Students to be trained as tour advisors

KOCHI: The district tourism promotion council (DTPC) has launched a certified tour advisor training programme for school and college students in the city.
It will train selected students of tourism clubs to assist travelers with their queries. These clubs function at 30 higher secondary schools and colleges in the district. The training of first batch of 14 students including eight girls started in Ernakulam Guest House on Wednesday.A DTPC official said, “Training will be imparted for 50 hours comprising theory session for 10 hours and the rest for practical session. Students will advise people in planning holiday packages, selling tour packages, reservation of air, rail, cruise, coach, accommodation and other services offered through DTPC’s Visitor Facilitation Centre at Ernakulam.” There are tour desks in colleges and schools through which they can give guidance on tourism.
To give first-hand details on tourist spots, field visits will also be made to areas such as Fort Kochi – Mattanchery, Thattekkad and Kumarakom. It will also give training to identify new tourism destinations in the local areas. The identified destinations will be developed by DTPC after examining the tourism possibilities.
Entrepreneurship development assistance shall also be provided for those interested in venturing on their own into travel, tourism and hospitality business. The faculty of school of tourism studies under MG University will impart training to the aspiring tourism advisors. On completion, DTPC and School of Tourism Studies will jointly issue certificates and badges to the students as approved tourist advisors.
They will receive a badge as a certified tour advisor. Using this certificate, they can work as tourism advisors and start travel business by canvassing visitors.