Tourism in the Philippines: Communities, Hosts and Guests

ISBN-13: 9789811940125 / Angielski / Twarda / 2022 / 176 str.

Richard S. Aquino; Brooke A. Porter

Opis

This edited volume serves as the second instalment of a two-part title that aims to provide an academic exploration of the contemporary issues and perspectives on tourism in the Philippines. With a strong geographical focus, and drawn from a range of inter/multidisciplinary approaches, this book aims to provide a timely and critical investigation of issues surrounding Philippine host communities, Filipino travellers, and foreign tourists to the country. This book will serve as a platform to engage with mostly Filipino scholars allowing them to present their voices and perspectives on a range of local tourism issues, in support of cultivating a ‘culture of research’ in the Philippine academia. 

This book is one of the first country-focused volumes under the series, Perspectives on Asian Tourism. This book is composed of contributions drawn from the works of Filipino academics based in the Philippines and overseas institutions researching tourism issues in the Philippines. This book's contributions are drawn from a diverse set of disciplines including, but not limited to sociology, anthropology, mass communications, feminist and gender studies, cultural studies, history, and tourism and hospitality studies.

Comprising chapters based on conceptual and empirical research, this edited book is divided into four parts: first, an introduction to tourism and the Filipino culture and society; second, case studies on the dynamics and impacts of tourism in local communities; third, an investigation of tourists’ gaze and experiences of Philippine destinations; and fourth, Filipino researchers’ reflexive gaze upon events, festivals, and culinary heritage in a tourism context. This book provides a collection of previously unexplored facets of Philippine tourism, Filipina tourists, and host communities, and could become an essential reading for undergraduate and postgraduate students, researchers, educators and policy-makers in tourism.

Spis treści

Foreword

By Joan Henderson, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore

Part I. Introduction

Chapter 1. Tourism and the Filipino Culture and Society

By Richard S. Aquino, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand; and Brooke A. Porter,

Umbra Institute, Perugia, Italy

This introductory chapter presents an overview of tourism in the contemporary Filipino culture

and society. Specifically, this chapter situates the role of tourism in host communities in and

travellers from the Philippines. This chapter also provides the importance of culture in packaging

experiences and the country’s image for guests and tourists to the Philippines. The chapter ends

by outlining the parts and content of the book.

Part II. Tourism in Philippine Communities

Chapter 2. Performance Assessment of Barangay Nagacadan as a Community-Based Tourist

Destination (Kiangan, Ifugao Province)

By Charmaine M. Almonidovar, Philippine State College of Aeronautics, Pasay City, Philippines

Community involvement is important in inclusive and sustainable tourism development. This

study appraises the performance of the community-based tourism (CBT) initiatives in Barangay

Nagacadan located in Kiangan, Ifugao Province. This CBT destination features an open air museum

acknowledged by UNESCO as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems heritage site. The

assessment is based on the degree to which the project meets the quality requirements specified

in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) CBT standards checklist. Fieldwork was

undertaken following a triangulation approach of documentary analysis, focused group discussion

and a survey with 33 CBT stakeholders. Results suggest that the CBT project has fully complied

with all the fundamental criteria of ASEAN CBT Standards. Yet various concerns are present which

involve current tourist services, inaccessibility, insufficient facilities and lack of utilities, and

unequal sharing of benefits among stakeholders which could have affected the development of

Barangay Nagacadan as a CBT destination. Thus, it was recommended to have a collaborative

effort amongst stakeholder to take the necessary actions to improve the quality of their CBT

operations. This chapter provides a benchmark for, and encourages, other locations in the

Philippines and ASEAN countries that have the potential to become CBT destinations.

Chapter 3. Stoked in the Sea: Understanding Stakeholder Perceptions of Surfing

By Raymund B. Habaradas and Jonna C. Baquillas, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

Surfing is becoming a popular water activity in the Philippine archipelago. Surfing tourism has

been viewed as an important source of earnings and employment by communities, which has the

potential to create sustainable livelihoods. This study explores the perceptions and perspectives

of multi-stakeholder groups in Liwliwa, a surfing destination community in Zambales province.

Involving business owners, surfing instructors, tourists, residents, and the local government unit,

this study investigates how these stakeholder groups perceive the development of the community

into a surfing destination, and the associated environmental, social, and economic impacts of

surfing tourism. Semi-structured interviews will be conducted, and thematic analysis will be

utilised in processing the data. With the results of this study, this chapter aims to understand the

dynamics of tourism development in a surfing community, and identify environmental, social, and

economic impacts that may be crucial to tourism planning and development of surfing tourism in

the Philippines.

