TOURISM CAMP. The participants of the Future Tourism Leaders Camp initiated by the Department of Tourism, with (from left, front row) Bacolod City tourism officer-in-charge Sandra Ruth Sycip and councilor Em Ang, Tourism Assistant Secretary Ma. Rica Bueno, DOT-6 Regional Director Helen Catalbas, and Negros Occidental Supervising Tourism Operations Officer Cristine Mansinares during the opening program at the Capitol Social Hall in Bacolod City on Sunday (May 19, 2019). The five-day training runs until May 23. (Photo courtesy of Negros Occidental Tourism Division)
BACOLOD CITY -- A total of 41 young leaders in Western Visayas are attending the five-day Future Tourism Leaders (FTL) Camp in this city, which was initiated by the regional tourism office.
The training, which runs until May 23, is being hosted by the provincial government of Negros Occidental, in partnership with the cities of Bacolod, San Carlos, Bago, Victorias, Sagay, and Talisay at the Capitol Social Hall here.
The opening program on Sunday was led by Tourism Assistant Secretary Ma. Rica Bueno along with Department of Tourism (DOT) 6 (Western Visayas) Director Helen Catalbas.
Provincial supervising tourism operations officer Cristine Mansinares said on Tuesday the participants represent the six provinces and two highly-urbanized cities in Western Visayas.
Mansinares said the FTL Camp aims to create awareness among the youth and encourage them to participate in the promotion and development of the region’s tourism industry.
“The young leaders will be equipped with skills vital to the tourism sector,” she said.
The sessions topics focus on leadership, sustainable tourism, communication, writing, and maximizing the social media platform.
The campers are also visiting immersion sites in Negros Occidental with best practices on community-based tourism, sustainable ecotourism, and cultural resource management.
These sites are located in the cities of San Carlos, Sagay, Victorias, Silay, Talisay, and Bago, and Manapla town.
Mansinares said a session on policy and advocacy will enable participants to craft a youth tourism legislative agenda for the region based on their learnings and experiences during the camp.
The participants will also form an organization and will be mobilized in the planning and implementation of tourism programs, projects, and activities in their respective communities, she added. (PNA)
