A partnership between the provincial government of Negros Oriental and the Tourism Educators Council of Negros Oriental and Siquijor (TECNOS) for World Tourism Day will provide students in this sector the venue to hone their skills as tourism front liners.

Myla Mae Bromo Abellana, Provincial Tourism Unit chief, told the Philippine News Agency on Thursday that the TECNOS member schools that are participating in these activities starting next week are the Negros Oriental State University campuses; St. Paul University Dumaguete; Metro Dumaguete College; Colegio de Santa Catalina de Alejandria; Foundation University; and Asian College -STI, which offer tourism, hotel and restaurant, and hospitality management courses.

Over the years, the provincial government of Negros Oriental has partnered with TECNOS to celebrate Tourism Week in observance of the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) World Tourism Day.

Activities have been lined up for the province’s celebration from September 19 to 21 to promote Negros Oriental’s tourism destinations and other attractions.

These include a cleanup walk before the opening salvo on Monday; a tourism quiz bee; a tour guiding competition (domestic and international); search for the Tourism Ambassador and Ambassadress 2022; competitions on cooking and dessert preparation; flair tending; table skirting and setting; fruit and vegetable carving; unity games; and election of new TECNOS and SINATO (Sidlakang Negros Association of Tourism Officers).

Abellana said during the cleanup walk, students have designated routes to pick up trash as they head towards Sidlakang Negros Village for the opening program.

“This is to raise awareness in protecting our environment and also to help in the cleanliness of the community,” she said.

The Tourism Ambassador and Ambassadress 2022 is a pageant that offers opportunities to tourism management and hospitality management students in TECNOS member schools and a platform to develop their skills and share their tourism advocacies as an example to others, she added.

The UNWTO celebrates World Tourism Day every September 27 to foster awareness of tourism’s social, cultural, political, and economic value and the contributions that the sector makes towards achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, Abellana said. (PNA)