Chapter 4. Strolling Between Shanties: The Case of Smokey Tours’ Slum Tourism

By Jonna C. Baquillas and Brian C. Gozun, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

Visiting slums is a distinct niche of tourism that emerged in the tourism literature in the last three

decades. In the Philippine capital city of Manila, Smokey Tours started offering slum tours in 2011

in form of a ‘photo tour’ in the Smokey Mountain area. The proceeds of the tour were given back

to the community, and the organisation aims to inspire people from all walks of life to become

agents of positive change through exposure in urban realities. This chapter seeks to understand

how relevant stakeholder groups perceive slum tourism as a tool for poverty alleviation. The

perceived benefits, issues and challenges of slum tourism, from the perspectives of the slum

dwellers, tour organisers, and the tourists, will be examined. Qualitative research methodology

using a single case study approach will be performed. Semi-structured interviews will be

conducted to understand the underlying themes prevailing in this case. The findings will seek to

facilitate a discussion on how slum tourism can potentially be a tool to alleviate poverty in slum

areas, and also contribute to recent slum tourism debate especially on ethical concerns. Given

that slums are prevalent in other Philippine and Asian cities, the findings and discussions

presented in this chapter can potentially advance the understanding of slum tourism and its

impacts.

Chapter 5. Re-Creating Slum Tourism in Tondo, Manila: Perspectives of the Local Residents

By Luzviminda O. Tugade, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, Manila, Philippines

Building on the previous chapter, this chapter analyses the development and critical challenges

around slum tourism in the areas of Tondo, Manila; and aims to argue a case for ‘re-creating’ slum

tourism by building upon potentials for creative tourism. The chapter will cover the ensuing topics

into three sections. First, a brief background is given on international scholarship and debates

about slum tourism. Second, attention turns to tourism as one component in the changing

economic and social nature of Tondo. Finally, the third section presents an indication of

‘creativity’ in township spaces and then outlines several research issues that merit further inquiry

to set the connection between slum tourism and creative tourism. Available literature on urban

slums emphasises their physical and social problems rather than the income trajectories of

residents and how these can be improved. The chapter discusses the potential around boosting

economic opportunities and representations of slum residents through the endorsement of creative forms of tourism. The chapter suggests focusing on creative forms of culture that are

crucial for opening potential economic opportunities and pathways out of poverty for persons

living in slums via the diversification of current slum tourism offerings.

Chapter 6. Residents’ Perceptions of Tourism in a Pilgrimage Destination in the Philippines

By Anne Marie F. Bagadion, Ateneo de Naga University, Naga City, Philippines; and Robert Charles

G. Capistrano, Arizona State University, USA

This study aims to understand the residents’ perceptions of tourism in a fast-rising pilgrimage and

religious event destination in the Philippines. Located in Naga City, Camarines Sur in Bicol region,

the week-long festivity of Our Lady of Peñafrancia is witnessed by millions of Marian devotees

who pay tribute every month of September. Through the lens of social exchange theory, this study

will address the following questions: (1) what are residents’ perceptions and disposition on the

present level of tourism growth; (2) what are impacts of pilgrimage tourism in the area; and (3)

how does the community manage tourism in a pilgrimage area? On the one hand, positive

impacts of tourism include residential development, employment generation, infrastructure,

popularity of the destination, community pride, and growth of health providers and services. On

the other hand, negative impacts include issues related to public transportation and congestion,

changing values and culture of the residents, and the potential environmental impacts of over-

development. This chapter suggests future studies that examine other religious events where

interactions of residents and tourists are occurring.

Part III. Travellers and Tourists’ Perspectives

Chapter 7. The Travelling Filipina in Periodicals (1898-1938)

By Katherine G. Lacson, Ateneo de Manila University, Quezon City, Philippines; and Brian C. Gozun,

De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

In a world where half of the population are women, it is ironic that this segment has remained

invisible in the pages of its past. Women’s history has always been submerged in personal

experiences hidden in domestic private spaces. Since her life is hidden, the reconstruction of her

story remains challenging due to the poverty of sources that documented her activities. This book

chapter explores the details in the life of the Filipina traveller and her various images during the

American imperialist regime in the Philippines. There has yet to be any research to encapsulate

the story of the Filipina woman as she discovered the different parts of her country and the places

outside of it. This will be done by utilising periodicals extant during this time. The articles,

illustrations, and photos in the periodicals would provide a better perspective on the details of the

Filipina as traveller and the images that were formed. With the huge impact of tourism on a

country’s economy, it is understandable that many studies related to the topic usually tackles

present issues and developments, with tourism history literally being left as a footnote. This

chapter would be able to contribute to two topics that have been left by the wayside – tourism

history and women history, which would add to the richness of knowledge created under the

umbrella of Philippine tourism.

