ASEAN works on tourism work standards

Thailand's Ministry of Tourism and Sports is working on a standard tourism curriculum in the lead up to what is called ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangements on Tourism Professionals in order to prepare for the introduction of the ASEAN Economic Community 2015.

The standardised curriculum is an initiative to ensure the country's tourism professionals can compete for jobs when the job market opens in 2015, according to ministry's permanent secretary, Sombat Kuruphan.

The tourism curriculum is an agreement that accepts the qualifications of tourism professionals throughout ASEAN member countries and will ultimately allow them to work in any of the member countries almost with the freedom attained in the EU.

There are six professions under the ASEAN MRA related to tourism. They include hotel front office, housekeeping, food production, food and beverage services, travel agencies, and tour operations/tour agencies.The Ministry of Tourism and Sports data indicates arrivals from ASEAN in 2010 reached 4,534,235 visits representing an increase 14.25% from 3,968,579 visits in 2009.

The top ASEAN source market was Malaysia with 2,058,956 visits. It represented a 17.13% increase from 1,757,813 visits in 2009.The second top ASEAN market was Laos with 715,345 travellers, up 9.21% from 655,034 travellers.Singapore followed in third place with 603,538 tourists representing an increase of 7.09% from 563,575 visits in 2009.

Other ASEAN markets were: Vietnam (380,368; +4.78%); Indonesia (286,072; +25.91%); Philippines (246,430; +13.19%); Cambodia (146,274; 51.44%); Myanmar (90,179; +13.75); and Brunei (7,073; -15.32%).

Meanwhile, for January to May this year ASEAN market reached 2,155,956 visits, up 24.33% from 1,734,114 visits during the same period in 2010.Malaysia remained in the top market with 988,101 visits increasing 23.24% from 801,776 visits during the same period last year.

Laos followed in second place with 325,000 travellers, up 18.92% from 273,289 travellers, while Singapore came in third place with 268,186 tourists, up 24.24% from 215,861 visits.Other ASEAN markets that recorded improvements: Vietnam (188,870; +27.10%); Indonesia (150,705; +35.82%); Philippines (127,597; +26.87%); Cambodia (57,572; +30.21%); Myanmar (46,827; +30.06%); and Brunei (3,098; +9.01%).

Source = ttrweekly