MY LEARNINGS TODAY | NOVEMBER 14, 2026 | KUNMING, YUNNAN, CHINA
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| Wu Xiaosong - Professor |
My reflections on the Development History and Trends of the Tourism Industry in Yunnan Province, and what the Philippines must learn about tourism, local media, cultural intellectual property, storytelling, and artificial intelligence.
By Pocholo De Leon Gonzales
The VoiceMaster of the Philippines | Filipino Media and AI Voice Industry Advocate | Philippine Delegate, Seminar on Cross-Border Tourism Cooperation for ASEAN Countries
Today, here in Kunming, Yunnan, China, I learned something that goes far beyond tourism.
China is not simply promoting destinations. It is developing industries around stories, culture, experiences, technology, and intellectual property.
And as someone who has spent almost three decades in Philippine broadcasting, advertising, voice acting, dubbing, media production, and now artificial intelligence, I couldn't help but compare what I'm learning here with what we are doing back home.
Ang tanong ko habang nakikinig sa presentation:
Bakit sa China, ang isang kuwento, kanta, pelikula, character, o simpleng kultura ng isang lugar ay kayang gawing tourism attraction at negosyo? Pero sa Pilipinas, napakarami nating kuwento at talento, at madalas hanggang content, viral video, o isang event lang?
Today’s presentation, Development History and Trends of the Tourism Industry in Yunnan Province, discussed how tourism evolved from basic sightseeing into an interconnected industry involving agriculture, culture, heritage, media, wellness, technology, hospitality, and creative experiences.
One phrase summarized the philosophy:
“One Industry Prospers, All Industries Thrive.”
Kapag umunlad ang turismo, dapat umunlad din ang mga magsasaka, artisan, negosyante, performers, storytellers, filmmakers, musicians, transport operators, at mga ordinaryong mamamayan.
Tourism should never be measured only by how many visitors arrive. It should also be measured by how many lives improve because those visitors came.
That is my first major realization.
1. Yunnan has been developing tourism as a long-term industry, not simply an annual campaign
One of the most revealing parts of today's lesson was Yunnan's tourism development history.
The presentation traced its evolution through several stages:
1978 to 1988: Establishing tourism institutions and developing basic services.
1988 to 1995: Recognizing tourism as an important economic industry.
1995 to 2005: Institutionalizing tourism as one of Yunnan's four pillar industries.
2005 to 2023: Expanding beyond sightseeing into leisure, vacations, health, and wellness.
2023 onward: Developing the destination identity “A Lifestyle Called Yunnan,” emphasizing emotional connections, long stays, and memorable experiences.
What impressed me was the continuity of the strategy.
Yunnan's current direction did not appear overnight. It was built through decades of planning, adjustments, investment, and industry development.
Now compare that with the Philippines.
We have beautiful destinations, incredible cultural diversity, excellent hospitality, and some of the most talented creative professionals in Asia.
We have the Department of Tourism, the Tourism Promotions Board, local tourism offices, and numerous public and private tourism initiatives.
But my question is whether these institutions are working toward one consistent, measurable, long-term vision.
Do we have a Philippine tourism vision that ordinary Filipinos can explain, participate in, and benefit from?
Our tourism ambitions should not depend on the personality of whoever happens to be leading an agency.
A tourism strategy must survive changes in leadership.
2. The biggest revelation: Media is no longer just a promotional tool. Media itself creates tourism.
This was the part of today's presentation that really captured my attention.
The discussion introduced the concept of symbolic consumption.
Traditionally, tourism development revolved around mountains, beaches, monuments, hotels, transportation, and other physical attractions.
But today, a song, television drama, movie, viral internet trend, or even a cup of milk tea can become a powerful tourism asset.
Imagine that.
A story can make people travel. A character can create a destination. A television drama can bring customers to an entire neighborhood.
The presentation gave two fascinating examples.
Blossoms Shanghai
The presentation described how this television drama renewed public interest in Shanghai's Huanghe Road, attracting visitors to locations associated with its story.
To the Wonder
According to the presentation, the popularity of this drama was associated with a fivefold increase in tourism-related searches for Xinjiang.
