Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco hosted a special meet and greet with Cebu’s tour guides, acknowledging their significant contribution to the tourism industry’s success in the past year at the Marco Polo Hotel in Cebu recently.
The event brought together 72 local tour guides, who serve as the frontliners of Cebu’s tourism sector.
Frasco expressed her heartfelt thanks to these individuals, highlighting their role in the Department of Tourism’s achievement of surpassing its visitor arrival targets in 2023 with 5.45 million arrivals.
This accomplishment reflects the robust growth and appeal of tourism in the Philippines, much attributed to the dedication and hospitality of these local professionals.
“Thank you for accepting our invitation to get together this afternoon for a few moments allowing me to personally extend my gratitude to all of you – our tour guides – the very reason why the tourists that come into our country specifically here in Cebu, not only enjoy their stay, but keep coming back again and again,” the tourism chief said.
As a token of appreciation for their tireless service and commitment, the tourism head presented each tour guide with a specially designed Tour Guide Kit.
These kits, containing practical items such as a mini portable speaker, a fashionable fedora hat, sunscreen, tumbler, a travel journal, and eco-friendly bamboo shades, symbolize the government’s recognition of their hard work and the important role they play in promoting tourism.
“We express our gratitude to Secretary Frasco for the thoughtful gesture of providing each tour guide with the tourism kit. And of course notably, including a lapel microphone.”
“We express our gratitude to Secretary Frasco for the thoughtful gesture of providing each tour guide with the tourism kit. And of course notably, including a lapel microphone. This seemingly small invaluable tool holds great significance for us in guiding our visitors. It ensures clear communication allowing us to convey information seamlessly, enhancing the overall experience of our guests. It provides a professional touch that resonates with the highest standards set by the Department of Tourism,” said Maria Lorena Guba, a tour guide who benefited from the initiative.
The gathering highlighted the collaborative effort needed to sustain and grow the tourism sector, with a special focus on the crucial role of tour guides in promoting and representing the best of Cebu and the Philippines to visitors worldwide.
The DOT aims to train 150,000 tourism workers through its program, the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) program.
This year, the DOT aims to train 150,000 tourism workers through its program, the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence (FBSE) program.
The FBSE is one of the flagship training programs of the DOT envisioned to provide all front liners in the tourism and hospitality industry with a benchmark on how to render excellent service to our tourists the Filipino way.
Last year, the program trained more than 124,000 beneficiaries, exceeding its initial target of 100,000.
“One of the most reliable pillars of the Philippine economy is tourism. Every time I come to Cebu, I am reminded of the burning hope and optimism that there is for the Philippine tourism industry and chiefly responsible for that is all of you, tirelessly championing Philippine tourism, supporting the work of government and the private sector,” Frasco concluded.
