Chapter 1

THE PROBLEM
Introduction
Philippines is blessed with an abundance of breath taking scenery and a multitude

of historic environments for visitors to enjoy. Many local and foreign tourists know that the

Philippines has some of the best beaches in the world complemented with Spanish

churches, indigenous tribes and United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization (UNESCO)-recognized natural sites just like the Tubbataha Reef National

Marine Park, Puerto Princesa Subterranean River, Historic City of Vigan, San Agustin

Church in Intramuros, Manila and in Paoay, Ilocos Norte. With this, one could really say

that Philippines has the heritage sites to offer to the local and foreign tourists.

In the previous years, the primary role of tourism industry was acting as marketing

ready products to tourists. Nowadays, tourism, preservation, heritage and culture are

much more likely to overlap, where some state tourism offices now help develop heritage

resources, and a number of preservation organizations are marketing their sites to tourist.

(B. Chourasia, A. Chourasia, 2012)

The Department of Tourism (DOT) (2017), asserts that the rich Philippine heritage

can be experienced, not only in textbooks and museums, but also in beautifully preserved

historical sites across the country. The country has a rich history beginning from its earliest

days as one of the busiest trading posts in South East Asia and later, in the trans-Pacific

galleon trade. A period of Spanish colonization spanning three centuries then made an

indelible impression on the country. This mercurial era, along with the American occupation,

played a vital role in shaping the Philippines and its people. A vivid past has left its mark all
over the archipelago in many different forms that present-day visitors to the country are

now discovering.

The cultural and natural heritage is among the priceless and irreplaceable assets,

not only of each nation, but of humanity as a whole. The loss, through deterioration or

disappearance, of any of these most prized assets constitutes an impoverishment of the

heritage of all the peoples of the world. Cultural heritage tourism or just heritage tourism

or diaspora tourism is a branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage of the

location where tourism is occurring. The National Trust for Historic Preservation

(2011) in the United States defines heritage tourism as "traveling to experience the

places, artefacts and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the

past. This goes to day that heritage tourism gives the tourists the opportunity of knowing

and understanding better the good stories and memories of the place being visited. In this

way, people would be able to appreciate and share the stories they have learned about

the culture and story of a particular site.

The General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural

Organization meeting in Paris from 17 October to 21 November 1972, at its seventeenth

session, noted that the cultural heritage and the natural heritage are increasingly

threatened with destruction not only by the traditional causes of decay, but also by

changing social and economic conditions which aggravate the situation with even more

formidable phenomena of damage or destruction.

The Cultural Tourism Policy Paper of UNESCO (2010) identified the following

importance of heritage tourism: it has a positive economic and social impact, it

establishes and reinforces identity, it helps build image, it helps preserve the cultural and
historical heritage, with culture as an instrument it facilitates harmony and understanding

among people, it supports culture and helps renew tourism. Cultural Heritage plays a very

important role in the people’s lives. It is what keeps us attached to our religion, traditions

and beliefs. Therefore, it is necessary to increase awareness of heritage tourism and the

ethics of its care so that people would have better understanding on the significance of

protecting and preserving heritage sites.

Heritage needs to be always moving forward; creatively re-defining itself, seeking

engagement in critical agendas relating to conflict resolution, inter-cultural dialogue in

poverty reduction. In doing so, heritage tourism can relate more to emerging generations

of tourists who seek not only to passively observe the past, but to learn from it, and where

appropriate, challenge and change it (MacKay and Crompton, 2008). In fact, The World

Tourism Organization (WTO) predicts that cultural tourism will be one of the five key

tourism market segments in the future, and notes that growth in this area will present an

increasing challenge in terms of managing visitor flows to cultural sites

In view of the foregoing, the researchers decided to determine the status and

prospects of the various cultural heritage sites in . It is deemed very significant to

investigate and discover the present condition and significance of heritage tourism in the

city because this will promote better understanding and foster love and appreciation

among the locals, tourists and most especially to the policy making body of the

government