These figures were presented during the seminar. They illustrate the potential of screen tourism, although increased searches and foot traffic should not automatically be treated as proof that media alone caused all tourism growth.
Nevertheless, the economic idea is powerful.
A successful television drama does not have to end when the final episode airs.
It can create filming-location tours, themed experiences, merchandise, restaurants, cultural performances, social-media content, and even entire destination brands.
One successful story can generate multiple industries.
Now let's talk about Philippine local media.
I grew up in radio. I built my career through voice acting, advertising, broadcasting, and dubbing.
I know how much Filipino talent exists behind the microphone and the camera.
But let's examine the opportunities we are missing.
Our provincial radio stations report on local festivals, celebrations, tourist attractions, and community events.
Our local television programs feature personalities, food, history, and culture.
Independent content creators document towns, beaches, mountains, and historical landmarks.
But how many of these media efforts are deliberately connected to tourism development?
How many local radio dramas become guided historical tours?
How many provincial television documentaries produce lasting educational or commercial intellectual property?
How many local broadcasters have partnerships allowing their stories to become tourism experiences?
How many independent filmmakers are supported to create original stories around their hometowns?
Most importantly, how many local creators continue earning when their work generates tourism revenue?
We should not treat local media merely as publicity machinery for politicians, advertisements, or announcements.
Local media can become one of the most important engines of regional economic development.
A provincial radio station should be capable of producing a historical audio series that inspires people to visit a town.
A regional television producer could create a drama that introduces audiences to local heritage.
A young filmmaker could develop a character who becomes associated with a province.
A community broadcaster could build a recognizable voice and identity for an entire destination.
Local media should not simply report what happens in a community. It should help preserve, interpret, and responsibly create economic opportunities around that community's stories.
3. Intellectual property: The Philippines must stop treating original ideas as disposable content
Another major concept discussed was IP, or intellectual property.
In today's tourism presentation, the term was used broadly to describe recognizable cultural assets, stories, brands, characters, and symbols capable of generating economic value.
Legal IP rights, including copyright and trademarks, are part of that discussion, but not every cultural symbol or traditional practice is automatically privately owned intellectual property.
This distinction is important.
China's tourism strategy demonstrates how distinctive cultural identities can be developed into recognizable and repeatable experiences.
For example, Yunnan is developing “A Lifestyle Called Yunnan” as a major cultural tourism identity.
The idea is no longer simply to visit Yunnan and take pictures.
The idea is to experience a particular lifestyle.
That is a much more compelling proposition.
What about the Philippines?
We have extraordinary storytelling assets.
We have Darna, Captain Barbell, Panday, and countless other characters that have influenced generations of Filipinos.
We have Philippine mythology, folklore, regional legends, historical personalities, traditional music, and thousands of community narratives.
We also have Filipino films and television programs that are known internationally.
Yet I believe we have not fully developed the relationship between our creative properties and the tourism economy.
Imagine the possibilities.
A Philippine mythology trail could introduce visitors to regional legends through performances, augmented reality, and interactive storytelling.
A Filipino cinema tourism program could connect iconic filming locations with local restaurants, guides, museums, and merchandise.
Original animated characters could represent provincial destinations.
Our local writers, illustrators, animators, voice actors, composers, and independent producers could become partners in tourism development instead of being hired only for one-time promotional assignments.
We should create intellectual property that Filipinos own, protect, license, and benefit from.
And for community-owned cultural traditions, indigenous knowledge, and heritage, development must involve consent, proper attribution, safeguards, and fair benefit-sharing.
Culture must not become another resource extracted from communities without returning value to the people who preserve it.
4. Local radio and television must become creators and owners of cultural IP
This is where my personal experience becomes relevant.
Since 1996, I have worked in broadcasting, radio drama, advertising, voice-over, dubbing, and media production.
I've seen how our industry evolved from analog recording to digital production, streaming, social media, and artificial intelligence.
But I also see a persistent problem.
We often produce content for immediate consumption, without developing the long-term intellectual property behind it.
A radio program airs, and the material disappears.
