HERITAGE TOURISM
- is a branch of tourism oriented towards the cultural heritage of the location where tourism is occurring.
- traveling to experience the places and activities that authentically represent the stories and people of the past and present.
- it includes cultural, historic and natural resources
IMPORTANCE OF HERITAGE TOURISM
- it has a positive economic social and social impact
- it establishes and reinforces identity
- it helps preserve the cultural heritage, with culture as an instrument it facilitates harmony and understanding among people
- it supports culture and helps renew tourism
- understanding the impact of tourism on communities and regions
- achieving economic and social benefits
- providing financial resources for protection
- Tourism marketing and promotion
Objectives of HERITAGE TOURISM
- the conservation of cultural resources
- accurate interpretation of resources
- authentic visitors experience
- the stimulation of the earned revenues of cultural resources
UNESCO World Heritage Site
- is a place (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance.
- there are certain criteria in selecting heritage site, --
Cultural Criteria
- (i) "represents a masterpiece of human creative genius"
- (ii) "exhibits an important interchange of human values, over a span of time, or within a cultural area of the world, on developments in architecture or technology, monumental arts, town-planning, or landscape design"
- (iii) "bears a unique or exceptional testimony to a cultural tradition or to a civilization which is living or which has disappeared"
- (iv) "is an outstanding example of a type of building, architectural, or technological ensemble or landscape which illustrates a significant stage in human history"
- (v) "is an outstanding example of a traditional human settlement, land-use, or sea-use which is representative of a culture, or human interaction with the environment especially when it has become vulnerable under the impact of irreversible change"
(vi) "is directly or tangibly associated with events or living traditions, with ideas, or with beliefs, with artistic and literary works of outstanding universal significance" whinstar.blogspot.com
NATURAL CRITERIA
- (vii) "contains superlative natural phenomena or areas of exceptional natural beauty and aesthetic importance"
- (viii) "is an outstanding example representing major stages of Earth's history, including the record of life, significant on-going geological processes in the development of landforms, or significant geomorphic or physiographic features"
- (ix) "is an outstanding example representing significant on-going ecological and biological processes in the evolution and development of terrestrial, fresh water, coastal and marine ecosystems, and communities of plants and animals"
- (x) "contains the most important and significant natural habitats for in-situ conservation of biological diversity, including those containing threatened species of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation"
Cultural Heritage Tourism Assessments
- as noted in Four Steps for Successful and Sustainable Cultural Heritage Tourism, the first step your community or region should take in planning for a new or expanded cultural heritage tourism program is assessing your potential
- assessments include evaluating attractions, visitor services, organizational capacity, preservation of resources and tourism marketing
Assessment Objectives
The main objectives of an assessment are:
- to gather a wide variety of opinions and suggestions from stakeholders
- to learn about the community's history and culture
- to evaluate the current visitor experience
- to evaluate current visitor services including signage, operating hours, hospitality, etc.
- to evaluate current local marketing efforts
- to assess the level of public and private support for tourism
- to meet with organizers and assess organizational capacity for program development
Planning an Assessment
- Advance preparation is essential for a successful assessment visit.
- Steps in the planning process include:
- 1. Consultant selection. The Heritage Tourism Program will assign one of its staff members to conduct the assessment. If additional consultants are needed to address specific areas, the staff member will identify consultants with the necessary expertise.
- 2. Background materials. The local organizing committee will provide an information packet including (as available) visitor research, marketing plans, promotional materials, community histories and other materials to familiarize the consultants with the area in advance of the site visit.
- 3.Conference call. A call will be scheduled between local organizers and the consultants to identify issues, establish goals for the assessment and prepare a draft of key sites and meetings to include on the itinerary. Organizers will also determine if a public meeting is desired as part of the assessment. whinstar.blogspot.com
- 4. Itinerary Development. Local organizers will develop and schedule an itinerary for the assessment:
- Schedule tours of all selected attractions.
- Schedule tours of sites that have potential for tourism development.
- Determine meeting locations for stakeholder interviews.
- Organize Logistics. Local organizers will arrange and confirm assessment logistics:
- Obtain a contact person and contact number for each stop.
- Select a location for the public meeting. Provide LCD projector, screen (or blank wall), easels, flip charts and markers.
