Hotel chains offer training for tourism
Major hotel chains are offering training courses for students of the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce as part of the national agenda to produce more skilled labour to cope with the rapid growth of the tourism industry.
The university yesterday signed an agreement with Centara Hotels and Resorts, Dusit International, The Erawan Group, Siam@Siam Group, Asia Hotel Bangkok and several key tourism bodies such as Association of Thai Travel Agents and Thai Hotels Association to develop short courses for students who want to undergo intensive training while studying tourism or management.
Under this collaboration, various training packages will be offered over a three-year period. The university expects to send 500 students to get training at its new partners.
For years, key tourism associations have signed agreements with public and private universities to offer training to upgrade the workforce and expand the supply of qualified personnel.
Chanin Donavanik, chairman of the tourism and service industry committee at the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said more than 6 million people are working in tourism, which accounts for 13-14 per cent of the labour force.
However, the tourism industry is expected to need more than 100,000 new workers per year, particularly for the hotel business.
Thailand aims to welcome about 30 million visitors next year.
"The industry also needs the government to continue to focus on the main destinations along with enhancing safety and security in order to lift the country’s status as a world-class tourism destination," he said. Surapong Techaruvichit, president of Thai Hotels Association, said arrivals have been surging over the past six to seven years, from 15 million in 2008 or 2009 to nearly 30 million this year.
The sharp influx of international visitors is forcing operators to get more trained staff, especially foreign language speakers, to ensure better service standards for their customers. All nations in Southeast Asia need more workers to fill their hospitality industry.
Four countries in the region – Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia – are considered as developed destinations, while the rest are emerging.
However, all the countries are now facing the same staffing problem – the lack of trained workers.
Kalin Sarasin, vice chairman of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, said the chamber plans to use tourism as the key industry to drive the economy and alleviate poverty.
Several plans have been drafted specifically to develop tourism such as boosting tourism standards especially for food and accommodation, enhancing the quality of destinations, tourists and products, spreading tourists to new destinations and improving human resources.