A local documentary wins recognition, but its economic potential ends after the screening.
A provincial television show introduces an interesting historical personality, but nobody develops the story into a book, animation, podcast series, educational experience, or tourism attraction.
This is an enormous missed opportunity.
Consider our local radio dramas. Why can't we bring them back as historical tourism experiences?
Imagine walking through a heritage town while listening to professionally produced radio drama through your mobile phone.
The voices guide you through the story. The buildings become part of the narrative. Local actors portray historical characters.
Visitors are no longer simply looking at structures. They are experiencing history.
And the intellectual property can create opportunities for writers, composers, actors, voice artists, directors, researchers, and local businesses.
The same concept applies to regional television, podcasts, animation, independent film, and community storytelling.
Our local broadcasters should be more than announcers.
Our local filmmakers should be more than event videographers.
Our local voice artists should be more than commercial narrators.
They can become cultural storytellers, IP creators, and partners in local tourism development.
5. We should study how Yunnan uses cultural heritage to create local employment
Today's presentation offered examples demonstrating that tourism can transform existing community activities into sustainable enterprises.
In Xizhou, Dali, agricultural rice paddies have become scenic attractions. Sightseeing activities complement traditional farming.
In Zhoucheng Village, Bai tie-dyeing has become part of a broader industry involving cultural workshops, photography, and tourism experiences.
The presentation also described the Erhai Ecological Corridor, which reportedly received 23 million visits in the first ten months of 2025, supporting economic activities in over 100 villages.
And in Simola, Wa cultural practices such as hearthside storytelling, traditional music, and seasonal festivities have been incorporated into year-round tourism experiences.
These examples demonstrate a fundamental idea:
The culture that a community already possesses can become the foundation of its economic development.
We have countless similar opportunities in the Philippines.
Think about the weaving traditions of Ilocos, the traditional crafts of Mindanao, the heritage of Vigan, the culinary identities of Pampanga, the festivals of the Visayas, and the historical communities of Bataan.
But preservation alone is not enough.
We must support the people who carry these traditions, provide training, improve access, protect their cultural rights, and create experiences that allow visitors to understand their significance.
Hindi puwedeng picture-picture lang, tapos wala namang dagdag na kabuhayan sa mga taga-roon.
6. Tourists are not simply buying products. They are buying identity, experiences, and emotions.
Another important lesson was the changing psychology of tourism consumers.
The presentation explained why young people may travel significant distances just to see a recognizable cultural symbol or purchase something associated with a place.
They are not necessarily buying the physical object.
They are buying what it represents.
A souvenir can represent belonging.
A song can remind someone of a memorable experience.
A traditional meal can become an emotional connection to a community.
A television character can become the reason someone visits an unfamiliar destination.
This is why storytelling matters.
The presentation highlighted growing interest in authentic experiences, including traditional markets.
According to its figures, content about exploring wet markets has received hundreds of millions of views on Chinese social-media platforms.
The attraction is not luxury.
It is authenticity.
And this made me think about our own palengke culture.
Why don't we properly develop more community market experiences?
Our markets are full of stories, sounds, characters, culinary traditions, and regional identities.
A public market could become a food heritage trail. Local vendors could become cultural ambassadors. Regional broadcasters could document their lives.
Imagine a Bataan food experience where visitors learn not only what a traditional dish tastes like, but also who prepares it, where the recipe originated, and how it became part of the community.
Authenticity is one of our greatest competitive advantages. We must learn how to preserve it while responsibly creating economic opportunities.
7. Artificial intelligence can bring history and tourism to life
This is another part of the presentation that excited me.
Yunnan is exploring the combination of AI, extended reality, interactive performances, digital storytelling, and tourism.
One example presented was Kunming's Daguan Park, where the historical figure Xu Xiake is incorporated into an immersive scripted tourism experience.
In the presentation's example, visitors solve puzzles and interact with an AI-generated representation of Xu Xiake, receiving personalized clues as they move through the site.
The concept is described as “One Script Per Person.”
Instead of everyone experiencing exactly the same guided tour, digital technology allows visitors to participate in their own version of a historical adventure.
