On June 10, 2021, the UST Graduate School Center for Conservation of Cultural Property and Environment in the Tropics, led by Director Eric B. Zerrudo, PhD, and the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management turned over to the Municipal Government of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte the “Kinadur-as: Evolving the Heritage Conservation, Utilization, and Development Framework for San Nicolas Municipality, Ilocos Norte.” Kinadur-as is the Ilocano term for progress, both material and non-material. It captures the person’s sense of enrichment and capabilities to achieve human development.
Zerrudo presenting the project’s output 
Mercado presenting the sustainable tourism development plan 
CTHM Dean Gezzez Giezi Granado delivers a video message to the officials of San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte.
The main objective of the project is to develop a contextualized over-all heritage-based framework contextualized. Also part of the project is the development of the municipality’s Sustainable Tourism and Strategic Development Plan 2021-2025 in partnership with Tourism Management faculty researcher Jame Monren T. Mercado, MACHS. The study aimed: (1) to determine the current situation of the municipality, specifically on its tourism industry development; (2) to analyze different related issues, constraints, and opportunities of the municipality on tourism industry development; (3) to assess the perspectives and views of different stakeholders on the sustainability and development of the municipality’s tourism resources; and (4) to justify tourism development impacts, specifically on the municipality’s economic, socio-cultural, and environmental aspects.