Chapter 8. The Solo Filipina Traveller

By Francesca Lacson and Heike Schänzel, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New

Zealand

Complementing the focus of Chapter 7, this chapter aims to understand the modern Filipina

travellers’ motivation and how their solo journeys help in constructing their cultural and personal

identities. Female travellers play a dominant role in the tourism industry. In recent years, this

market has held a strong presence in solo travel, where they represent two thirds of its market.

Yet little is known about Filipina travellers’ perspectives. Using qualitative netnography method,

the researchers investigate the solo journeys of nine Filipina semi-professional travel bloggers.

The data was collected from the articles posted on the travel blogs, which has been known for

providing researchers key insights towards tourist experiences because of its unbiased and

unprompted nature. Thematic analysis was used in finding their motivations, constraints and

benefits and how they all linked to the construction of the Filipina’s identity. This chapter will

bring more insights towards the Southeast Asian tourist that is a potential growing market,

specifically on Filipina travellers where there is an absence of research.

Chapter 9. Once Upon a Time in History: Tourist Perceptions of Dark Tourism in the Philippines

By Jonna C. Baquillas and Brian C. Gozun, De La Salle University, Manila, Philippines

Being a nation that was colonised through different periods of time, the Philippines has popular

war sites, which include Corregidor Island (Cavite), Intramuros (Manila), Fort Santiago (Manila),

Rizal Park (Manila), Leyte Landing Monument (Leyte), and Fort San Pedro (Cebu). Some of these

feature gruesome war stories, aided by visual materials and war artefacts in situ. This chapter

presents how dark tourism is portrayed in social media and how it impacts demand for such

activities. Unobtrusive internet research (i.e. netnography) will be utilised to gather data from

local and international travel bloggers. A qualitative analysis of the individual experiences of dark

tourists that have visited and wrote about the selected war sites in the Philippines will be

performed. Specifically, narrative inquiry will be used as the basis for analysing the blog posts’

content. Dark tourism is a growing niche in the tourism arena. Understanding the motivations in

patronising such tourism attractions can help develop effective strategies to manage and market

these sites better.

Chapter 10. The KULAS Travelogues: A Deconstruction of Foreign Vloggers Depiction of

Mindanao as a Travel Destination

By Lynnie Ann P. Deocampo, Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology, Iligan City,

Philippines

The Tourism Promotion Board has recently chosen Kyle Jennermann, a Canadian vlogger popularly

known by his followers by a Filipino name, Kulas, as its newest tourism ambassador. Kulas has

immersed himself in the Filipino culture by living in and going around the archipelago, especially

in the less trodden and least known places (and people) of the second largest island of the

Philippines, Mindanao. This chapter will examine how this chronicling by a foreign vlogger has

afforded his viewers pictures of Mindanao as a travel destination. Using semiotic lenses and

narrative analysis, the chapter will examine the plot, structure and language used in the 10

selected Mindanao vlogs by Kulas with the most number of views. This chapter will show how

foreign (and non-local) vloggers communicate their Mindanao experience to both their global and

local viewers, what conversations ensue from these in the comment section, and what image of

Mindanao is conveyed through these narratives. This exploration of narratives of localised

travelogues of less promoted places in the Philippines may offer fresher perspectives for both

marketing and destination branding.

Chapter 11. “It’s More than Fun in the Philippines!” A Grounded Theory Exploration of Tourist

Eudaimonic Experience in the Philippines

By Wangoo Lee, University of the Philippines Diliman, Quezon City, Philippines

Happiness has often been regarded as an important goal throughout human history: tourism has

also adopted this goal, although significant attention has just been made in recent years. The

Philippines is widely described as happy destination, given its tourism slogan, It’s More Fun in the

Philippines! Yet tourists’ eudaimonic experiences of Philippine destinations has not been explored

in the erstwhile tourism studies. This study aims to explore the existence of eudaimonic

experiences of tourists to Philippine destinations and to reveal the substantive theories on their

tourist experiences through the lens of Filipino values and culture. Grounded theory method is

selected to conduct the study. The data will be collected by interviewing inbound tourists in the

Philippines. This chapter is expected to generate empirical evidence that tourists in the Philippines

experience not only hedonic happiness but also eudaimonic happiness. Furthermore, several

cultural concepts will be suggested as the key factors or elements of their happiness experiences,

which ultimately help in developing a substantive theory that could explain the process of

experiencing tourist eudaimonic happiness from Philippine tourism. This chapter will add new

knowledge by revealing the unexplored area of tourist happiness in the Philippines.

