Awareness of Iloilo City's heritage attractions among tourism management students in a Private University

Abstract

Awareness of heritage attractions is important for tourism students to understand and promote sustainable tourism practices. This study evaluated the awareness of Iloilo's heritage attractions among 200 first- and second-year Bachelor of Science in Tourism Management (BSTM) students at a private university, selected using quota sampling. A researcher-made quiz-type questionnaire was used in collecting data. The results indicated that students, in general, were very familiar across all categories of demographics. However, slight variations were seen in sex and year level. Females and second-year students had slightly higher awareness, which could be attributed to greater cultural interest and academic exposure. While the overall awareness levels were high, gaps in knowledge were observed related to lesser-known heritage sites, traditional cuisines, and minor cultural events. Therefore, there is a need for better heritage education within the curriculum. Significant differences in awareness between males and females, younger and older students, local and non-local places of residence, and between year levels were not established. These findings show that heritage education must be integrated into the tourism curriculum, since future professionals should be equipped to advocate for cultural preservation and sustainable tourism practices. This study underlines the need for reforms to bridge existing knowledge gaps and broaden the understanding of the diverse cultural heritage of Iloilo by the next generation of tourism professionals.