Cultural Tourism Development in the Philippines: An Analysis of Challenges and Orientations

Abstract

The concept of destination branding and its impact to tourist influx has been explored by many scholars who argued that the tourists' demand for "experience economy" has driven destinations to market themselves as a unique brand. Using this as a framework, this study explores the status of Philippine cultural tourism and assesses the challenges and orientations that pervade in its practice, which could be developed to attain the country's developmental goals. This study proposes feasible action plans that could be taken to address the identified challenges that center on inauthentic and unsustainable tourism products. By looking into the existing craft industry, which acts as a marker of destination branding, this work examines the challenges that its cultural tourism sector is facing in relation to the growing ecotourism capital. Conceptually, this study argues that the Government Tourism Policies have a direct impact on the level of Cultural Tourism Development of a region. It also affects the Tourism Orientations of both the tourist and the service provider. The primary contribution of this work is a matrix that presents the current challenges and orientations towards the cultural tourism sector as perceived by local tourism operators and craft industry members.

Towards decolonising tourism and hospitality research in the Philippines

“…Since gaining independence from colonial rule, tourism has been actively promoted in the Philippines. The country's main tourist attractions are predominantly based in coastal, island and marine environments, complemented by cultural heritage resources (Alejandria-Gonzalez, 2016;Maguigad, 2013). Tourism's contribution to the economy was realised in the 1970s, with tourism recognised as an important tool for socio-economic development.…”

الملابس التقليدية والهدايا التذکارية والطعام کعوامل جذب سياحي

“…(Blesic, Bozic, & Pivac, 2017, p. 44) Many studies examine Tourism as Business oriented to customer's needs and wants, Using traditional clothing, such many tourists in Scotland, where they expect to see a piper in full Highland dress (Cooper , 2013); Food, Souvenirs, postcards, Music, dance, such The Maasai -that they do dance for the tourists do take their pictures‖ (Bruner, 2005, p. 68); and many ways as a tourist attraction. (Dulyadaweesid & Sirisunhirun, 2018); (Lunchaprasith & Macleod, 2018); (Alejandria-Gonzalez, 2016); (Hongmei Zhang, Feifei Xu, Lin Lu, & Yu Lei, 2015); (Ogden, Price, & Michael, 2018); (Ji Zhang, Hong-gang Xu, & Wei Xing, 2017); (Abuamouda, Ibrahim, & Alrousanc, 2018); (Arisanty, Putro, Normelani, & Anis, 2019); (Ernawati, Sanders, & Dowling, 2017); (Meitiana, Setiawan, Rohman, & Irawanto, 2019); (Zschocke, 2013).…”

“…It also affects the Tourism Orientations of both the tourist and the service provider‖. (Alejandria-Gonzalez, 2016) In addition, a study of Zhang and others focus on the metropolitan official tourism website, where authors mention that it's an important medium to promote and communicate the metropolitan's tourist image due to its marketing role and the reliability of its information. Where Metropolis is a large city or urban area that is a significant economic, political, and cultural center for a country or region, and an important hub for regional or international connections, commerce, and communications.…”