Some 150 students under the three hospitality courses available at the college, namely tourism, catering and accommodation, attended the talk, which was facilitated by Mohd Jeffrey Hj Mohd Sunny Lai, tourism officer for marketing and promotion.
The talk centred around educating the students on the potential of the tourism industry, employment opportunities in the industry and the concept of visiting places of interest and enjoying tourism activities in their own country.
Tourism officer Pengiran Izudin Alias Pengiran Hj Ismail, spoke at liberty about the sultanate’s diverse ecosystems with its pristine rainforests and accessible nature reserves, such as the Ulu Temburong National Park.
Pengiran Izudin Abas also spoke about how the students can play a role in increasing the tourism industry in the sultanate.
The next speaker was a graduate of the technical college, making him the college’s success story. Mohd Iswandi Ma’aruf, director of operations at the Orchid Garden Hotel, educated the students on another aspect of tourism, the hotel industry.
Aside from the ample employment opportunities available within the hotel industry, overcoming pressure of dealing with customers and clients with difficult personalities and attitudes everyday is most challenging, according to Mohd Iswandi.
Nor Daud Durai, Business Development Manager of Pan Bright Travel, told the students on how Brunei is getting increasingly popular with overseas clients, whether as a stopover destination or for a week-long stay. He urged the students to not only think of the tourism industry in terms of architecture and ecotourism but in homes as well.
According to Nor Daud Durai those in the travel industry will have a lot of opportunities to join other industries, such as the hotel industry.
The final speaker, Joanna Hj Osman, race director for Brunei Adventure Race 2007, commented on the fact that members of the public would pay a large amount of money to travel and yet, have not visited their country’s own Belalong or Tasek Merimbun.
“We have a lot of local expertise here in Brunei,” she said. “We just don’t know about it.”
Joanna proceeded to talk about the upcoming adventure race that will be held throughout November this year.
She urged the students to participate as the race will take participants through some of the country’s most beautiful sceneries. Before you can promote your country, you must know your country, Joanna said.
She also advised the students to research and put forth all their fresh ideas and put together a proposal.
“The authorities are very receptive to ideas.”
Among present at the talk was Pengiran Azmanishah Pengiran Hj Abdul Rahman, marketing and promotions officer at the Ministry of Industry and Primary Resources.
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