Precursors and Context

The INSTO Network

The International Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories (INSTO) Program is one of the programs developed by the United Nations World Tourism Organization in conjunction with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) that seeks to attain the objectives of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

An examination of the INSTO web page Observatories – UNWTO INSTO indicates that 35 Observatories were operating in, among others, the USA, Spain, Brazil, Greece, Thailand, and Indonesia. The highest number of INSTO centers are in China, with the oldest continuing monitoring programs (set up on 28 September 2010) under the auspices of the College of Tourism Management at Sun Yat-Sen University. There is no sustainable tourism observatory from the Philippines in the network yet.

A key parameter of the INSTO programs is an insistence on a monitoring process that retains a thread of repetition in the research process. The traditional “one-shot” cross-sectional survey of tourism impacts is of less value as an aid to policy-making and decision-making about destinations. An analysis of patterns of change can come from repetitive research projects on sustainability issues at the destination level. Within the INSTO framework, there are 11 areas mandated to be monitored. These include resident satisfaction, employment, economic benefits, governance, climate change, and accessibility, to name a few examples Framework – UNWTO INSTO. Trends relating to the rapidity of change, directions of change, volumes of change, and consequences of change require establishing starting points and the continuous collection of data in an organized fashion that can produce timely information to aid decision-making. The need for a sustained commitment requiring high levels of research expertise might partly explain the involvement of many universities from around the world. Details can be found of the research institutions involved in the Observatories on the above web page and many of the Observatories additionally possess their web pages. A brief background about Batanes

Batanes is found in the northernmost province of the Philippines. Composed of six municipalities, it is located about 162 km north of the Luzon mainland in the Luzon Strait. The largest and only inhabited islands of this island group are Itbayat, Batan, and Sabtang. It is home to the Ivatans, the province’s indigenous people. Conservationists note that Batanes is one of the last remaining areas in the Philippines retaining unique natural physiographic features including wave-cut cliffs, cave-like outcrops, and secluded white sand beaches. This is attributed to its geographic location at the Pacific Ocean and South China Sea meeting points. Consequently, strong winds and fast currents combine to create its morphology.

Because of its position, Batanes is home to distinct flora and fauna. Pink and red corals (Corallum sp.) abound in its marine environment. Seven of 42 known flowering plants in the country are found only in Batanes. Migratory birds pass through its mountains on their way to a warmer climate. Researchers have also determined that it was the stepping stone long ago in the migration of Austronesians through the Philippines and beyond.

Culturally, the province is the only area in the Philippines where traditional architecture is of stone in response to the winds and monsoon weather rather than the more typical, tropical, impermanent materials (wood, bamboo, thatch) commonly used in the village architecture.

Because of these qualities, the Batanes group of islands was declared in 1994 as the Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes. It is the only province that has earned this distinction. Authorities are currently working to have it included in the UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage List. Currently, there are 19 sites for nomination on the World Heritage List (https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/521/), of which the Batanes Protected Landscapes and Seascapes are one.

Tourism has grown in Batanes in recent years and is now considered its primary industry. In 2017, it received 40,000 visitors - twice its resident population. Demand is expected to increase in the coming years as more Filipinos see beyond its reputation as a typhoon- prone area and appreciate its natural and cultural wonders.

To date, there has yet to be a systematic assessment of the capacity of the islands and their people to support tourism growth. Like many other destinations of the country, any monitoring and evaluation of how tourism impacts the physical, social, cultural, and environment is lacking. Thus, there is a need for a methodical, continuing approach to meet the development needs of all stakeholders, including the local residents and indigenous peoples.

Among other connections, monitoring sustainability in Batanes coincides with the “Adoption of Manila Call for Action” on measuring sustainable tourism - a global commitment that eventuated during the Sixth United Nations World Tourism Organization International Conference on Tourism Statistics held in Manila from 21-23 June 2017. Among provisions that acknowledge how tourism contributes to the 17 SDGs of the universal 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and how credible and comprehensive data on sustainable tourism is key for effective evidence-based policies and management, is a stipulation that call upon all actors to facilitate the necessary means and resources for the development and subsequent in-country implementation of a framework for measuring sustainable tourism (MST). The agreement also recognized that “the development and implementation of an MST Framework is a strategic and ongoing endeavor, requiring wide and consistent stakeholder engagement, collaboration, inter-institutional coordination and political leadership.