DOT fetes tour guides during Cebu summit

Calling tour guides the "voice, heart, and soul" of the nation's tourism, Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco paid tribute to the country's tour guides during the First Philippine Tour Guides Summit held in Cebu City, vowing stronger government support and long-term protection for this sector.

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"The time for overlooking tourism has come to an end. The time to give tourism its rightful place is now," Frasco said, stressing that tour guides are at the forefront of ensuring tourism continues to fuel the Philippine economy. She cited that for every peso spent on tourism, the return is P5.50, a rate unmatched by other sectors.

She reported that over 4,500 guides nationwide are now accredited, with Cebu leading in numbers. She highlighted efforts to make the industry inclusive, citing training programs for deaf and senior citizen guides.

Since 2022, more than 341,000 tourism workers have been trained under the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence program, which she said has been recognized as the best in Asia Pacific.