As part of the curriculum for tourism management, batches of tourism students had their annual Philippine island tours in different schedules wherein they had fun, excitement and learning while appreciating the beauty of Philippine islands through wonderful experience in getting familiar with the places, meeting people and knowing their history and culture and trying their food – all in one package of learning explorations. This serves as learning laboratory, realization of life skills, theory and concept application beyond classrooms but the real world.
They visited scenic spots of the places, heritage sites, experienced island hopping, city tours and unique traditions and festivals. They also tried guided tours with land, air and water travels as preparation for their future related career endeavors.
As courtesy call to the province or city, the groups needed to take a stop at the Tourism Offices for the orientation of the place and environmental lecture done in respective provincial capitols and city halls. The local Department of Tourism (DOT) officials met the dean, faculty and travel agents and their counterpart tour guides in the place for debriefing and conferencing. The latter also handed over brochures and pamphlets, magazines and souvenir items for Olivarez College and toured the students to different city offices and departments.
For this year, the BSTM Department, with Ms. Janice Ley Pacete, Chair, arranged the following tour activities for student with the following themes: Freshmen’s Visit to Princess of the Port, Palawan (Tour of Luzon); Sophomores’ Adventure to Queen of the South, Cebu crossing Bohol (Tour of Visayas); and Seniors’ Exciting Experience at Camiguin Island (Tour of Mindanao). In lieu of an international tour, the seniors unraveled Island of Coron, Palawan.
To note, the groups needed to undergo series of preparations and orientations prior to the scheduled tours, such as: Student orientation, parent orientation, emergency and first aid debriefing and drills, medical examination and assessment, waiver signing, while the said department complied the ocular inspection, safety standard compliance by the travel agency, itinerary arrangement, school management conferencing and approval, communication with the local government of the places and submission of documents for approval to the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) as stated in the regulatory provision.
