Young Minds, One Tourism Challenge
GENERAL SANTOS CITY - The competition gave students an opportunity to bring classroom knowledge into a lively setting where tourism was treated as more than destinations and travel. STI College collected 245 points to claim the championship, followed by Holy Trinity College with 230 points and Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Colleges with 222 points. Pacific Southbay College finished fourth with 221 points, while New Brighton Schools of the Philippines Inc. placed fifth with 220 points, keeping the contest close across the leading teams. Notre Dame of Dadiangas University and Joji Ilagan International School shared sixth place after both recorded 210 points.
Where Tourism Meets the Digital Classroom
The quiz also reflected how quickly the language of tourism is expanding, with digitalization and artificial intelligence now part of conversations about the sector. The 2026 international tourism theme, “Digital Agenda and Artificial Intelligence to Redesign Tourism,” places technology at the center of discussions about how destinations and tourism organizations can adapt to changing travel habits and new digital tools. PATA’s 2026 World Tourism Day material likewise examines AI’s implications for travel planning, destination management, sustainability, and the tourism workforce. For students, that makes tourism education increasingly connected to technology, critical thinking, communication, and the ability to understand how visitors discover and experience destinations.
A Quiz That Looks Beyond the Scoreboard
More than a contest between schools, the activity offered a glimpse of how young people can participate in conversations about General Santos City’s tourism future. Bringing students together from different institutions creates space for them to exchange ideas about culture and tourism while building familiarity with subjects that are becoming increasingly relevant to the industry. The city government’s official website lists National Tourism Week in September 2026 among General Santos City’s major events, while the city’s tourism portal likewise records the celebration as part of its annual tourism calendar. Through activities such as Tagisan ng Talino, tourism becomes something students can study, discuss, and imagine themselves contributing to.
