THC011 MULTICULTURAL DIVERSITY IN THE WORKPLACE FOR THE TOURISM PROFESSIONAL

CHAPTER 1 UNDERSTANDING CULTURE

Learning Objectives:

• Define culture and its significance in the tourism industry;

• Identify and describe the key elements of culture;
• Apply cultural theories to workplace interactions in the tourism
sector;
• Recognize and address cultural barriers in a professional setting.

INTRODUCTION
Culture is a fundamental aspect of human societies, encompassing shared values, beliefs,
customs, traditions, behaviors, and norms that influence how people interact with one another. It is
passed down from generation to generation and shapes individuals' perceptions, decision-making, and
social interactions.
In the tourism industry, professionals interact with individuals from diverse cultural backgrounds daily,
making cultural understanding essential for effective communication, service excellence, and business
success. The ability to navigate cultural differences and respect varying perspectives not only enhances
workplace harmony but also improves guest experiences, leading to customer satisfaction and business
growth.
Tourism is inherently a cultural experience, as travelers seek to explore new destinations, traditions, and
ways of life. Whether visiting historical landmarks, engaging in local festivals, or trying regional cuisine,
tourists immerse themselves in different cultural landscapes. Therefore, tourism professionals must
develop cultural competence to ensure inclusivity, respect, and smooth interactions across cultural
boundaries.

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CULTURE

Culture is the sum of shared values, beliefs, customs, traditions, language, behaviors,
and social practices that define a particular group of people. It influences how individuals interact,
communicate, and perceive the world around them. Culture is learned, passed down through
generations, and continuously evolves as societies change over time.
Culture shapes a person’s identity and influences the way how he/she thinks, behaves, and
forms his/her values system. It is a dynamic based — on new developments in society that can
impact a group of people. These are passed on from one generation to the next, and some of
the elements may change over time.

Fundamental Aspects of Culture

1. Learned Behavior – Culture is acquired through social interactions, education, and
experience, rather than being inherited biologically.
2. Shared by a Group – It unites members of a society, creating a sense of belonging and
identity.
3. Dynamic and Adaptive – Culture evolves due to globalization, migration, technological
advancements, and other influences.
4. Symbolic Representation – Culture is expressed through symbols such as language,
rituals, art, and traditions.
5. Influences Daily Life – It affects how people dress, eat, communicate, conduct business,
and engage in social interactions.

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Elements of Culture
The selected elements of culture that impact the tourism professional are the following:
• Art: A diverse range of human activities and creations that express imaginative, technical,
or emotional ideas. It includes visual arts (like painting and sculpture), performing arts
(like music and theater), and literary arts (like poetry and storytelling).
• Beliefs and Values: Core ideas and principles that shape an individual's or society's
worldview. Beliefs are accepted truths or convictions, while values are the standards or
priorities that influence behavior and decision-making.
• Geography: The study of the Earth's physical features, climate, landscapes, and how
humans interact with their environment. It encompasses both natural and human
phenomena.
• Language: A system of communication used by humans, consisting of spoken, written,
or signed symbols. It's a vital medium for expressing ideas, emotions, and cultural identity.
• Law and Politics: The structures, systems, and rules established to govern a society.
Law refers to the formalized legal codes and regulations, while politics involves the
processes and institutions by which decisions are made and power is distributed.
• Religion: A set of spiritual beliefs, practices, and rituals often centered on a higher power
or divine entity. It shapes moral values, provides community, and seeks answers to
existential questions.
• Technology: The application of scientific knowledge and tools to solve problems,
improve efficiency, and create innovations. It encompasses everything from simple tools
to advanced digital systems.
• Social Organization: The structured patterns of relationships and roles that define how
individuals interact within groups or societies. It includes institutions like families, schools,
governments, and communities.

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A visual representation of culture is shown below with some of the significant elements
that can impact a culture from a personal perspective.

ART

Art is the expression or application of human creativity, skill, and imagination, often in a
visual form such as painting, sculpture, or photography. It is created to be appreciated for its
beauty, emotional power, or ability to provoke thought2. Art encompasses a wide range of forms,
including music, literature, dance, and more, and serves as a medium for communicate on,
storytelling, and cultural expression
These creations, physical objects or visuals, can be held, viewed, and reflect a society’s
development at a particular period. The paintings, artifacts, clothing, music, sculptures, dances,
plays, literature, architecture, and other man-made creations hold meaning or significance to a
group of people. These pieces of art use human creative skills that express or apply imagination

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and may typically take a visual form that can be held or touched, such as a painting or a
sculpture. They are works produced to be appreciated primarily for their beauty or emotional
power. These may also include songs and dances that can reflect an era or time period that a
group has experienced in either the past or present.
As mentioned 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. Artists 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 artists.