- Recommend overnight accommodations for consultants.
- Provide transportation and accompany consultants for meetings and tours.
- Obtain a contact person and contact number for each stop.
- assessments are generally two or three days depending on the size of the community, the number of communities involved, and the geographic area
- if the area is very large, additional days may need to be added to adequately complete the assessment.
- Schedule tours of all selected attractions.
- 1. Consultant selection. The Heritage Tourism Program will assign one of its staff members to conduct the assessment. If additional consultants are needed to address specific areas, the staff member will identify consultants with the necessary expertise.
Community or Regional Tour
- this tour will be given by the local project leader and other stakeholders as needed to provide information about the area and sites that are included on the tour. Sites can include the following:
- Scenic drives
- Downtowns (walking and/or driving tours)
- Historic sites
- Cultural sites
- Parks or other natural resources
- Meeting facilities
- Hotels/motels/bed and breakfast inns
- Unique restaurants
- Unique retail shops or artists' studios
- Gateways or entrances into the community
- Visitor information centers
- Scenic drives
Stakeholder Interviews
- interviewsallow the consultants to gather historical information, to understand residents' perceptions about tourism, and to explore residents' visions that can be developed for cultural heritage tourism. Interviews are generally no more than 45 minutes unless there is a large group participating in the interview. Interview categories may include:
- Convention and visitors bureau or chamber of commerce (tourism offices)
- Arts council directors (city agencies or community nonprofit arts groups)
- Preservation organizations
- Cultural or civic organizations
- Local business owners
- Main Street staff and board members
- Parks and recreation (local and/or state)
- Government officials – mayor, county executive, council persons
- City or county economic development staff whinstar.blogspot.com
- University or community college staff
- Local media
- Churches
- Convention and visitors bureau or chamber of commerce (tourism offices)
Public Meetings
- A public meeting can be scheduled as part of the assessment if desired by local organizers. The meeting site should allow easy access for participants.
- Depending on the timing of the meeting in the assessment visit, the meeting may include preliminary observations and recommendations for discussion
- Meetings generally last approximately two hours and have the following format:
- Introductions of participants and consultants
- PowerPoint presentation by consultants explaining the assessment process
- National overview of cultural heritage tourism trends
- Discussion with participants about a vision for cultural heritage tourism
- Consultant team documents ideas and suggestions
- the public meeting should be scheduled at a convenient time for target participants and should be publicized to attract the broadest participation possible including:
- Press releases to all local media two weeks in advance
- Emails or postcard notices to stakeholder organizations
- Press releases to all local media two weeks in advance
- Introductions of participants and consultants
Suggested Timeline for Planning an Assessment
this proposed timeline is provided to give structure to planning for the assessment and to give an idea of the amount of time needed to prepare for the site visit:
- Week 1 - Planning committee formed. Choose representatives who are familiar with the community or region.
- Week 2 – Committee identifies sites for tour and identifies key stakeholders to interview; identify location for public meeting.
- Week 3 – Committee circulates list of tour sites and stakeholders to participants; make contacts to reserve facility for public meeting.
- Week 4 – Stakeholders submit suggestions, additions, etc. to the committee.
- Week 5 – Committee finalizes tour route and stakeholder interview list; begin making contacts to schedule tours and interviews; confirm arrangements for public meeting.
- Week 6 – Distribute press releases to all local media; mail or email invitations to public meeting; subcommittee reviews draft itinerary; make changes to itinerary as needed.
- Week 7 – Finalize itinerary for site visit; determine which committee member will provide transportation for each part of the site visit; provide itinerary to consultants; committee member to visit public meeting location to outline set up needs and confirm availability of A/V, chairs, flip charts, etc.
- Week 8 – Contact each interview participant to confirm interviews; make any changes as needed.
- Week 9 – Provide finalized itinerary to consultants.
- Week 10 – Assessment visit – committee member should monitor schedule to keep interviews and touring on time; at each stop, contact the person at the next stop to update time schedules as needed. A committee member should arrive at the public meeting location in advance to oversee set up of the room, A/V, etc.
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WORLD HERITAGE SITE
UNESCO
- After World War I an idea emerged to create an international movement to protect heritage.
UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) organized an international appeal to save priceless archaeological areas threatened by flooding by the proposed Aswan Dam in Egypt.