This immediately reminded me of my work using artificial intelligence and voice technology to bring historical personalities to life, particularly my Conversations with Rizal project.
Imagine visiting Intramuros and having an interactive conversation with Dr. Jose Rizal.
Imagine exploring Fort Santiago while a historically researched AI character explains what happened there.
Imagine walking through Mariveles, Bataan, and hearing stories of the Philippine Revolution told through immersive audio, animation, and historical reenactments.
Imagine tourists using their phones to speak with historical personalities in Filipino, English, Chinese, Japanese, or Korean.
Technology can make this possible, provided the historical interpretations are clearly identified, carefully researched, and not presented as authentic recordings of people who never made them.
This is where Philippine talent in writing, acting, voice production, animation, heritage research, and AI can work together.
We should not simply use AI to make promotional videos cheaper. We should use AI to create entirely new educational, cultural, and tourism experiences.
8. We need tourism experiences, not just tourism advertisements
The Yunnan presentation repeatedly emphasized the transition from traffic to retention and from short sightseeing trips to longer stays.
It also discussed the value of interactive cultural activities, including craft workshops, immersive theater, heritage experiences, wellness retreats, and agricultural tourism.
The goal is not merely to convince tourists to visit.
The goal is to give them enough meaningful experiences to encourage them to stay longer, spend locally, and return.
This is something the Philippines must take seriously.
Marketing cannot compensate indefinitely for poor transportation, inadequate sanitation, environmental degradation, limited tourism activities, or inconsistent service quality.
Even the most beautiful advertisement cannot fix an unpleasant visitor experience.
I believe our tourism programs should measure more than visitor arrivals and social-media impressions.
We must also examine visitor satisfaction, average length of stay, local employment, repeat visits, and how much tourist spending reaches community businesses.
A destination with fewer visitors who stay longer and support more local enterprises may generate greater community value than a destination that attracts large crowds for a few hours.
9. What is the Philippine government actually doing, and what is still missing?
I want to be fair in this comparison.
The Philippines is not starting from zero.
We have a National Tourism Development Plan for 2023 to 2028, which includes digitalization, destination development, diversification, stronger local governance, and tourism experiences involving culture, heritage, food, and film.
We also have the Film Development Council of the Philippines, which supports the film industry, preserves film heritage, and promotes the Philippines as a filming destination.
In September 2026, the DOT publicly outlined a shift toward investment-driven tourism, greater economic value, local livelihoods, and more strategic marketing. It also announced plans to increase the share of its marketing budget devoted to digital media and to work with Filipino performers and micro-influencers.
These are relevant developments.
But having a plan is different from delivering measurable results.
For me, the more important questions are:
Where are the province-by-province creative tourism projects?
How many local media professionals have been engaged?
How many original regional IPs are being developed?
How many communities have received long-term investments rather than one-time promotional campaigns?
How are local businesses benefiting?
How much of the tourism budget reaches the people who actually create the cultural experiences?
And are we publishing understandable performance results that ordinary citizens can evaluate?
I want our government to demonstrate these outcomes, not simply announce more activities.
10. My recommendations for the DOT, local governments, and the Philippine media industry
Based on what I learned today, I believe we should pursue the following priorities.
Priority | What we should do |
|---|---|
National creative tourism strategy | Connect the DOT, FDCP, NCCA, IPOPHL, DTI, educational institutions, and LGUs to develop original cultural tourism IP |
Local media partnerships | Support regional radio stations, television producers, podcasters, filmmakers, and independent creators in producing destination-based stories |
Provincial IP development | Help each province identify promising original characters, heritage narratives, cultural experiences, and legally protectable creative assets |
Film and drama tourism | Develop tours and experiences around films, television dramas, animation, and historical productions |
AI-powered heritage experiences | Introduce multilingual audio guides, interactive characters, digital museums, and historically grounded immersive storytelling |
Community-based revenue | Establish clear agreements so artists, cultural bearers, creators, and residents benefit from tourism-related commercial activity |
Data-driven tourism management | Measure visitor satisfaction, spending, retention, environmental impacts, and livelihood outcomes, not just arrivals |
Long-term tourism identity | Maintain consistent destination development strategies across political administrations |
These should not remain ideas discussed only at conventions or conferences.
