In ‘philantourism,’ remember to do no harm

By Patricia B. Mirasol, Reporter

Over half of travelers (59%) are interested in “philantourism” and immersive community experiences. According to panelists at the 2022 World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Summit, travelers can help improve a community’s quality of life without being patronizing if they approach things with humility.

“We need to position ourselves [as if] we are the ones who are learning,” said Guillaume Landry, executive director of ECPAT International, a network of civil society organizations that works to end the sexual exploitation of children. “We shouldn’t come in with a colonial perspective — like we were going to solve their problem, like they were just waiting for us to arrive.”

Mr. Landry added that an exchange of experience necessitates an open mindset.

For Andrea Grisdale, tourism is a “great way to educate and do good.”

“When we look at our client feedback, no one is talking about the marble bathroom,” said the chief executive officer of IC Bellagio, an Italy-based destination management company. “It’s always about that person, or that experience.”

IC Bellagio has virtual lessons that help guests understand local culture even before they set foot in Italy. It also teams up with associations that enhance the client experience, such as a non-profit that helps people with autism through art therapy.

“Our guests have painting lessons with some of these artists, and great friendships have resulted from it,” Ms. Grisdale said, pointing out that “people don’t travel halfway across the world to do what they do back home.”

“They want to meet different people and have different experiences,” she said. “Our participation with these associations has been a win-win for [them] and for the locals.”

The key is adhering to the “do no harm” principle, Mr. Landry said, adding that caution should be exercised when joining tours that include orphanages.

“Children are not a tourist attraction,” he said, explaining that there were better ways to help. “Especially in orphanages where you have children who have experienced complex journeys — which includes being neglected. Having people come and go does not benefit them.”

Travel recovery is on the way, per data from ForwardKeys, a travel and analytics company. Asia Pacific countries, in particular, saw an increase in arrivals for the first quarter of 2022 as compared to the previous year, with bookings up 275%. In the Philippines, bookings have been up 29% in the second quarter of 2022 as compared to the previous one.

“Asian nations are reopening, and this is very encouraging,” said ForwardKeys vice president for insights Olivier Ponti, in a separate speech at the WTTC Summit. “If you allow people to fly, they will travel.”