DOT launches hybrid training on hospitality, culinary tourism

MANILA – True to its promise of raising the bar of Filipino hospitality, the fourth edition of the Department of Tourism-National Capital Region’s (DOT-NCR) hybrid training program, Leadership Excellence Series (LES), would be top-billed by respected local culinary practitioners on March 1.

The hybrid training program, zeroing in on culinary tourism, heritage cuisine, and best practices in the new normal, would be simulcast live via Zoom on March 1 from Casa Buenas in Resorts World Manila.

Taking a break from its signature business acumen and leadership skills discourse, LES 2021 will be top-billed by respected culinary practitioners in the country led by chef Godfrey Laforteza, resident chef of Casa Buenas; chef Gabby Prats, one of six ASEAN master chefs in the Philippines; and chef JP Anglo, celebrity chef and of Master Chef Philippines’ fame—to tackle the DOT’s signature training course “Kulinarya”.

Applauded as a top-notch online learning forum for hospitality, tourism, business practitioners, and travel stakeholders, this second in a three-part series for 2021 hybrid online event emphasizes the importance of elevating customer service through the implementation of health protocols and the emphasis on the Filipino brand of hospitality.

Following the world-famous TED Talk format, this online learning event forms part of a collection of training courses offered by the DOT – the brainchild of the tourism chief herself, Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat- which collectively seeks to retool, reskill and reboot tourism stakeholders and tourism workers in the new norm.

In the most recently concluded LES 2021 held last February 11, Secretary Romulo-Puyat gave her fearless forecast of the tourism industry, “We expect it to be driven initially by domestic tourism, which also includes staycations and hybrid MICE events.

With many establishments already up and running, we need to redefine the quality of service that tourism workers will provide,” posing the question, ‘what are the ways we can satisfy the needs of today’s tourists?’”

DOT-NCR Regional Director Woodrow C.Maquiling, Jr. said LES 2021’s vision resonates clearly, and that is “to believe in our [people] power to improve, adapt, and innovate to make 2021 our greatest story of success.”

The Leadership Excellence Series (LES) is the DOT-NCR’s show of support to an industry that has been hardest hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

LES 2021 is an online hybrid activity and is open to the public, free-of-charge, with priority for tourism industry enterprises, players, and front-liners.

Livestreamed across the DOT-NCR’s digital assets @TourismMNL, LES 2021 vows to raise the bar anew for online learning as it integrates the live and full production and digital technology.

Interested participants may register here for free: dotncrles2021.wixsite.com/register. To qualify for a DOT certificate of participation, registrants are required to finish the entire online learning program slated on March 1, from 2 to 4 p.m., and complete a feedback form.

Those who still want to catch the LES 2021: A 3600 Virtual Learning, held last February 11 featuring George Royeca and Martin Aguilar, can still watch it on-demand at DOT-NCR’s Facebook page. (PR)