Tour guides operate in multicultural and multilingual settings, playing an important role in bridging divides and promoting healthy people-to-people exchanges, said Turkish Ambassador to Brunei Darussalam Professor Dr Hamit Ersoy.
The ambassador said this during a certificate presentation ceremony at the Ministry of Primary Resources and Tourism’s (MPRT) Setia Pahlawan Hall on Thursday to nine professionals in the hospitality and tourism industry who completed the Turkish language course.
He added, “Such courses will lay the foundation of a long-term sustainable cooperation with depth and breadth.”
He recalled, “The recent state visit by His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar ‘Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam to Turkiye in March 2023 and the agreements signed during this visit have proved the brotherly ties between the two countries. We are committed to follow the path paved by both heads of state, His Majesty and President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan.”
The ambassador added, “As we have been working to widen and deepen the grounds for mutual cooperation between Brunei and Turkiye, these language courses are just a stepping stone for further cooperation and exchanges of any kind between our countries.”
He said, “Over a period of a year in collaboration with the Yunus Emre Institute (YEE), the Turkish Embassy in Brunei Darussalam has established collaborative activities with several institutions within the government including the MPRT and academic institutions, by organising not only the regular language courses in 14 different institutions, but also Ottoman Calligraphy courses, storytelling sessions, monthly Turkish film screenings at the embassy, archery courses and even the broadcasting of Turkish cuisine cooking shows on Radio Television Brunei.”
The Turkish language course, from July 2 to December 3, was organised through a collaboration between the Tourism Development Department at the MPRT with the Turkish Embassy in Brunei Darussalam and the Institute of Brunei Technical Education.
The course aims to improve tourist guides and hotel front liners’ skills, allowing them to provide better services to Turkish-speaking visitors and create a more engaging experience for tourists.
The initiative is part of the department’s efforts to raise the standard of hospitality and tourism services in Brunei. New training programmes are being introduced to equip industry professionals with the skills needed to deliver top-quality services and enhance the overall visitor experience.
Deputy Permanent Secretary I at the MPRT Haji Mohd Yusree bin Haji Junaidi, the guest of honour, presented the certificates. – James Kon
