HONG KONG, SHENZEN and VIGAN

During a recent trip to Honkong and Shenzen, China, I was observing how these two places have become favorite destinations of tourists. For a long time now, Honkong is still a major destination for all kinds of travellers. The only time when tourism went down was during the prevalence of the dreaded disease SARS(Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome). Incidentally, Hongkong is being referred to as one of the two SARs(Special Autonomous Regions) of China. The other one is Macau.

It was my second visit to Hongkong and it seems that progress is unlimited in this place. Aside from the the theme parks such as Disneyland and the Ocean Park, I was impressed by the public transport system of this former British colony.

According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, the MTR or Mass Transit Railway is the main rapid transit railway system in Hong Kong. Since the MTR service first opened in 1979, the network has expanded to encompass seven lines and 53 stations along 91.0 kilometres (56.5 miles). Due to its efficiency and affordability, the MTR system is a common mode of public transport in Hong Kong. In 1967, construction of the MTR was prompted by a government-commissioned study. The Hong Kong Government had previously commissioned a study in the 1960s to find solutions to the growing traffic problem caused by the expansion of the city's economy.

If in Hongkong, you don't have to worry going from one place to another, the MTR provides the solution, a stranger in the place could easily move with the MTR's user-friendly features. Its safe, affordable and efficient. This makes the place tourist-friendly.

Shenzen , China is a neighbor of Honkong. I surmised that this young city was specially developed by mainland China to catch the spillover of visitors from Hongkong. Aside from the jewelry and local delicacies factories, a theme park called Window of the World is a crowd drawer.

Window of the World is a fantastic replica park situated Shenzen. Here you can see vivid replicas of the world's wonders, historical monuments and famous scenic sites. Within one day, you can visit many reproductions of famous sites from different countries. For example, you can find the Mahamuni Pagoda of Rangoon, the Angkor Wat of Cambodia, the Eiffel Tower of France, the Pyramids and Sphinx of Egypt, and many other wonders of the World.

How I wish Vigan was included in the Window of the World showcase. Vigan is a World Heritage site listed in UNESCO. Being a former Spanish settlement, it is one of the oldest Cities of the Philippines. It is one place where we can see centuries-old ancestral houses of Hispanic and Chinese influences. Vigan is an exceptionally intact and well preserved example of a European trading town in East and East Asia.

I appreciate the aggressive efforts of the Chinese in promoting tourism. Hong Kong and Shenzen were able to attract visitors worldwide and earn income from tourism despite the fact that the attractions they offer are commercial and artificial in nature. Theme parks are just creations of the imagination. It's not real, its make-believe.

World heritage sites like Vigan are real, authentic, and unique. They are products of rich legacies of the past. They exude a universal value. Humanity has the obligation to protect them in order that the next generation will have something to appreciate. Heritage speaks of the history and identity of a place. It is a source of pride. But, how come Vigan can't attract visitors as many as those going to Disneyland and Window of the World? Maybe it has something to do with the packaging and availabilty of necessary infrastructure support and tourist facilities . I believe that its now time for us to consider re-packaging Vigan as a tourist destination. We need infrastructures such as air and sea ports. We need tourist-friendly transportation facilities. We need a convention center, big enough to accomodate national and international conferences. We need the active participation of the private sector in terms of investments and organization of events. I believe that the City Government of Vigan has done its part, its now time for the Civil Society to give its share in making Vigan a World Class tourist destination. Let's be aggressive this time. Let's put our acts together and establish a tourism industry whose benefits shall trickle down to the poor. Who knows? Vigan might be the next Hong Kong or Shenzen.