Beliefs and Values

Humans are social beings from birth. The circle of community grows from the immediate
family to the extended family, to neighbors, to friends in school to the church, sod to
other organizations. This circle grows through the years as a person establishes relationships
with other people. Each person has their own set of values formed from childhood that
will continue to change as they interact with other people. Beliefs are convictions or ideas that
individuals or groups accept as true. These can be based on religion, culture, personal experiences, or
knowledge. For example, someone might believe in the value of hard work or the existence of a higher
power. Values are the principles or standards that guide behavior and decision-making. They
represent what individuals or societies prioritize as important, such as honesty, compassion, or
justice.
As tourism professionals, there will be a lot of opportunities to work with people or serve
customers with various backgrounds, from the young, people with disabilities, senior citizens,

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physically challenged or vulnerable, and/or those who may live a lifestyle that mainstream
society views as different or unacceptable or maybe unusual based on the upbringing that they
experienced. Tourism professionals are expected to provide products and services as
required by their enterprise. They should understand and aware of differences in
personal values, beliefs, and attitudes of both colleagues and clients in group settings and are
prepared to adapt to the professional values of the tourism profession.

GEOGRAPHY

Geography is the scientific study of the Earth's surface, environments, and the relationships
between humans and their natural surroundings. It focuses on understanding the physical
features of the planet, such as mountains, rivers, climates, and ecosystems, as well as the ways
people interact with, adapt to, and shape these environments.
Geography is broadly divided into two main branches:
1. Physical Geography: Examines natural processes and features, such as landforms,
weather patterns, and ecosystems.
2. Human Geography: Focuses on human activities, cultures, economies, and how they
influence or are influenced by the physical world.

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. Certain activities like climbing a
tree, trekking up a mountain, swimming, planting trees, or being familiar with the products of
a particular area may be easier to do for some. These are some examples on how a certain
geographic source may affect a tourism professional. There may be questions about plants and

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food from a certain geographical location, and the information may be readily provided by
someone who grew up in the same or neighboring area.

Language

Language is a system of communication that uses symbols, sounds, gestures, or written

characters to express meaning. It allows people to convey thoughts, emotions, and information.
Language can be spoken (like English, Spanish, or Chinese), written (using alphabets or
symbols), or even non-verbal (like sign language or body language).
It plays a crucial role in human interaction, culture, and society, helping people connect, share
ideas, and pass down knowledge across generations.
Language is very important as this is how culture is communicated to colleagues
and customers. Transmission of culture from one generation to another or from one member
to other members of a group of people in a society is also done using language—either
written, spoken, or a combination of both. Culture is preserved, changed, or transmitted to
colleagues and customers using language. There are around 180 dialects in the Philippines,
more than 1000 dialects in Southeast Asia, and at least 6500 languages spoken in the world. In
the Philippines alone, a word used in one province can mean something different in another
province. With the multitude of languages and dialects spoken locally and internationally, there
is a need to identify the most acceptable language in tourism.
In a 2019 article published by Babbel Magazine titled “The 10 Most Spoken Languages In
The World,” a distinction was made between the top 10 most spoken languages by native
speakers (mother tongue) and the top 10 languages by total number of speakers (can use and

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understand). However, the list varies as many languages are common, except they change in
rank.
The top 10 Mos t Spoken Language…
by Native Speakers by Total number of Speakers
1. Chinese - 1.3B 1. English - 1.132B
2. Spanish - 460M 2. Mandarin Chinese - 1.117B
3. English - 379M 3. Hindi - 615M
4. Hindi - 341M 4. Spanish - 534M
5. Arabic - 315M 5. French - 280M
6. Bengali - 228M 6. Standard Arabic - 274M
7. Portuguese - 220M 7. Bengali - 265M
8. Russian - 154M 8. Russian - 258M
9. Japanese - 128M 9. Portuguese - 234M
10. Lahnda - 118M 10. Indonesian - 199M
Source: https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/the-10-most-spoken-languages in-the-world

In the Philippines, aside from Filipino, English is considered as an official language. In

Southeast Asia, the lingua franca is English. In the United Nations (UN), an intergovernmental
organization that has 198 sovereign states, the official languages an all their conferences and
meetings are Arabic, Chinese, English, Russian, and Spanish, and these would always be
present in translations.

LAW AND POLITICS

Law refers to a system of rules created and enforced by governmental institutions

to regulate behavior, maintain order, and deliver justice. Laws can be statutory (written laws
passed by legislatures), common (based on judicial decisions), or constitutional (derived from a

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country's constitution).
Politics is the process by which groups make collective decisions, often involving governance,
power distribution, policy-making, and the administration of public affairs. It includes activities
related to governments, political parties, elections, and policymaking.

As a professional, one must be aware of laws and politics that apply in the country
where their work is undertaken, especially in the delivery of products and services to colleagues
and customers. In many instances, it is better to be apolitical, especially in issues that may be
contrary to the individual's beliefs, as it may create animosity among colleagues and customers.
Tourism service can be compromised if there is political flavor expressed by anyone in the
tourism enterprise.