Part IV. Events and Festivals: Centring Filipino Culture and Spirituality

Chapter 12. Postcolonial Appeal of Philippine Festivals

By Peter Jerome B. Del Rosario, University of the Philippines Los Baños, Laguna, Philippines

In the Philippines, festivals have become no more than tourist spectacles rather than tools for

nation-building, partly due to local and national policies that encourage tourism. This study aims

to explore the use of postcolonial analysis on Philippine festivals. It focuses on five carabao

festivals in the Philippines which were selected because carabaos have deep social relations with

the Filipinos since time immemorial. Ethnographic photography, key informant interviews, and

record review were conducted in the five study sites. Postcolonial analysis through historical

allusion, metaphorical analysis, and hermeneutics were done to draw out Filipino’s cultural

practices that were reflected in its current holding and relive those that were not practiced

anymore. Findings reveal that the Filipinos’ pagbabatuk (tattooing) culture, their regard to their

native anitos (gods) and patron saints, their reliance to the carabaos as a farm animal and

companion, and their resistance against the colonial government during the Hispanic period could

be drawn out from the festival’s holding and history. These findings challenge local government

units to evaluate the creation and delivery of their respective festivals, and possibly move to more

culture-based, people-centred, and participatory implementing mechanisms. Finally, this chapter

shows that festivals could be strategically used in communicating Filipino culture and identities.

Chapter 13. Reclaiming Culture: Innovating Traditional Religious Performance for Tourism in the

Philippines

By Carl Milos R. Bulilan, Colleen Gayle Coquilla, Zessa Mae Paredes and Ma. Theresa Jabines, Holy

Name University, Tagbilaran City, Philippines

Culture has become part of tourism products and attractions. Local people actively showcase their

arts and creative performances to visitors. In the process, tourism activities result in culture

change. Although scholars have examined the active role of the local people in the production of

traditional performances for tourism purposes, the process of reclaiming the right of local

communities to reshape their own culture has been given less attention. This study examines how

a local community innovates its traditional performance for both religious and tourism purposes,

using ethnographic case study approach on a local religious festival in the island of Bohol. The

case study illustrates how a local community recreates its traditional religious performance to

become a tourist attraction without losing its devotional value. This chapter seeks to challenge

existing perspectives in the debate regarding the impacts of tourism on local cultures. This

chapter argues that cultural performances are the property of the local community. Overall, this

chapter contributes to the fundamental knowledge on the relationship between communities,

culture, and tourism.

Part V. Conclusion

Chapter 14. Looking Forward: Tourism Growth in a Filipino Context

By Richard S. Aquino, Auckland University of Technology, New Zealand; and Brooke A. Porter,

Umbra Institute, Perugia, Italy

This chapter will revisit the contributions from each chapter in this volume. Emphasising a

decolonial framework (see Aquino, 2019), the editors aim to explore the individual issues

discussed through the process of thematic analysis. The emergent themes will serve to provide a

context for future research in the Philippine and in the broader South-East Asian context. This

chapter will conclude by providing recommendations for future tourism growth in the Philippines

to ensure a sustainable and authentic future for tourism in the Philippines.

O autorze

Dr. Richard S. Aquino is a Lecturer of Tourism and Marketing at the UC Business School, University of Canterbury in Christchurch, New Zealand. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, where he also obtained his master’s degree in international tourism management, and a Bachelor of Science in Tourism from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines. His doctoral research focused on how the adoption of social entrepreneurship through tourism changes host communities in the Philippines. His other research interests include sustainable tourism planning and development, geotourism, tourist behaviour, and recently, the decolonization of tourism knowledge production. Currently, he serves as the research notes editor of Tourism in Marine Environments and an editor of the Austrian Journal of South-East Asian Studies. Apart from academic work, he has been actively involved in tourism planning consultancy projects in the Philippines and New Zealand.

Dr. Brooke A. Porter works in knowledge management as an instructional designer with international aid agencies. Brooke holds a Doctor of Philosophy from the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, a master’s in education from Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawai’i, and a bachelor of science in marine biology from the Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Florida. Some of her current work investigates tourism as a development and conservation strategy as well as the role of gender. Her doctoral research explored marine tourism as a supplemental livelihood for fisheries-based communities in the Philippines. Brooke also serves as an Honorary Research Fellow at Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand, and as scientific adviser to The Coral Triangle Conservancy, an NGO in the Philippines.