Finding solutions to fill the "gap" of high-quality human resources in the tourism industry

Kinhtedothi - The economy is gradually recovering, the domestic tourism industry is also starting to show signs of improvement. However, businesses in this smokeless industry are facing challenges due to a serious lack of high-quality human resources.

Businesses lack high quality human resources

According to the National Tourism Administration, the country's tourism industry has welcomed 12.7 million international visitors since the beginning of the year, up 43% over the same period last year. It is expected that from now until the end of the year, the number of international visitors to Vietnam will continue to grow, thereby completing the target of welcoming 17-18 million international visitors this year.

In fact, while the number of international visitors is growing strongly, tourism businesses are facing a shortage of human resources to serve tourists. A representative of Viet Tourism Media Joint Stock Company shared that since the beginning of the year, the number of visitors in all markets has increased by nearly 30% compared to the same period in 2023. However, what is causing this travel agency a headache is the lack of up to 20% of human resources in many departments but currently cannot recruit high-quality workers.

Hanoi Daewoo Hotel staff clean rooms to welcome guests. Photo: Hoai Nam

Similarly, although there is a need to recruit 20 workers in many different positions, Hong Hoa Tourism Company has not yet recruited enough. Director of Hong Hoa Tourism Company To Anh Hong said that in order to meet the labor demand, the company is willing to recruit new graduates with no experience. The important thing is that candidates only need to have enthusiasm and passion in this field. However, although the peak season for welcoming international visitors at the end of the year is getting hotter every day, the company has not yet recruited enough personnel to meet the needs of expansion and development.

Regarding the high-quality human resources of the tourism industry, Permanent Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association Cao Thi Ngoc Lan said: Vietnam is lacking a large number of tourism personnel, especially highly skilled workers, especially during peak periods such as holidays and Tet. The imbalance of human resources by region has caused many areas to grow rapidly in tourists, but the quality of service is lower than other areas and is unstable.

Tour guide takes tourists to visit the Japanese Covered Bridge (Hoi An). Photo: Hoai Nam

According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the tourism industry currently needs about 485,000 workers in tourist accommodation establishments for a capacity of over 70%. It is forecasted that by 2025, the country will have 950,000 - 1,050,000 accommodation rooms and by 2030, 1.3 - 1.45 million rooms. Thus, in 2025, the tourist accommodation sector will need about 800,000 people, in 2030 it will be more than 1 million people, an average of 60,000 additional workers per year. However, schools only train about 20,000 students each year, of which the proportion of professionally trained workers accounts for only 43% of the total number of tourism workers.

Schools join hands with businesses to solve human resource problems

At present, to solve the human resource problem, tourism businesses are "self-reliant" to solve the problem for themselves. However, tourism experts believe that to have high-quality tourism human resources requires a "handshake" between schools and businesses.

According to the Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Training Association, Prof. Dr. Dao Manh Hung, there are currently 195 tourism training establishments nationwide, each year these establishments train about 20,000 students, the number of workers with university and postgraduate degrees accounts for only 9.7% and only 43% of the total number of workers are trained in professional tourism.

Tour guide takes Korean tourists on a tour of Hanoi. Photo: Hoai Nam

Explaining the reason why Vietnam lacks high-quality human resources, Head of the Tourism Department (East Asia University of Technology) Associate Professor, Dr. Duong Duc Thang said that traditional training methods are no longer suitable for the increasingly high standards and demands of the tourism industry.

“Current tourism human resources require not only foreign language proficiency but also good use of technology and skills to build products according to high quality standards. Meanwhile, many students trained at tourism faculties cannot compete with students who study foreign languages ​​when they graduate due to poor communication skills with foreigners,” Mr. Thang analyzed.

To have high-quality human resources, tourism experts all agree that the education and tourism sectors need to have their own standards in training international-standard human resources so that training institutions can orient themselves to build appropriate training methods. At the same time, there needs to be a "handshake" between schools and businesses in the training process.

Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research Nguyen Anh Tuan said: to maintain the development of high-quality human resources, it requires businesses to proactively connect and participate in training high-quality human resources with domestic and international training systems...

On the other hand, training institutions must attract investment in training systems, facilities, and teaching staff; incorporate new knowledge about new types of tourism into training programs... At the same time, the State should have policies to attract and encourage experienced tourism workers who have changed careers to return to work.

Hanoi Daewoo Hotel chef prepares dishes to serve guests. Photo: Hoai Nam

Regarding activities to support businesses in recovering human resources, Director of Hanoi Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said: Hanoi Department of Tourism has proposed that Hanoi People's Committee focus on promoting links and cooperation with international tourism education organizations in the direction of selecting suitable educational cooperation professions.

In addition, Hanoi innovates teaching and learning methods and programs to ensure diversity and flexibility in information transmission, using new technology in the teaching process; Strengthening socialization and mobilizing resources to develop high-quality tourism human resources in Hanoi. "The most important factor is to strengthen the connection of "3 houses": State - School - Recruiter of high-quality tourism human resources in Hanoi" - Ms. Dang Huong Giang clearly stated.

Besides promoting training, tourism experts also believe that there should be policies to attract and encourage experienced tourism human resources with vocational skills who have changed jobs to return to work.

Head of the Tourism and Hospitality Management Research Group (RMIT University), Dr. Nuno Ribeiro, suggested that, in the immediate future, priority should be given to developing and implementing standardized tourism human resource training programs in accordance with regional and international labor standards. “To fill the short-term tourism human resource shortage gap, businesses can recruit new workers from related industries for training,” Mr. Nuno Ribeiro suggested.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/tim-loi-giai-lap-lo-hong-nhan-luc-chat-luong-cao-nganh-du-lich.html