Luxembourg Funds EUR2.95M to Improve Tourism Manpower in Vietnam

Luxembourg has funded EUR2.95 million to a EUR3.3 million project to improve quality of tourism human resources in Vietnam in the 2010-2012 period, the state-run Ha Noi Moi newspaper said Nov 19.
This is the fourth time Luxembourg has assisted Vietnam in implementing projects to improve tourism and hospitality manpower. Three other projects had been carried out since 1997 with a combined capital of EUR10.3 million. The project will be implemented in Hanoi, Haiphong, Hue, Danang, Nha Trang, Vung Tau, Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City and Can Tho. The country’s tourism manpower is still deficient in quantity but weak in quality. The industry now employs 1.4 million workers, accounting for 2.5% of the country’s total workforce. However, 58% of them have not been trained professionally. The country has planned to invest VND15 trillion ($811.7 million) to upgrade tourism infrastructure in the 2011-2015 period. (Ha Noi Moi – New Hanoi Nov 19 p5)