THE Department of Tourism (DoT) said the industry it oversees can survive a global push for automation by continuing to focus on service quality.
The DoT said Tuesday that it is confident many tourism jobs will survive if the industry maintains a high level of quality for the “Filipino brand of service.”
The DoT released the statement to accompany its announcement of a training partnership with the Tourism Industry Board Foundation, Inc. (TIBFI).
The DoT said it hopes the arrangement will help tourism-industry worker to improve and adapt to changing demands.
To supplement industry training, the DoT urged curriculum updates across the education sector, including the teaching of hospitality skills to K-12 students.
Tourism Undersecretary Arturo P. Boncato, Jr. said: “Tourism is bigger than artificial intelligence. Tourism is bigger than robotics. (Service quality) is something that only human beings can give… It’s all about the human heart. Tourism is all about experience and relationships,” he said.
The department said the industry should still focus on upgrading its technology which will make tasks more efficient. — Gillian M. Cortez
