Training, Fostering, and Improving Labor Qualifications in the Tourism Industry

First of all, the local government needs to effectively use investment capital from the state budget as a "bait" to mobilize and use capital from domestic and foreign economic sectors. The synchronization factor in tourism development investment needs to be further focused on, investment in infrastructure development goes hand in hand with investment in tourism industry's physical and technical facilities according to the motto of having the core and key points to exploit and promote efficiency and focus on new tourist destinations.

Invest in building transport infrastructure, increase capacity to receive tourist flows by air and water. In particular, it is necessary to upgrade and rearrange the system of specialized wharves, civil ports, tourist ports... with large capacity, limit environmental impact and marine resources; build new high-quality airports to ensure meeting the needs of domestic and international visitors.

For intra-district traffic: Need to repair and complete two main roads in the North

– South across the island and the secondary roads and the central areas and residential areas. Planning the inter-hamlet and inter-commune road system linked to the routes and intersections, helping to increase the efficiency of exploiting infrastructure for tourism development.

For sea tourism vehicles such as ships, boats... it is necessary to ensure safety in terms of machinery, vehicle life, life buoys, and load capacity. For types of tourism such as fishing, diving to see corals, and visiting deserted islands, it is necessary to ensure absolute safety for tourists.

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Planning for infrastructure construction including: electricity, roads, schools, medical stations, clean water systems, wastewater and waste treatment systems... must both ensure the needs of daily life and production, and serve well and in the long term for socio-economic development, especially the development trend of the tourism industry.

3.3.3. Training and improving the skills of tourism workers

The Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs of Phu Quoc district in coordination with relevant organizations needs to conduct an investigation and classify the professional qualifications of the entire workforce in the tourism industry as a basis for developing specific training plans for each type of subject.

For local tourism workers who have not been trained or have not met the standards, it is necessary to: Implement retraining programs at different levels and in different majors through short-term and long-term formal training classes on-site. Urgently needed.

Develop a training and development program for staff, especially tour guides. It is necessary to pay attention to training local workers because they have a deeper understanding of nature, indigenous culture as well as a greater concern for the local community. There is a plan to send managers for further training in professional skills at home and abroad, especially in countries with developed tourism industries such as the US, Australia, Thailand... to improve tourism management skills.

For the next generation of tourism workers: It is necessary to encourage formal tourism training at major training centers to train university and post-graduate staff in tourism. At the same time, there should be policies to attract a workforce with expertise, professional skills, and experts to work locally. Because this will be the core workforce that will contribute significantly to the cause of innovation towards industrialization and modernization of Phu Quoc tourism. Gradually build a team of tourism staff with good qualities, high professional skills, proficiency in foreign languages, and good communication skills to meet the development requirements of the industry in the process of international economic integration.

Raising community awareness of tourism activities such as: opening classes integrating education on resources and environment into tourism training programs at all levels. Focusing on raising environmental awareness for staff, tourists and the community. Proper training will create the right attitude and high responsibility for the country and the people for staff. A team of staff with professional qualifications and a deep understanding of culture and environment is an important factor that plays a decisive role in ensuring sustainable tourism development.

3.3.4. Raising awareness of local communities and tourists

Tourism will not last long if it is not developed sustainably. To develop tourism sustainably, it requires not only experts but also local communities to have understanding, to join hands in exploiting and protecting tourism resources.

A change in consciousness will lead to a corresponding change in behavior and attitude. The long-term goal of sustainable tourism must be clearly defined. Sustainable development of tourism can only be achieved when growth is qualitative, not quantitative. Qualitative growth of tourism will ensure a harmonious combination of economic benefits with the protection of the natural environment and the maintenance of social benefits and values in the process.

tourism development process. Strictly adhere to the principles of sustainable development.

It is necessary to propagate in many forms to change and further raise awareness in the whole society about the importance and necessity of tourism development and responsibility for innovation and development of tourism to truly become a spearhead economic sector in the process of industrialization and modernization. Gradually implement socialization of tourism education to raise awareness of tourism and sustainable tourism, meet the growth needs of the tourism industry, and form a healthy tourism environment. Promote education for the whole population to maintain a civilized lifestyle, raise vigilance in maintaining security and social safety; build a cultured communication and behavior style to contribute to creating a beautiful image of Phu Quoc people, contributing to affirming the position of Phu Quoc tourism in the tourism development strategy of the whole country.

