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| Tourists visit Ha Noi Old Quarter. Tourism experts called for developing professional human resources in Viet Nam to boost further tourism. — VNS Photo Doan Tung |
HCM CITY (Biz Hub) — Developing professional human resources staff for the tourism industry is an important step for Viet Nam as a member of the ASEAN Economic Community, officials of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said at a press conference on Wednesday in HCM City.
Viet Nam is taking part in the Mutual Recognition Agreement on Tourism Professionals (MRA-TP) in ASEAN, said Tran Phu Cuong, deputy director of the International Co-operation Department under the VNAT.
ASEAN has formed a set of vocational standards and training curriculum for most labour-intensive tourist professions.
They have also established the ASEAN Tourism Professional Monitoring Committee to implement MRA-TP.
The ASEAN secretariat is establishing a formation of registration and software system to assess the tourism labour capacity on the basis of diplomas and certificates.
When the system finishes, allowing the free flow of labourers in the hospitality industry, Viet Nam can recruit skilled tourism workers from ASEAN countries and vice versa.
According to Cuong, Viet Nam has carried its responsibility sufficiently.
Viet Nam's tourism sector has been preparing its human resources for the formation of the ASEAN Community at the end of this year.
Hoang Tuan Anh, Minister of the Culture, Sports, and Tourism, has sent a diplomatic note to the ASEAN Secretary-General that informs the Viet Nam Tourism Certification Board that it has been assigned to perform activities of the Tourism Council and Evaluation and Vocational Certification Council as required by MRA-TP.
The country has signed the agreement establishing the regional secretariat to implement the MRA-TP.
Ha Van Sieu, deputy head of the VNAT, said that tourism was one of the pioneer economic industries preparing for ASEAN integration.
The implementation of MRA-TP opens tourism labour transfer.
Sieu added that in order to take advantage of the MRA-TP and the tourism integration in ASEAN, the country needs to improve human resources, enhance competitiveness of tourism companies and training establishments, and focus on policies to keep talented workers.
Tourist info centres
On the same day, Le Truong Hien Hoa, director of the HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre (TPC) said at a conference on solutions to enhance the quality of city's tourism promotion that the city will establish two tourist information centres at the September 23rd Park and Bach Dang Port in the city's downtown.
They will offer tour information, and receive and deal with feedback from domestic and international visitors.
TPC will also establish a website in both Vietnamese and English with tourism information. —VNS