The Market Monitor Minding the Nation's Business
The Tourism Congress of the Philippines (TCP), a private consultative agency, will be promoting inclusive growth in the tourism industry by holding national job fairs exclusively for tourism stakeholders.
At least 50 companies and agencies have signified their interest to “recruit and promote career opportunities and internships, and graduate-school programs in the country’s tourism industry,” said TCP President Aileen C. Clemente.
Under the Tourism Act of 2009, the TCP is a private sector consultative body that assists the Department of Tourism (DOT) in the development, implementation, and coordination of the government’s tourism policies, plans and programs.
The TCP is composed of primary and secondary tourism firms, along with allied and relevant enterprises of the tourism industry, including those responsible for accommodation, travel and tours, tourist transport services, meetings, incentive travels, conventions, exhibitions and events services and facilities, and tourism estate development and management services.
The TCP is also composed of former secretaries of the DOT.
In a press conference last Thursday (October 6), Clemente said the Philippines Tourism Development Plan (TDP) aims promote the training of personnel to serve in primary developed tourism areas. But even the developing areas must be served equally, hence the need for the TCP nationwide job fairs from which to pluck out the required tourism workers.
The developed tourism areas must employ “trained personnel,” in compliance with established guidelines for tourism-accredited establishments, among which are hotels and restaurants.
Clemente said the TCP-sponsored job fairs will offer “a wide range of work opportunities, including pool keepers and plumbers as well as front liners, accounting clerks, administrative staff, electronic and technicians, and human resources personnel, among others.”
“We want to prove that there are lots of good jobs here and that tourism is inclusive,” she said, adding that employment in the tourism industry aims to attract the youth and worker sectors to domestic opportunities, instead of seeking work abroad.
Clemente said 78 job opportunities will be presented at the initial the job fairs.
The TCP is represented in the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (Tieza) and Duty Free Philippines (DFP) board of directors.
The TCP’s first jobs fairs, dubbed as the Tourism and Hospitality Career Fair (THCF), will be held in Luzon, the Visayas, and Mindanao.
Those to be hired will be deployed in various tourism sites around the country.
For the job fairs, the TCP has created a system where the companies and applicants can log online. A database is then created where they can be matched and be given schedules for interviews during the jobs fair.
“Although not guaranteeing that every applicant would find internship or employment, the TCP will create a database of individuals who at some future time can be employed at any of the tourism-related establishments in the country,” the TCP said.
The agency added that companies participating are registered philjobnet.gov.ph as part of the accreditation process for the jobs fair.
The Luzon job fairs will be held from October 14 at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, the Visayas Leg will be at the Cebu Trade Hall with the date to be announced, and Davao will be on November 28 at the SMX Convention Center, Davao City.
Apart from staging job fairs, the TCP is also holding annual regular conventions with tourism stakeholders in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to promote and develop the country’s tourism industry all the way to the community level.
RIZA LOZADA