3.3.5. Diversify and improve the quality of typical products

Maintaining and developing the diversity of nature, culture and society is the survival support of the tourism industry, contributing to the sustainable development of tourism. With the trend of globalization and trade liberalization, including tourism liberalization, tourism products increasingly require high quality and reasonable prices. It is necessary to encourage all intellectual potential to develop high quality products with maximum diversity and little duplication to avoid facing unequal competition and be able to maintain a relative monopoly.

It is necessary to conduct an accurate investigation and assessment of the current status of the province's main tourism products and untapped potentials. The investigation results are a solid basis for developing a feasible plan to create high-quality, distinctive tourism products that are competitive in the domestic and international markets. Conduct an assessment, classification and ranking of hotels and service systems according to industry standards, on that basis, propose specific regulations on amenities and service quality in hotels and restaurants. Attract and encourage investment in concentrated entertainment venues and areas. Encourage tourism businesses to expand many types of tourism to create more diversity and attractiveness of tourism products.

For traditional craft villages: Pepper and fish sauce are two prominent specialties in Phu Quoc. The model of growing pepper and processing fish sauce not only provides goods for tourism but also combines with the type of tourism visiting traditional craft villages. Therefore, it is necessary to build a model

The model links tourist routes to visit and learn about fish sauce production models, sim wine, pepper growing and processing... combined with product introduction and commercialization.

It is necessary to develop policies to support, encourage and develop traditional craft villages. Limit mass production, not registering business licenses, not ensuring the quality of craft village products. Establish associations to protect the brand of local specialty products that are increasingly affirming their names (fish sauce, sim wine, pepper, Phu Quoc dog...) in domestic and foreign markets.

Organize for tourists to participate in cooking traditional dishes, take advantage of available seafood resources at food and beverage establishments, and combine tours so that tourists have the opportunity to have fun and remember memories here.

3.3.6. Brand building, promotion and advertising of tourism

Marketing advertising is always an important activity for tourism development. Tourists cannot survey and check the type of tourism before buying, consumers come to the types of tourism, tourism products and "consume it right at the source". Therefore, it is necessary to have an investment plan, publish audio-visual publications such as CDs, VCDs, pictures to promote and introduce the history of cultural relics, scenic spots. Especially in the current information age, opening a tourism website and maintaining its operation is the most effective form of tourism promotion.

Tourism promotion should focus on providing accurate and clear information on practical issues such as room rates, transportation, food, accommodation and visa requirements to increase visitor satisfaction, help them improve their understanding, increase their appreciation and respect for local culture and environment. Incomplete and inaccurate information will create misunderstanding and frustration for visitors. This can lead to criticism and intolerance towards local communities.

Phu Quoc is promoting programs such as " Fascinated by wild nature "; " Fascinated by sunny paradise" , tourism promotion strategies with the goal of:

Diversify promotional channels, research, build and maintain 5 tourism websites with rich and reliable information sources. Invest heavily in access so that these sites are always in the top 10 on domain name search sites on the internet.

Organize exhibitions and fairs to introduce Phu Quoc to large markets. Continue to print the name of Phu Quoc island in the Guide Book about tourism programs of foreign travel agencies. Travel companies need to have a strategy to allocate a significant portion of their profits from business to promote and introduce in European, Asian, American, African countries...

Have a strategy to improve the capacity of the leadership team, organize seminars on tourism marketing to research the market and forms of tourism promotion for officials and businesses participating in those activities.

3.3.7.Building close links with economic sectors

Tourism cannot develop " alone" but must be closely coordinated with other economic sectors and social aspects. Only then can tourism products be diversified, investment capital be attracted and tourism quality be developed increasingly high. To do that, it is necessary to:

Build a model combined with sightseeing tours such as: Phu Quoc - Ha Tien

– Chau Doc; Phu Quoc – Rach Gia – Can Tho; Phu Quoc – Saigon; Phu Quoc – Singapore....

Phu Quoc's specialty products are pepper and fish sauce, and currently need to have a development plan with a model: this is a tourist attraction for the type of craft village tour, but at the same time provides goods for tourism. Thus, this combination not only creates a rich variety of tourism types and tourism products, but also promotes the development of industry, agriculture...

3.3.8. Strongly reform management mechanisms and preferential policies for tourism

There must be policy mechanisms to encourage the exploitation of resources and the environment to develop tourism in a reasonable manner, both for socio-economic development and to ensure the sustainability of the natural environment. Both over-exploitation and prohibition of exploitation should be opposed.