RELIGION

Religion is a system of beliefs, practices, and worldviews that relate humanity to

the divine, the sacred, or a higher power. It often involves rituals, moral codes, scriptures, and
traditions that shape individual and collective lives. Religions can be theistic (believing in gods,
like Christianity, Islam, and Hinduism) or non-theistic (focusing on spiritual principles, like
Buddhism or Jainism).
Religion is a very strong source of cultural influence in many countries like in the
Philippines. It has permeated every facet of daily living, including the way people venerate, eat,
dress, sleep, and work. Based on the CIA Factbook updated last 2019, the Philippines’ religion
distribution is enumerated below:

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1. Roman Catholic, 80.6%

2. Protestant, 8.2%

This includes the various Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (2.7%), National Council
of Churches in the Philippines (1.2%), and other Protestants (4.3%)
3. Other Christian groups like Iglesia Ni Cristo and El Shaddai, 3.4% 4. Muslim, 5.6%
5. Tribal religions, 0.2%, Other, 1.9%, None, 0.1%

The Philippines is one of the 10 member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations
(ASEAN). In 2015, the ASEAN Community was implemented, which had three pillars—the
ASEAN Political Security Community, the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community, and the ASEAN
Economic Community. With the inclusion of the population from the ASEAN Member States
(AMS), the religion distribution profile has changed.
1. Muslims are about 42% (mostly Sunni, coming from Brunei, Indonesia and Malaysia)
2. Buddhists are about 18% (coming from Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Singapore, and
Vietnam)
3. Christians are about 17%, mostly from the Philippines

As a tourism professional, with the changing profile of colleagues in the workplace

and customers coming from within the Philippines or from the AMS, awareness of unique
religious practices, whether in a specific place or practiced nationally, should be considered as
a “must-know” competency. This will allow the professional to treat their colleagues and
customers correctly, considering that religion plays a major role in the Philippine setting. One of
the biggest attractions in the Philippines are its religious festivals, church destinations,
and religious practices that impact the operation of the tourism enterprise.

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SOCIAL ORGANIZATION

Social organization refers to the structured patterns of relationships and

interactions within a society or group. It includes institutions, norms, roles, and hierarchies that
shape how individuals interact and function within a community. Social organizations can be
formal (such as governments, businesses, and religious institutions) or informal (such as
families, friend groups, and cultural traditions).
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. The changes can include the type of work being pursued in tourism
destinations like switching from farming to working in hotels and restaurants or not attending
school because of high demand for tour guides in a destination. The authenticity of the
cultural elements is jeopardized because of the interaction of the demands of the customers and
the local workers.

TECHNOLOGY

Technology refers to the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes,

including the development of tools, machines, techniques, and systems that solve problems or
enhance human capabilities. It encompasses various fields such as information technology,
engineering, biotechnology, and artificial intelligence. As tourism professionals, even with

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technology present in the workplace, the hospitality and service attitude has to be the priority mindset for
colleagues and customers. Building and sustaining relationships with colleagues and customers should
take precedence over anything else in the workplace.

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REFERENCES:

• Hofstede, G. (2001). Culture's Consequences: Comparing Values, Behaviors, Institutions, and

Organizations Across Nations. SAGE Publications.
• Hall, E. T. (1976). Beyond Culture. Anchor Books.
• Reisinger, Y. (2009). International Tourism: Cultures and Behavior. Elsevier.
• UNWTO (2022). Cultural Tourism and Sustainable Development. World Tourism
Organization.
• Austin, J. (1832). The Province of Jurisprudence Determined. John Murray.
• Weber, M. (1919). Politics as a Vocation. Duncker & Humblot.
• Rawls, J. (1971). A Theory of Justice. Harvard University Press.
• Saussure, F. de. (1916). Course in General Linguistics. McGraw-Hill.
• Chomsky, N. (1957). Syntactic Structures. Mouton.
• Crystal, D. (1997). The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Language. Cambridge University Press
• Durkheim, É. (1912). The Elementary Forms of Religious Life. George Allen & Unwin.
• Eliade, M. (1959). The Sacred and the Profane: The Nature of Religion. Harcourt.
• Smart, N. (1996). Dimensions of the Sacred: An Anatomy of the World's Beliefs. University of
California Press.
• Durkheim, É. (1893). The Division of Labor in Society. Free Press.
• Weber, M. (1922). Economy and Society: An Outline of Interpretive Sociology. University of
California Press.
• Parsons, T. (1951). The Social System. Routledge.
• https://www.britannica.com/art/visual-arts
• https://www.theartist.me/art/what-is-art/
• https://www.verywellmind.com/
• https://www.simplypsychology.org/
• https://www.nationalgeographic.com/
• https://www.rgs.org/

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