Cebu Tourism Academy mulled

CEBU, Philippines — Cebu will soon establish a Tourism Academy as the province is now becoming a global tourism destination of choice.

Tourism leader and educator Alice Queblatin announced that she is in discussion with former Department of Tourism (DOT) secretary Mina Gabor to realize a plan of erecting a Tourism Academy in Cebu.

Queblatin, who is also the president of Cebu Alliance of Tour Operations Specialists (CATOS) said she is leading the  establishment of the academy, together with industry players, to provide Cebu with professional tourism services, especially in tour guiding in heritage, and particularly in eco-tourism tour guiding.

Gabor, who now operates the Manila-based training institution, Sustainable Tourism Institute, is being asked to open a similar facility in Cebu, and Queblatin who is also an educator is taking the challenge of leading the academy.

As ecotourism is a big business in tourism nowadays, Queblatin said Cebu should provide well trained eco-tourism guides, and effective story tellers to educate at the same time entertain the tourists.

To kick off with this plan, Queblatin said a three-day workshop will be organized in July on eco-tourism tour guiding in collaboration with the DOT-7 to further educate tourism front-liners particularly local government units (LGUs) tourism officers, tour guides, academe and tourism professionals on how to boost the eco-tourism segment of Cebu.

The concept of ecotourism based on the UNWTO, is heavily focused on involving the community in the development of tourism by promoting eco-tourism not only as a product but also to support the local economy and generate income and open up job opportunities.

In Central Visayas, the DOT has identified top 10 eco-tourism sites including Camotes island, Bantayan Island and Wildlife Area, Central Cebu Protected Area, Guadalupe Mainit-Mabugnaw Spring in Carcar-Cebu, Chocolate Hills, Rajah Sikatuna Protective Landscape in Bohol, Twin Lakes Balinsasayao in Negros Oriental, Apo Island, Loboc-Mabini-Anda corridor in Bohol, and Olango Island Sanctuary.