ASEAN tourism ministers have ratified an agreement to establish a region-wide body aimed at improving job prospects for tourism professionals through enhanced training opportunities and mobility.
"I would like to congratulate all ASEAN member states on the signing of the agreement on the establishment of a Regional Secretariat for the implementation of ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals. This marks a significant milestone of tourism development for ASEAN,." said Tan Sri Dr Ong Hong Peng, the secretary general at Malaysia’s, ministry of tourism and culture.
Actions outlined in the agreement call for regional training programmes to develop a pool of tourism trainers and assessors and oversee the region’s marketing and promotional activities.
The office of Regional Secretariat will be established in Jakarta, Indonesia this year and an important function of the body will be to maintain a registry of employment opportunities on the ASEAN Tourism Professional Registration System.
It will also offer a job matching service and bring employers and tourism professionals together.
"We hope that this system and mechanism can provide vast opportunity to the professional work force to improve and enhance their capabilities and career," said Indonesian tourism minister Arief Yahya.
