Friday, March 07, 2008 Chamber to look into ways to uplift tourism labor force
THE Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Cebu Business Month (CBM) 2008 tourism committee will focus on the importance of human infrastructure in the industry’s growth.
“The people are the best bets of Cebu. They are creative, competent, confident and committed. They make things happen. To be even more globally competitive, our human resources need constant and sustained upgrading of their competencies to match the growing demands of tourism all over the globe,” said CCCI CBM tourism chair Mila Espina.
Espina said dealing with the labor shortage problem in the local tourism industry will be the main focus of the upcoming International Tourism Congress of the CBM.
For Cebu to maintain its niche in providing quality accommodation and tourism services, it is a must for personnel of hotels, tour companies as well as airline and port operators to possess good managerial skills, she said.
“We are lacking good people in the tourism managerial system and personnel in the industry,” she said in an interview last Tuesday.
Tour guides
She said the International Tourism Congress of the CBM will also work on improving the abilities of tour guides.
The tourism event will also focus on the importance of English proficiency among tourism industry players, like tour guides and spa operators.
Apart from improving their knowledge of Cebu’s culture and history, tour guides must be proficient in English, Espina said.
The tourism committee will also urge the academe to participate in the congress to find out ways to improve hotel and restaurant management courses.
Espina said tourism stakeholders in Cebu will also look into merging tour packages for other industries that are slowly becoming tourism landscapes, like real estate, memorial parks and shopping centers.
“There are a lot of areas in business that are now tourism-oriented,” she said.
Architecture
Although Cebu is popular for its beaches and rich historical background, Espina said the province has potentials in architectural tourism, especially with the establishment of modern building designs.
The CBM 2008 International Tourism Congress, which will be held on June 25 to 26, will carry the theme “Excel Cebu.” International tourism manpower experts will be invited to provide insights on how to keep skilled workers in the local tourism sector.
The 2008 Philippine International Tourism Fair organized by the National Association of Independent Travel Agencies (Naitas) will also be held in Cebu, back to back with the tourism congress.
Espina said the promotion campaign for the CBM 2008 will also include international road shows to attract tourism stakeholders in other countries.
CBM, which was started in 1991 as an event of the CCCI in June, is now a “business festival” celebrated from February to June. (MMM)