They should become funded pilot projects with clear owners, deadlines, measurable results, and public reporting.
And I would begin with Bataan.
As someone who grew up in Mariveles and has spent years promoting local history through the Mariveles Historical Society, I see enormous potential.
We can build a Bataan History, Media, and AI Tourism Initiative that brings together our historical societies, schools, local media, artists, businesses, museums, government institutions, and technology professionals.
We can develop interactive historical trails, professionally produced audio dramas, virtual heritage experiences, documentaries, and educational storytelling.
We can introduce visitors to our local historical personalities and community stories through creative technologies while preserving historical accuracy.
This could also support the vision of establishing a Mariveles Museum that is not merely a building displaying old objects, but a living center for cultural education, documentation, storytelling, and community participation.
I want young people in Bataan to see that local history is not something they should simply memorize for examinations.
It can become a source of pride, creativity, employment, entrepreneurship, and innovation.
11. My biggest realization: We already have the talent. We need an ecosystem that values it.
China's tourism presentation made me think about the thousands of talented Filipinos who struggle to find sustainable opportunities in our creative industries.
We have writers with original stories.
We have local broadcasters who understand their communities.
We have voice actors who can bring characters to life.
We have animators who can build entire fictional worlds.
We have historians who have spent decades documenting forgotten places.
We have independent producers, musicians, directors, photographers, and young content creators.
But talent alone cannot build an industry.
We need training, financing, distribution, intellectual property protection, business partnerships, infrastructure, and public institutions that recognize creative work as an economic asset.
And we need to stop measuring creativity purely through popularity.
A million views do not automatically translate into sustainable income.
A viral video does not automatically create a tourism business.
An award-winning documentary does not automatically create opportunities for the community it documents.
The challenge is converting cultural attention into lasting cultural and economic value.
That is what I believe the Philippine creative industry must learn.
My final reflection from Kunming
As the only Philippine delegate attending this ASEAN tourism cooperation seminar, I feel both inspired and challenged.
Inspired because I am witnessing how another country thinks about tourism, culture, creativity, and technology as interconnected industries.
Challenged because I know how much potential we have in the Philippines.
We have some of the most beautiful destinations in the world.
We have diverse traditions, languages, food, music, folklore, historical personalities, and creative communities.
We have exceptional storytellers.
But we must become better at organizing these strengths into sustainable industries.
We have the stories. We have the voices. We have the talent. What we need is the vision, coordination, and commitment to turn them into opportunities.
To our Department of Tourism, local government leaders, media organizations, broadcasters, filmmakers, creative professionals, and fellow Filipinos:
It's time to think beyond tourism promotion.
Let's create original Filipino intellectual property.
Let's bring our historical stories to life.
Let's invest in local media and creative professionals.
Let's protect our cultural heritage while giving communities meaningful opportunities to benefit from it.
Let's build tourism experiences that people will remember long after they return home.
And let's use artificial intelligence not to replace Filipino creativity, but to expand its possibilities.
Because the future of tourism is not just about places.
It is about people, stories, identities, experiences, and the emotions that connect them.
And as I always believe:
AI is the greatest technology equalizer of all time. But technology alone will not make a nation great. What matters is how we use it to empower our people.
Sa Pilipinas, napakarami nating kuwento.
Panahon na para hindi lang natin ikuwento ang ating kasaysayan.
Panahon na para bigyan natin ng buhay, halaga, at kinabukasan ang ating mga kuwento.
Mabuhay ang malikhaing Pilipino! 🇵🇭
Pocholo De Leon Gonzales
The VoiceMaster of the Philippines
Kunming, Yunnan, China | November 14, 2026
Source foundation: Development History and Trends of the Tourism Industry in Yunnan Province, seminar presentation, particularly its discussions of tourism history, cultural IP, symbolic consumption, new media, emotional experiences, AI-powered tourism, and destination management. Philippine policy references were checked separately against public government sources. The comparisons and recommendations are my personal reflections.
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