Labour lags behind neighbours

 Vietnam’s tourism workers are not nearly as skilled as their competitors from other Southeast Asian countries, tourism officials admit.

Focusing on the up-coming ASEAN Economic Community era, due to start December 2015, officials admit they need to improve labour skills in tourism to stay competitive.

Vietnam National Administration of Tourism’s International Cooperation Department head, Le Tuan Anh, said Vietnamese workers need training in foreign language skills, communication, teamwork and problem solving.

“If Vietnamese labourers fail to improve their job skills, they could lose their jobs to foreign workers who can enter the country for work under AEC rules.”

He noted that Laos, Cambodia and Indonesia were better prepared for AEC, without giving any details.

Vietnam Tourism Association vice chairman, Vu The Binh, said the hotel sector will see  more competition, as the wages for managers and market executives in Vietnam are almost equal, and sometimes higher than those in some other member countries.

“What concerns me is that just a few businesses and workers in Vietnam are making preparations for the new era when trade and work barriers will be reduced,” he said.

According to VNAT’s official figures, around 1.5 million people are working in the tourism sector in Vietnam. The number of labourers needs to almost double in 2015 to meet anticipated tourism demand.

Sourced: ttrweekly