CHAPTER 1: CULTURE

• Culture - refers to the socially constructed and learned ways of behaving and believing that identify individual and distinct social groups. It is a shared practice of a group of people. These may include beliefs, values, knowledge, assumptions, experiences and ideas, customs, rituals, symbols, myths and legend of the people in the community, social activities, economics, politics, agriculture, industries, laws and ways of justice, security, health, environment, education and religion (Alcuaz and Aquino, 2020).
• ART - As mention by Price (2018) in his blog, “The Importance of Art in our Society”, art is an expression of the creative ideas and imagination, and the artist can choose a medium to express their craft. Artist can translate their imagination and ideas into something tangible, and these are valued by other people as they appreciate and comprehend meaning from the works of the artist
• As mention by Price (2018) in his blog, -“The Importance of Art in our Society"
• BELIEFS AND VALUE - are reflected in the attitudes and behavior that are exhibited by the person. These experiences contribute to the sense of who each individual is and how the world is viewed from different perspectives.
• GEOGRAPHY - refers to the various forms of natural or man-made physical landscapes affected by human activities and how people arrange the physical space around them. It includes buildings, roads, fields, cities, and various land and water forms like mountains, coastal areas, and any physical landscape that underwent artificial or natural change
• GEOGRAPHY - For tourism professionals, the geography of where their colleagues and customers come from may have an impact on the relationships that they will have in the workplace or in the provision of certain products and services that customers may require.
• LANGUAGE - is very important as this is how culture is communicated to colleagues and customers.
• 1000 dialects - in Southeast Asia
• 180 dialects - in the Philippines
• 6500 languages - spoken in the world
• LAW AND POLITICS -  There are several approaches that link culture to law. One is the historical school which looks at law as a product of the culture of a nation and as part of the daily practice of its people. The other is the constitutive approach which looks at the law as a part of the constitution of a culture; thus; the constitution of people’s minds, practices, and social relations. It also sees the law that the court create and apply as a distinct cultural system wherein its constituents comply with (Mautner, 2011).
• RELIGION - continuously offers a kind of philosophy that establishes a moral compass for anyone who seeks the truth. It is commonly practiced by group of people.
• RELIGION - is a very strong source of cultural influence in many countries like in the Philippines
• TECHNOLOGY - can aid in a variety of ways to cocreate tourist experiences. It can serve as a enabler, producer, attractor, enhancer and educator.
• SOCIAL ORGANIZATION - Due to the tourism activities, there are changes in social structures within a tourism destination that impact various social organizations such as the family, the society, and the bigger community
• CULTURE IS LEARNED - The first teacher of a child is his/her family, especially those who interact with the child closely. Culture has to be taught by someone, usually an older person, that is valued by the younger person. It is learned through constant practice, reminder and action.
• CULTURE IS SOCIAL - A person needs to interact with other people for culture to be transmitted. It cannot be “kept in a cabinet” nor be kept a secret from the members. The more you interact with other people, the wider your appreciation for things, values and concepts will be, and the more it will live on.
• CULTURE IS SHARED - Culture is not something that an individual can pass to a person but is shared by a common group of people in a given area. Various elements such as arts, language, religion, values and beliefs are all shared by one person to another, such as members of a family or a community.
• CULTURE IS TRANSMITTED - The transmittal of culture can be done through practice, written form, or verbal form. What is important is that there is a means or method used wherein the elements of culture are passed on to other persons and other generations.
• CULTURE IS CONTINOUS - The transmission of the cultural elements of one group must be continuous from one generation to the next.
• CULTURE IS ACCUMULATIVE - With so much history in any society, there is bound to be changes in culture as compared to when it was initially practiced
• CULTURE IS INTEGRATED - Common practices bring people together. It is a way of sharing with others and making it easier for people to understand or give preference to others who share a common practice. There are many practices that are uniquely undertaken by a group of people
• CULTURE IS CHANGING - With the intersection of many variables across time and people, culture is bound to change. Developments in technology, government structure, laws, other elements, and even in people will give rise to changes in culture.
• CULTURE VARIES FROM SOCIETY TO SOCIETY - Of the many sub-groups in a society, each one brings their own cultural mindset to a bigger community. Expect that there will be similarities and many unique practices within a given community and among the different countries also
• ELEMENTS OF CULTURE:

  • ART
  • BELIEFS AND VALUE
  • GEOGRAOPHY
  • LANGUAGE
  • LAW AND POLITICS
  • RELIGION
  • TECHNOLOGY
  • SOCIAL ORGANIZATION
• KEY FEATURES OF CULTURE:

  1. LEARNED
  2. SHARED
  3. SOCIAL
  4. CONTINOUS
  5. TRANSMITTED
  6. ACCUMULATIVE
  7. INTEGRATED
  8. VARIES FROM SOCIETY TO SOCIETY
  9. CHANGING