Through UNESCO's intervention, construction of the dam was halted until archaeological investigation of the endangered area as completed
UNESCO
1965 A conference held at the White House in Washington, D. C., called for a world Heritage Trust that would stimulate international cooperation to protect ;
"the world's superb natural and scenic areas and historic propertiesfor the present and the future of the entire world citizenry"
1972 World Conservation Union drew up aproposal to protect the environment which was presented in United Nations Conference on Human Environment in Stockholm.
UNESCO adopted the "Convention Concerning the Protection of World Cultural and Natural Heritage"
- Administered by the World Heritage Center of UNESCO, the World Heritage Convention was established more than thirty years ago.
- To set a method that would assure the preservation of the patrimony of mankind.
- To set a method that would assure the preservation of the patrimony of mankind.
- To adopt uniform guidelines from conservation methods, UNESCO and the International Council for Monuments and Sites drafted a convention on the protection of cultural heritage, known as ICO-MOS Venice Charter.
WORLD HERITAGE CONVENTION
- Overseas the World Heritage List, which includes over eight hundred thirty of the world's most outstanding natural and cultural heritage.
- Encourages states that are parties to the Convention to nominate outstanding properties within their territories to the World Heritage List.
- Helps safeguard World Heritage properties in immediate danger
- Encourages participation of the local population in preserving their heritage.
- Provides a forum for international cooperation in the conservation of natural and cultural heritage.
In Southeast Asia, there are 27 World Heritage Sites located in 7 out of 10 countries of the region – Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam; five of which are found in the Philippines.
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UNESCO
- A common misconception is that UNESCO funds all the conservation and maintenance expenses for properties inscribed on the World Heritage List, on the contrary, each country is responsible for all conservation and maintenance expenses for its heritage properties.
- Another misconception is that the conservation standards set by UNESCO for World Heritage properties are overly strict.
WORLD Heritage CONVENTION
- Natural Properties are sites of intense beauty that maintain the environmental balance of region or of the world, or sites that show a unique geological origin that was made from the formation of the earth.
- Cultural Properties are man-made and demonstrate the highest achievements of human thought and creativity.
- Cultural Landscapes combine outstanding natural and cultural values resulting from constant interaction between people and the natural environment.
WORLD HERITAGE
CULTURAL PROPERTIES
- Rice Terraces of the Philippine Cordilleras were the first "continuing cultural landscape," a property still in continual use for the same purpose that it was originally developed.
- Pyramids of Egypt
- The Great Wall of China
- The Vatican
- The Maya Pyramids
- Sydney Opera House
- Galapagos Islands
- Komodo National Park
- Great Barrier Reef
PHILIPPINE HERITAGE SITE
- Historic Town Of VIGAN-Established in the sixteenth century, the town of Vigan in Ilocos Sur is the best-preserved example of a planned Spanish colonial town in Asia. Its architecture reflects the coming together of cultural elements from elsewhere in the Philippines, from China and from Europe, resulting in a culture and townscape that have no parallel anywhere in East and South-East Asia . Inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1999.
- RICE TERRACES OF THE PHILIPPINES CORDILLERASFor 2000 years, the high rice fields of Ifugao have followed the contours of the mountains; the fruit of knowledge handed down from one generation to the next, and the expression of sacred traditions and a delicate social balance, have helped to create a landscape of great beauty that expresses the harmony between humankind and the environment. Inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1995.
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- BAROQUE CHURCHESThe unique architectural style of the churches is the reinterpretation of European Baroque by Chinese and Philippine craftsmen. Inscribed in the World Heritage List in 1993.
- TUBBATAHA REEF NATIONAL PARKLocated in the middle of the Central Sulu Sea, 181 km. southeast of Puerto Princesa City, in the municipality of Cagayancillo, the park covers 33,200 hectares, including the north and south reefs.
- PUERTO PRINCESA SUBTERRANEAN RIVERThis park features a spectacular limestone karst landscape with an underground river. One of the river's distinguishing features is that it emerges directly into the sea, and its lower portion is subject to tidal influences.
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HARWIN FRANCIS RAMOS
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE IN TRAVEL MANAGEMENT
TOUR 14-HERITAGE TOURISM
