Preserving national identity with tourism

CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL travel accounts for nearly half of global tourism activity, according to the World Economic Forum. 73% of younger travelers are most interested in destinations that highlight history.

- By Mhicole A. Moral

In the Philippines, where centuries-old churches and historical landmarks are already popular stops, the trend is driving more attention to lesser-known historic towns and heritage areas.

Paul John D.R. Hernandez, an educator and member of the Heritage Conservation Society of the Philippines, said that tourism is not harmful by nature, but unchecked tourism can weaken the very heritage that draws visitors in the first place.

“Tourism brings promotion and economic activity. Ticket sales, shops, and enterprises around cultural sites bring in money. But from the conservation perspective, the effect of uncontrolled influx of visitors that goes beyond the site’s capacity is erosion,” Mr. Hernandez told BusinessWorld.

Mr. Hernandez, also known on social media as The Traveling Salakot, said many of the country’s built heritage sites date back to the Spanish colonial period. Stone churches, ancestral homes, and fortifications were constructed in the 16th to 18th centuries. These structures, often made of stone and wood, are especially vulnerable to heavy human activity.

“For example, in Baluarte de San Diego in Intramuros, if you allow people to step inside the excavated parts, the site will deteriorate. That is why access is limited. The mere movement of people affects the integrity of the area,” he explained.

Natural heritage sites are facing the same pressure, and in some cases, the risk is even greater. Popular tourist destinations such as Boracay, Siargao, and Palawan draw massive crowds every year, but the need to build facilities for easier access has altered their landscapes.

“To accommodate the tourists, they alter the natural landscape. They build stairs on a hill; they cement areas so visitors can climb or dive. That changes the land itself,” Mr. Hernandez said. “Heavy foot traffic stresses the soil and surrounding environment, which threatens the long-term health of these sites.”