Vietnam’s tourism workforce suffers not only from a shortage in numbers but also from weak quality and limited real-world exposure, Professor Dao Manh Hung (VITEA) has warned in an article published by VietnamNet.
This was part of a broader discussion around a skills mismatch in Vietnam’s tourism industry with the publication saying the industry needs 40,000 workers a year but only about half of that is available (no source cited).
Also of note in the article:
- Do Hong Xoan, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Education Association (VITEA), highlighted a mismatch between educational outcomes and business needs, citing a lack of international-standard skills and poor language proficiency
- Xoan added that businesses face high turnover and need training programmes with at least 70 percent practical content to ensure graduates are job-ready
- Trinh Cao Khai (Hanoi Tourism College) said many experienced professionals left the sector during COVID-19 and haven’t returned, placing greater burden on schools
- Dr. Hoang Ngoc Tue (Hanoi University of Industry) criticised the lack of coordination, saying many companies complain about graduate quality but fail to invest in training
- Tue noted that international firms often send experts and fund training, unlike many local businesses
This fits within a broader narrative around training and education whereby education outcomes don’t align with industry needs.
Of note, there was an article last week in which the heads of several vocational colleges took issue with the number of university places made available. They argued it was excessive and that many students attending university would be better off at vocational colleges.
To bring it back to the central theme here, the tourism industry is one industry that seems to be struggling on account of students choosing training and education that is not commensurate with real world demand.
See also: Vietnam’s Education Industry 2025: Trends, Challenges, and Opportunities