The Palau Visitors Authority (PVA) is encouraging the youth to consider tourism as a career and that it will work with Palau High School (PHS) to help support skill and development programs to enable young people to enter the tourism industry.
PVA Chairman of the Board, Ngirai Tmetuchl and officials met on Thursday with educators from PHS to discuss future collaborations to expose young students to the tourism and hospitality industry by giving them internship in tourism-related businesses.
Tmetuchl said PVA would also tap students to be part of the drafting and creation of a tour guide manual.
He said tourism, as Palau’s key economic driver will provide job opportunities for young people and given the right skills and training it will also encourage the youth to take entrepreneurial opportunities in tourism and the hospitality sector.
“We should figure out how do we get kids into the tourism and hospitality industry,” Tmetuchl said.
He added that PVA is keen on training young people and placing them with employers in the tourism industry.
Tmetuchl said it is critical that young entrepreneurs and prepare students to take part in the country’s biggest industry-tourism.
He also that tourism is a rewarding business, which could create a tourism-inclusive economy by bringing in the youth.
PVA and PHS will work together to promote career opportunities available in the tourism and hospitality industry among the young people. (Bernadette H. Carreon)