There must be a mechanism and policy of rewards and punishments for the exploitation of natural resources for tourism purposes by individuals and groups that do well and vice versa. It is necessary to build a synchronous policy mechanism to encourage the exploitation of tourism potential; create a favorable environment for all economic sectors to invest in tourism development on the principle that the State must control and not let things float.

Investment mechanism and policy: on the basis of law and the actual situation of the locality, creating conditions for domestic and foreign economic sectors, entities with the right to use land and tourism resources to directly or indirectly coordinate in exploiting and investing in tourism business without being limited to specialized industries. There should be incentive policies to ensure capital safety for investors and simplify administrative procedures. Priority tax exemption and reduction policies for projects and areas that need investment encouragement. Compensation and site clearance policies for investment projects. One of the most important contents of this policy mechanism is to ensure fairness and harmonize interests in the process of investment and business exploitation between investors, entities managing and using tourism resources and local communities to ensure unity in the management and exploitation of tourism resources according to the plan.

3.3.9. Environmental protection for sustainable development

Tourism development will have many positive impacts on socio-economic life and improve the quality of life of the people. However, tourism development, like many other economic sectors, has positive and negative impacts on resources and the environment. Research to find solutions to overcome the negative impacts of tourism activities on environmental resources is a necessary and important issue to ensure sustainable tourism development.

For the natural environment : It is necessary to overcome negative impacts such as waste from tourist areas. The basic measure is to organize waste collection and treatment systems for tourist areas and tourist attractions. Strictly carry out environmental impact assessments of projects applying appropriate technologies to treat and minimize pollution. Overcome the reduction of biodiversity such as indiscriminate deforestation to build service facilities, hunting wild animals to serve tourists or tourists themselves. The remedy is to regularly propagate and educate people about environmental protection in the project area, in the buffer zone of the national park. Right in each tourist area, develop regulations on environmental protection for tourist areas and tourist attractions and encourage local residents to cooperate in environmental protection, promulgate regulations and strictly handle violations that reduce biodiversity.

There needs to be close coordination between departments and branches such as: Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Department of Commerce - Tourism, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of the district, in combination with the province to develop a program to monitor the implementation of environmental laws, waste management and treatment, mobilize and guide businesses, organizations, and people to register to comply with environmental standards, participate in inspection and supervision of compliance with the Environmental Law and regulations related to the industry.

For the human environment : Tourism activities have negative impacts on the human environment in some issues such as the population structure has changed in both composition and gender, immigration is a common phenomenon in tourist destinations, tourist areas, social order will be more complicated; social norms and social ethics are easily changed, social evils are easily increased; culture is affected, cultural hybridization is likely to occur, imitating elements that are not suitable for local culture; prices of goods increase; arbitrary services affect tourists' psychology. The solution is to coordinate with localities and related sectors, economic sectors participating in tourism activities, strengthen inspection and control of security, order, and environmental sanitation at tourist destinations. Besides, it also solves other social problems such as social evils, beggars, lottery ticket sellers, touting and attracting customers... and thoroughly solves the problem of urban environmental sanitation.

Establish a specialized department to manage and develop Phu Quoc's tourism resources. Quickly plan, develop resources, upgrade, and restore architecture and historical relics of high cultural value. It is possible to invite tourism experts and organize scientific research topics on the environment and tourism resources of the province to harmoniously combine development requirements with environmental and resource conservation.

3.4.Some recommendations

For Phu Quoc District People's Committee, Kien Giang Provincial People's Committee needs to issue consistent policies and have effective implementation measures. The immediate issues are the development of infrastructure for tourism such as: reviewing slow-construction projects, suspended projects to speed up progress; soon come up with development plans suitable to the district's tourism potential.

For tourism management agencies from provincial to district levels, they should boldly propose to the Provincial People's Committee plans to build island tourism brands. Plans to exploit tourist destinations on the basis of not destroying the natural landscape environment.

For local people: As beneficiaries of tourism development such as infrastructure systems, increased job opportunities, and improved living conditions, local people need to change to adapt, but must preserve their local culture. In particular, each local person must truly be a "tour guide" in the eyes of tourists.

Borrowing the words of Mr. Michael W. Fox, president of tourism and tourism industry consulting firm Michael Fox Associates, in place of the author's recommendation, " If we want to develop Phu Quoc tourism, we must start with the people" , from the people doing planning and management work to the local people participating in tourism activities, everyone must have a new perspective, I think that is the key to the problem that Phu Quoc island district needs to solve.

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