uganda, which is

widely known as a safari destination. The country rebranded itself by focusing on its one-of-a-
kind cultures, landscapes, food, and traditions, labeling itself “The Pearl of Africa.” This is one
aspect of Uganda’s tourism planning process. By identifying and promoting a destination brand,
Uganda aims to develop immersive tourism for meaningful and transformative experiences
abroad.

5. Transformative Travel
Transformative travel is an expression of the experience economy combined with
experiential travel. The latter is about living once-in-a-lifetime, off-the-beaten-track experiences
rather than conventional ones, connecting visitors with local cultures.

Transformative travel is defined by the Transformational Travel Council as: “intentionally

traveling to stretch, learn and grow into new ways of being and engaging with the world.”

Therefore, transformative travel is an immersive experience that aims to inspire personal

transformation, growth, and self-fulfillment. People travel to transform their own lives and the
lives of those who live in the destination.
 Republic of the Philippines
CAMARINES SUR POLYTECHNIC COLLEGES
Nabua, Camarines Sur

Tips for DMOs: Destinations should focus on providing unique and authentic experiences
that connect travelers with locals. This enables tourists to experience local culture, food, and
lifestyles, lending way to authentic experiences that they are sure to remember.

6. Sustainability and Community Engagement

Travelers are becoming more conscious of their environmental impact, and they are more
willing to adopt a sustainable travel style. This means not only doing less harm to the
environment, but also making a positive impact on cultures and economies, generating mutually
beneficial relationships between tourists and locals.

An excellent example of a country that stays ahead of trends in tourism planning is Jamaica. Instead of
boosting sun and beach tourism development, Jamaica has recently focused on community-based
tourism, providing several experiences that empower locals.

By focusing on poverty reduction, gender empowerment, equality and employment,

Jamaica utilizes tourism to achieve social justice goals.

7. Technology to Manage Overtourism

The rise of charter flights boosted mass tourism. This has pressurized cities, raising the
debate on the limits of acceptable change and generating anti-tourism sentiments among
residents. One example of this is in Sedona, Arizona, where we helped manage visitor flow by
marketing and promoting the nearby towns and attractions in Arizona’s Verde Valley.

Tips for DMOs: Destinations should exploit technological advances to develop crowd management
techniques. Some DMOs used gamification to manage tourism flow, spreading visitors in less
known or less crowded areas.

Prepared by:

Mr. Nikko A. Yosores, LPT, MBA

COS- Assistant Professor 1

“Never regard study as a duty, but as the enviable opportunity to learn.”

- Albert Einstein