Heritage tourism is potential source of identity and inspiration

There is huge potential for the Philippines when it comes to heritage tourism, with many rich, historical, and cultural destinations awaiting proper protection and development.

Heritage sites, after all, could be a source of identity and inspiration for communities across the country. With carefully laid out programs and projects, they could also provide additional financial resources for local government units.

This point was one of the highlights in a panel discussion, “Build to Promote: PPP as Driver of Tourism,” in the recently concluded 45^th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the ADB held at the SMX Convention Center.

“Heritage is a property of the whole community. It would be nice if there are more heritage sites, aside from just ruins, for tourists to visit,” said Michael Manalo, one of the panellists in the discussion. He is the project director of Escuela Taller Intramuros.

Manalo was joined on stage by fellow panellist Jose Capistrano, Jr., the administrator of Intramuros, which is collectively believed to be one of the more important heritage sites in the country.

“Each city has a heritage. We can capitalize on this to our advantage,” Capistrano said. “But heritage goes beyond beautification. It also shows love for our country.”

Capistrano revealed plans to infuse Intramuros with more entertainment options, with cafes, restaurants, and hotels, while keeping the place’s old charm that has made it a popular tourist destination.

“The problem in this country is that buildings older than 50 years are considered old and ugly and are often demolished,” said Gemma Cruz-Araneta, another panellist in the discussion. She is the chair of the Manila Historical and Heritage Commission.

“Architects and engineers here could be very trigger happy. They think old buildings are more expensive to maintain. What they fail to see are the revenue potential of these old establishments,” said Araneta, a former tourism secretary.

During the course of the discussion, the case of Singapore’s experience in heritage conservation and tourism was mentioned. Apparently, Singapore used to level its old buildings before they realized how valuable they were. But when conservation efforts were put in place, tourism went up significantly.

One key factor for success in heritage tourism is its accessibility, according to Rafael Yabut, the undersecretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways, who joined the esteemed group of panellists.

“We have to bring back that character of ‘walkability’ in our destinations,” Yabut said.

Other panellists who were in the discussion were Mark Rathbone, leader of the Capital Projects & Infrastructure in Singapore; Paulo Alcazaren, urban planner and designer of PGAA Creative Design; and Eric Saratan, the Mayor of Talisay City, Negros Occidental.

What the country needs now, according to the panellists, is to have a clear direction on what its plans for heritage tourism are so it can garner the proper support from various sectors and stakeholders.