(TITC) - In their 13th meeting in 2010, the ASEAN Tourism Ministers endorsed the Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) Follow-up Implementation Requirements which specify concrete activities in expediting the establishment of the mutual recognition of tourism professionals. One of the activities is the establishment of a regional secretariat to manage and monitor the facilitation of tourism professionals within the region.
The system to support the MRA will be comprehensive and involve a range of stakeholders with a full-time professional staff dedicated for the work. The regional secretariat will serve as the responsible institution to oversee the comprehensive system and activities under the MRA at regional level, including the ASEAN Tourism Professional Registration System (ATPRS), and also to support the work of the ASEAN Tourism Professional Monitoring Committee (ATPMC).
Prior to the establishment of the regional secretariat, it is essential that a feasibility study be conducted to assess the need for the Secretariat's establishment and whether it is the best option to respond to the MRA requirements. The feasibility study to be supported by this project will identify how the secretariat should operate-processes and mechanisms-and how to position itself to best support the work of the ATPMC and related institutions. It will also recommend the nature of the commitment and resources that will be required from the stakeholders for the Regional Secretariat to operate effectively. These required commitments must be secured prior to the establishment of the Secretariat to increase effectiveness, impact and sustainability of the Secretariat.
The study was developed in the framework of ASEAN' Australia development cooperation program (AADCP) phase II. As a part of the action plan, on August 2, 2012, Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) in collaboration with ASEAN Secretariat held the workshop on Feasibility study for the establishment of a Regional Secretariat for Asean Tourism Professionals in Bao Son Hotel, Hanoi. The event attracted the participation of representatives of departments under VNAT, JICA, ERST programme, education and training facilities, hotels and tour operators, and the project team group.
The participation discussed about the challenges in implementing the MRA in Vietnam, the Tourism Industry benefit from the assistance of a regional Secretariat to assist with implementation of MRA, the areas Vietnam need assistance from the Regional Secretariat, the location of Regional Secretariat, the most efficient process of communications between the Tourism Professionals and the Secretariat, barriers to successfully introducing the proposed Regional Secretariat...
Hong Thanh