Some 25 tour guides here have been trained by the Department of Tourism-Negros Island Region (DOT-NIR) to engage visitors in meaningful experiences that showcase the history, heritage, and culture of Bacolod City and Negros Occidental.

After completing the seven-day Community Tourist Guiding Training on Sunday, the participants became eligible as community tour guides and are now processing their application for DOT accreditation.

“The training strengthened the skills of local tourism stakeholders in delivering meaningful and engaging visitor experiences,” the Provincial Tourism Division said in statement on Monday.

It added it also “serves as a significant step in promoting the Negros Culture Hub Tours and showcasing the rich history, heritage, and culture of this highly urbanized city and the province.”

The tourist guiding training, organized by the DOT-NIR in partnership with the Negros Occidental Tourism Division and Bacolod City Tourism Office, included lectures, workshops and mock tour exercises.

The tour guides also completed the Filipino Brand of Service Excellence Program and took their oath to embrace the principles of genuine Filipino hospitality, service excellence, and cultural pride.

The provincial government offers the Negros Culture Hub Tours comprised of seven seamless, curated circuits designed to showcase the province’s diversity through competitively priced, multi-stop guided tours for solo travelers or specialized groups.

Among the training participants are Capitol tourism personnel, Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice)-Negros Station staff, private tour operator guides, and college students.

The PhilRice-Negros Station in Murcia town is a DOT-accredited farm tourism camp and an emerging destination within the Negros Culture Hub.

“We are committed to strengthening the integration of culture and the arts into rice research and development and tourism initiatives. Every visitor experience not only showcases rice science and innovation, but also celebrates the rich history, culture, and stories of Negros Island and its farming communities,” DA-PhilRice Negros Director Ommal Abdulkadil said in a statement. (PNA)