WHEN the pandemic hit, many tourism establishments stopped operating as international travel restrictions along with local lockdowns and community quarantines were put in place. Steven said he opted to resign as chief concierge from the hotel he had been working for, for years.
Steven is one of the lucky few, however. He was able to find work in the same position he held before, this time, in a new hotel that just opened in his city. “I’m glad to be working again,” he said, his relief quite palpable, while expressing optimism at the new relationships to be formed with new guests.
The Department of Tourism believes the job losses are larger, with the pandemic having affected close to 5 million tourism workers. With its program jointly administered with the Department of Labor and Employment , 7,510 jobs in 147 tourism establishments are available to applicants in the initial run of Trabaho, Turismo, Asenso! Philippine Tourism Job Fair.
“While the DOT continues to work towards President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s vision for tourism to contribute greatly to our country’s economic resurgence, we fully understand the need for this to be met with efforts to fortify the tourism and allied industry work force,” said the Tourism chief-designate.