Tour guides in blue T-shirts assist tourists in going down the Aguinid Waterfalls in Samboan in southern Cebu in this 2015 photo. CDN FILE PHOTO
The Cebu Provincial Government has tapped the Department of Tourism in Central Visayas (DOT-7) in training the tourist guides in Cebu.
Cebu Vice Governor Agnes Magpale asked the help of DOT-7 Director Shalimar Hofer Tamano to let the agency train tour guides working for the towns and cities under Cebu Province.
“It is important to train our tour guides or undergo seminars. And we need the help of DOT 7,” Magpale said.
Magpale, together with the Suroy-Suroy Sugbo Committee, had a closed door meeting with Tamano yesterday at the Capitol.
Magpale, who is also the chairman of the Commission of Tourism in the province, said that there are services that DOT-7 offers like trainings and seminars that the province does not have.
Magpale said that it is better that tour guides also will be trained for security, cleanliness, and safety of the tourists.
On his part, Tamano said that they will support the program of the province and will provide trainings and seminars within this month.
“This will also help the tour guides enhance their service,” Tamano said.
Need tour guides
Magpale admitted that they need more tour guides for the province, especially this coming summer vacation.
“(We have a) huge need of tour guides kay daghan kaayo ta og turista na (because we have influx of tourists in the province),” Magpale said.
Magapale said that the province needs more English and especially Korean speaking tour guides.
“Kay mas daghan g’yud ta og mga Korean nga tourists. Sila gihapon number one nga tourist diri,” Magpale said.
(Because we have so many Korean tourists. They are still the number 1 in terms of figures)
The vice governor encouraged people to sign up for a tourist guide in their cities or towns.
She said that those interested can apply at their cities and towns’ Tourism Office and they will be screened.
Accreditation
Meanwhile, Tamano said that the DOT-7 will conduct a mobile accreditation in the province.
Tamano explained that this is their way to help tour guides in the province of Cebu to lessen the burden of coming to Cebu City to submit requirements among others, to be accredited.
“You know, travelling for six hours from Sta Fe to Cebu city to file accreditation then realizing nga lack ang requirement. So what we do, the office goes to them instead?” said Tamano.