The UST Sentro Turismo of the College of Tourism and Hospitality Management recently launched Project Bisita at Kumustahan with the municipal governments of Atimonan and Tagkawayan, Quezon, and the city government of Ormoc, Leyte.
Project Bisita at Kumustahan or ProBik is an initial coordination meeting and ocular visit of the project team to a potential partner, either from the private or public sector, that aims to collaborate for a particular service offered by the Sentro. Under the ProBik, the potential partner is tasked to provide a general overview of their destination and the related gaps or problems that must be addressed, while a representative from Sentro will discuss the services offered.
ProBik was started in Atimonan, Quezon with the visit of the team headed by CTHM Dean Gezzez Giezi G. Granado, DCL, that conducted an assessment of the significant tourist sites of the municipality and performed in-depth interviews with site managers and representatives from April 29 to 30, 2023. Included in the team were Department of Tourism Management Chair Asst. Prof. Jane G. Devanadera, faculty members Asst. Prof. Maria Concepcion A. Ang, Dr. Avi Ben P. Andalecio, and Sentro Turismo Coordinator Mr. Jame Monren T. Mercado. The team also presented its preliminary observations and recommendations. Representing the municipal government was the Office of the Mayor Executive Assistant Atty. Elvis Uy, and the staff from the Municipal Tourism Office.
Meanwhile, on June 22 and 23, 2023 another team from the UST Sentro Turismo visited Tagkawayan, Quezon, for the First Coordination Meeting and Workshop of the Municipal Tourism Development Planning Committee. The CTHM team was headed by Sentro Turismo Coordinator Mercado, together with Department of Tourism Management faculty members Asst. Prof. Ang, Ms. Catherine C. Mondejar, and Mr. Alec P. Bagcus, and Mr. Elijah J. Coronado from the Department of Hospitality Management.
Aside from discussions of the UST Sentro Turismo services and conduct of site assessment, a presentation on the Basics and Dimensions of Sustainable Tourism Planning and Development and related workshops were facilitated by the CTHM team. Representing Atimonan during the presentation was Municipal Mayor Luis Oscar T. Eleazar, a UST Engineering graduate, together with Sanggunian Bayan Committee on Tourism Head John Pocholo O. Eleazar, Senior Tourism Operations Officer Ms. Anna Louella U. Villanueva, and representatives from the different primary and secondary stakeholders.
