1

December 2014

Introduction of the

ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement

for Tourism Professionals (MRA-TP)

Conference on Vietnam Occupational Tourism Standards / MRA-TP

2

What is the purpose of MRA-TP?

Kai Partale

• To increase the international

mobility of tourism labour across

the ASEAN region in line with

ASEAN policy.

• Address the imbalance between

supply and demand for tourism

jobs across the ASEAN region

• Establish a mechanism for the

free movement of skilled and

certified tourism labour across

the ASEAN region

• Contribute to improving quality

of tourism products and services

and raise standards

Strategic Direction 2

Increase the quality of services and human resources in the Region

Strategic Action 2.1

Develop a set of

ASEAN tourism

standards with a

certification process

Strategic Action 2.2

Implement the MRA on

ASEAN Tourism

Professionals and its require-ments

Strategic Action 2.3

Provide opportuni-

ties for increased

knowledge and skill develop-

ment

Vision & Strategic Direction for ASEAN Tourism

3

TNA

Kai Partale

BENEFITS OF MRA FOR PROFESSIONALS • Facilitate mobility of professionals based on qualification/ certificate

• Enhance conformity of competency based training/education

• Recognise skills of tourism professionals

• Improve the quality of tourism human resources

• Enhance the quality of tourism products and services

4

TNA

Kai Partale

BENEFITS OF MRA-TP FOR EDUCATION

AND TRAINING PROVIDERS • Clear set of standards for development of training programmes

• Competency-based training/assessment for preparing trainees for industry

• Range of job-based qualifications based on common labour divisions

• Opportunity to become one of the preferred education and training

providers for VTCB/VTOS qualifications

5 Kai Partale

BENEFITS OF MRA-TP FOR GOVERNMENT • Reduced costs

• Increased competitiveness

• Increased market access

• Freer flow of trade

6

ASEAN Tourism Qualifications Equivalence Matrix

Kai Partale

• Concept of a qualification

equivalents mechanism is

centred on resolving the need

for a device that can provide a

comparative understanding of

the scope, content and

equivalent value of a tourism

qualification awarded in any one

of the ASEAN Member States.

• Need to consider the equivalent

value of an award will arise

each time a qualified tourism

professional in an ASEAN

country makes an application to

become registered as a regional

tourism professional.

7 Kai Partale

ESCO is the multilingual classification of European Skills, Competences,

Qualifications and Occupations; ESCO classification identifies and

categorises skills, competences, qualifications and occupations relevant for

the EU labour market and education and training; It systematically shows the

relationships between the different concepts.

8

European

Skills Passbook

Kai Partale

https://ec.europa.eu/eures

• Allows jobseekers to specify

which skills they have obtained

where, making it easier for

employers to find exactly what

they are looking for.

• As a jobseeker it can be difficult

to explain and prove to

employers what a specific role

in another country meant in

practice.

• Employers have trouble

understanding what skills a

potential employee has, just by

looking at their CV.

• European Hospitality Skills

Passport offers an effective and

easy-to-use solution.

Vietnam

needs

to…

Set up National Tourism

Professional Board (NTPB)

Ensure sufficient

trainers and

assessors/verifiers in place

Expanding

Knowledge and

Understanding

Have an online

Qualification &

Registration

system in place

Ensure sufficient

Assessment Centres are

ready

Establish full

Qualification

Framework

Be linked to

ASEAN

Tourism

Professionals

Registration

System (ATPRS)

Vietnam

Skills /

Training

Needs

Assess-

ment

Vietnam

Tourism

Occupational

Standards / Qualifications mapped against

ASEAN standards

MRA-TP

Handbook

Guide for Tourism Education &

Training Providers

Guide for Tourism

Professionals

Guide for Tourism &

Hospitality Organisations http://mra.esrt.vn

13

AWARENESS RAISING WORKSHOPS • Supported Vietnam National Administration of Tourism to organise 3 MRA-

TP Introduction Workshops in HCMC, Da Nang and Hanoi in 2013

• Over 200 VTOS trainers in 7 refreshment trainings informed

• Introduced the MRA-TP concept in 7 VTOS dissemination workshops to

over 400 stakeholders from colleges, public and business sector

13 Kai Partale