CEBU CITY – The Department of Tourism (DoT), including private stakeholders in Cebu, would like to see taxi drivers, banca (motorized pump boat) operators, and operators of motorized vehicles for hire (or “habal-habal” in the local dialect) acting as “frontliners” for the tourism industry.

“These taxi drivers, banca operators and even ‘habal-habal’ drivers are tourism assets because they deal directly with our tourists. If we get them well-versed about the local tourism industry, then we encourage more foreign and local visitors to come to Cebu,” Tourism Undersecretary Phineas Alburo told the Manila Bulletin.

Alburo explained that being “well-versed about the local tourism industry” is not limited to these taxi and “habal-habal” drivers and banca operators to merely showing visitors tourist spots in Cebu but must be expanded to creating rapport with tourists.

“They must learn proper behavior and conduct when dealing with tourists, especially first time visitors to Cebu. It cannot be denied that there are drivers taking advantage of these tourists by charging them with high fare rates,” he said.

Cebu Visitors Convention Bureau (CVCB) Chairman, Jay P. Aldeguer said private industry players have observed a “less concerted effort” to disseminate information about Cebu's hotel rates, bookings, etc. from amongst frontliners in the industry, which is a basic requirement as a tourism destination.

Aldeguer disclosed that CVCB's short term plan includes tapping the Cebu Association of Tour Operators (Cato) and players in the transport industry like taxi and rent-a-car operators for plans to put up audiovisual monitors in their vehicles.

These monitors, he said, will display hotel rates and images of key destinations in Cebu and neighboring provinces.

In a related interview, Global Power Skills President Glenn Soco said the company will conduct a series of off-site training campaigns early next year for tour guiding, specifically targeting the “habal-habal” drivers and pump boat operators.

“These people should be given proper training in tour guiding so that they can also have extra income while bringing tourists to their destinations,” Soco said.