On June 6, Toronto School of Management (TSOM) had the privilege of hosting a seminar about hospitality and tourism trends and issues surrounding sustainability practices in the Philippines. The presenting panel consisted of Mary Grace V. Villamayor – Consul, Philippine Consulate General – Toronto, Francisco M. Lardizabal – Tourism Attache/Director, and Katherine A. Alcantara – Senior Tourism Officer, Philippine Department of Tourism – New York. The event was co-sponsored by the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel.
The panel seminar was designed to showcase the strategic planning and implementation of sustainable tourism projects in the Philippines dating back as far as the 1980s. TSOM hospitality and tourism students learned about the creative and innovative ways in which the government of the Philippines, in collaboration with local municipalities, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders, as well as international NGOs, have driven not only sustainable tourism, but also earned world-renowned awards for such efforts. The panel illustrated how innovative, yet pragmatic ideas engaged local municipalities and other stakeholders in solving critical problems emanating from overtourism, such as the depletion and erosion of natural resources, and rebuilding a sustainable tourism ecosystem.
“Sustainability is about making sure that the resources we enjoy today will still be available for the generations that follow,” said Mr. Lardizzabal, summing up the seminar, “regeneration is about making sure what we do now feeds back into the system from which we benefit”.
We want to thank the esteemed panel delegates for sharing their invaluable knowledge and time with students. Thank you also to the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel team for their generous hospitality in co-sponsoring the event. And to Dr. Rasmi Kokash, TSOM faculty in the Hospitality and Tourism and Business and Management programs, for planning and organizing this exclusive event. Events such as these truly highlight TSOM’s commitment go beyond, and to cultivate a global perspective for our students. We look forward to inviting the Philippine Department of Tourism to future events.
