Philippines to be Asia's Hospitality Management Education Hub

The Canadian Tourism and Hospitality Management Institute (CTHI), the country's first international franchise of the Vancouver-based Canadian Tourism College, intends to make the Philippines the tourism academic hub of Asia.

CTHI president Samie Lim said they hope to attract especially Asian students to come to the Philippines to gain the same quality education as those offered by the institute's mother company.

"In effect, (this will) enrich the learning environment of our Filipino students and contribute to our economy," he stressed.

"We will be opening franchises in key tourist destinations which will be no less than centers of excellence. We will be marketing our school abroad to get foreign students to come."

Lim said it would establish schools on a franchise arrangement in tourist destination areas like Boracay, Cebu, Davao and Bohol.

The tourism stalwart said the CTHI's course curriculum was specially designed to produce the quality workforce needed by the tourism and hospitality management industry.

"Even if we have the attractions, hotels, all the basic infrastructure, the workforce is the most integral part of the whole tourism experience.

Sadly, the legendary Filipino hospitality has just really become a legend in many of our tourist destinations," he noted.

Lim said the institute could also prepare the students with the necessary English proficiency skills to succeed in tourism.

It offers a special course called English for Global Tourism.

"CTHI is here to ensure that the skills of our locals are at par with global standards, to ensure that our local businesses will have a steady supply of well-trained hospitality workers," he stressed.

The tourism sector has been identified as among the country's sunrise industries along with agri-business, business process outsourcing, mining, electronics, supply chain logistics, automotive manufacture, and health, wellness and retirement. (Danielle Venz, PHILEXPORT)