On September 26, Consul Cunanan was the guest speaker at Far Eastern University’s World Tourism Day. He was joined by his fellow Honorary Consuls Michael Ang of Jordan and Anna Marie Ablan of Belarus and Mr. Christian Wegner, Commercial Counsellor of the Embassy of Germany.
In his speech, Consul Cunanan introduced Georgia to the audience of approximately 800 students and faculty. He briefly explained the country’s background and history and his numerous activities to promote Georgia in the Philippines. Consul Cunanan then discussed Georgia’s tourism, specifically in Upper Svaneti, located in the Caucasus mountain region and the home of the highest settlements in Europe.
Currently, there are initiatives and studies being undertaken by the Georgian government, in partnership with non-government organizations and cultural and heritage agencies from the EU, to study the long term tourism viability and sustainability of Svaneti. Home to an ancient group of indigenous people called the Svans who have their own unique customs, traditions, and dialect, Svaneti also boasts of numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, including 1,000-year-old fortified citadels and towers. The entire Upper Svaneti area is in a fragile balance as the culture of the Svans, in particular their language, is slowly being forgotten. Meanwhile, the area’s monuments are in need of repair, restoration, and maintenance.
In his presentation on sustainable tourism, Consul Cunanan focused primarily on ongoing efforts to promote home-stay programs in Svaneti as a means of economically empowering the local communities and maintaining the sensitive ecological balance and distinct cultural atmosphere of the area. These efforts include professionalizing the local tourism services by teaching basic hospitality and English skills to prospective home-stay providers, basic non-technical mountaineering skills for guides, and updated maps and publications. Consul Cunanan said the challenge is to make this tourism model economically-viable over the long-term. If successful, the model can be replicated in other parts of Georgia and also shared with countries like the Philippines.
