Tourism sector opens up 6,500 jobs in Vis-Min

The Tourism Congress of the Philippines is offering as many as 6,500 new job opportunities in Visayas and Mindanao with the hosting of the first jobs fair for tourism-related industries this month.

This will help address the growing requirements for tourism-related jobs in the country, with demand estimated to grow some 10 percent yearly, said TCP executive vice president Aileen Clemente.

In a statement, Clemente said they would bring at least 30 tourism related companies to their Tourism Career and Hospitality Fair (TCHF) in Cebu and Davao.

“There will be hotel chains and resorts opening or are now expanding their operations. The country has a growing middle class. And beyond our top markets abroad, the country is welcoming tourists from more European countries, the Middle East, and India,” Clemente said. “This is the best time for Filipinos to become part of the country’s tourism industry.  Instead of going abroad, we are seeing competitive career opportunities locally.”

The jobs fair to be held at the Cebu Trade Hall on Nov. 22 and the SMX Convention Center Davao on Nov. 28 will bring together tourism companies, employment agencies, and schools which will look for potential hires or offer internship and tourism related programs to applicants.

Participating companies will hold one-on-one interviews with applicants who have submitted their resume online. Companies will likewise be open to conducting interviews for walk-in applicants.

Companies participating in the jobs fair will also have access to the database for three months after the jobs fair for any additional hiring.

“For the TCHF, we have identified 78 job items that are needed to be filled.  Tourism industry players have a lot of job openings right now,” she said.

Clemente said career opportunities in the tourism industry had gone beyond those in the frontline services as the industry’s needs could now vary from musicians, to engineers and accountants.