Philippine tourism education spotlighted in UN event

MANILA, Philippines — Department of Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco spotlighted the multi-level approach to tourism education in the Philippines at a United Nations forum on Thursday, detailing the importance of the tourism industry’s continued collaboration with academia.

“The importance of education in tourism in the Philippines cannot be overemphasized, especially since we recognize that the Filipino tourism worker is the best asset of Philippine tourism,” Frasco said during the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) 25th General Assembly in Uzbekistan.

Frasco stressed the significance of tourism education as a critical factor in providing employment for millions of Filipinos in the Philippines whose livelihoods relied on the tourism industry.

"Tourism in the Philippines employs more than 5.35 million Filipinos, accounting for over 11.4 percent of our entire national workforce. As a result, the government's primary focus has been to ensure that quality tourism education is integrated into every level of education, including basic education, technical vocational training, and higher education,” Frasco added.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) acts as a bridge between academia and the industry, Frasco said.

The government’s three education-related agencies — Department of Education (DepEd), the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) — also receive guidance from the DOT in shaping its tourism-related curricula.

DOT partners with TESDA for skills training

In August, the DOT and TESDA inked a five-year plan to boost tourism education in the country, which includes initiatives to empower local communities by providing tourism scholarships, enhancing the employable skills of industry stakeholders through training in specific tourism skills.

Additionally, the agreement also includes updating and creating rules and standards for tourism training, adapting them to new trends, skills, and technology.

Both departments will also work together on job training within companies and supervised industry learning. They will also cooperate in promoting various programs and services related to human capital development, including training and empowering trainers and assessors.

She clarified, "The Department of Tourism's role is to connect all these departments with the Tourism Industry Board Foundation, which is a coalition of various associations within the tourism sector, including tour operators, travel agencies, hotel owners and operators, as well as restaurant owners, among others. This ensures that the curriculum for all levels of tourism education remains up-to-date, aligning with global trends and emphasizing innovation to meet evolving consumer needs." — Cristina Chi, with reports from Rosette Adel