Bohol tour guides and some Bohol tourism officers will be receiving training on Russian language and culture this month of July as part of a joint project between the Department of Tourism (DOT) and the Philippine Russian Business Assembly (PRBA).
The 16-day training on Russian language and culture began on June 30, 2014. Over 15 tour guides and tourism officers from all over Bohol attended the sessions.
The training includes topics on the Russian alphabet, phonetics, and word usage, glimpses of life in Russia and major Russian cities, Russian holidays and seasons of the year, Russian customs and traditions, and Russian hobbies and entertainment.
“This effort began with the idea that more cultural exchange and familiarity between the Philippines and Russia is the best starting point for the growth of tourism and eventually the expansion trade relations and then investments from Russia,” said Honorary Russian Consul and PRBA President Armi Lopez-Garcia.
The lesson plan for the 2-week training was prepared by Ms. Zinaida Putapurchenko, the PRBA’s resident Russian language instructor. The same training on Russian language and culture has been given earlier this year to 11 tourism officers and 4 tour guides who are based in Cebu.
The Honorary Russian Consul noted that there has been a steadily increasing awareness of the Philippines by Russian tourists. The Philippines is the closest tropical destination to Russia’s eastern part, which is only five hours away by airplane.
Russian tourists, described as some of the top high-spenders among different nationalities visiting the Philippines, have been billed as an emerging tourist market in the country. Chartered flights between Moscow and Cebu City are presently available.
The Philippine Russian Business Assembly is the main intermediary and networking body for Philippine and Russian business which aims to promote tourism, trade relations and investment between the two countries.###