The tourism sector plans to increase its workforce to 1.4 million workers by 2010, including around 19,000 trained workers recruited annually, announced the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).
Of the total number, receptionists, tour guides and hotel workers will account for the largest proportion, some 308,000.
This will create both opportunities and challenges for the sector, as its current workforce has not met the requirements of the market, said VNAT.
According to statistics from VNAT, Vietnam now has 234,000 direct and 550,000 indirect workers in the hospitality industry, equal to 2.5 per cent of the country’s total workforce, according to the body. Of them, 42.5 per cent have been trained.
Vietnam is facing a shortage of tour guides, and personnel in general, to ensure sustainable and fast development, an official from VNAT admitted.
To achieve the target, the industry is expected to focus on building more training establishments and renewing training curriculums, contents and methods to focus on combining theory with practice.
Under its development strategy until 2010, recently approved by the Prime Minister, the industry will also step up research on and application of scientific and technological advances in management and business activities.
VNAT forecast the sector will serve some 5.5-6 million foreign tourists and 25-26 million domestic visitors in 2010.
In the first two months of this year, Vietnam welcomed more than 749,000 foreign tourists, posting a year-on-year rise of 11.3 per cent. (VNA)
Vietnamese
