This month, we will be celebrating the World Tourism Day on September 27, with the theme, “Tourism and Sustainable Transformation”. Transformation or growth is possible to be achieved not just by simply planning how to be sustainable– outcomes are possible with good governance and monitoring also, ensuring that all are accountable in giving back to the environment that gives us our livelihood. This month, we bring to you some models of sustainability in the Philippines, the ones that are deliberate in aiming for sustainable progress, and the ones where “it really takes a village” can truly be seen:

Batanes as a UNESCO Protected Area Landscape and Seascapes

Having been added in the UN Tourism’s Network of Sustainable Tourism Observatories in 2023, Batanes is enabled to manage their tourism development more responsibly and sustainably. As the region is also a protected area, laws such as building management to sustain the innate architecture of the land are enacted for preservation. To monitor the province’s efforts, the Batanes Tourism and Hospitality Monitoring Centre was created which will help develop programs for Batanes, identify good practices, and promote balanced tourism among others.

Touring around Manila using Hand-made Bamboo Bikes

Manila’s just like any city– the hustle, bustle, and commotion of everyday leaves a lasting impact on the environment, albeit not a positive one. To help aid in contributing to the pollution in the city, tours using bamboo bikes are encouraged within Intramuros or the Walled City in Manila. While bikes are already a sustainable mode of transportation per se, the bamboo bikes upped the ante further by using bamboo as the material allowing it better waste management when the bike reaches its disposition age, and through social enterprise as the makers of the bikes are provided with jobs and scholarships.

Photo from MAD Travel

Regenerative Tourism

While tourism is one of the major economic drivers in the country, it is also a major driver of the invisible burdens which places destinations at risk if not attended to. To help in combatting this, some tour operators conduct tours that make regenerative tourism or social enterprising possible. In doing this, their tours enable education and employment both to its clients and to the communities it serves. This business model does not only make the operator profitable, but also their employees as they are able to pay-it-forward.

Photo retrieved from Travel Palawan

Mantigue Island wins “Best Eco-Tourism Destination” at the Philippine Tourism Awards 2025

Mantigue Island bags the Best Eco-Tourism Destination in the recently concluded Philippine Tourism Awards 2025. Home to numerous marine life including reef sharks and sea turtles, Mantigue Island is a model for biodiversity and community-involvement as they are one with their local government in protecting the island against elements that may exploit this rare habitat and ecosystem.