Hospitality, tourism staff train in Singapore

Lao trainees attend a farewell reception hosted by the Singaporean Ambassador to Laos.

The Singapore Embassy to Laos on Friday hosted a farewell reception in honour of 15 members of the Lao National Tourism Administration (LNTA)’s core team of hospitality and tourism teachers.

According to a press release issued by LNTA, the group departed to Singapore on Saturday for a two-year course of study at the Tourism Academy @ Sentosa, leading to a diploma in hospitality and tourism business.

The LNTA is boosting the skills of 15 of its core team members to prepare them to serve as administrators and teachers at the National Tourism and Hospitality Training Centre, which is slated to open in January 2012.

“The centre will serve as a centre of excellence for education and training in the hospitality and tourism industry with the overarching goal of strengthening human resource capacity in this fast growing sector of the national economy,” the press release said. Funding and implementation assistance for the project is being provided by the government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg under the auspices of Lux-Development.

“This is the culmination of a year of hard work by many people,” said LNTA National Project Director Veunxay Malavong, speaking at the reception.

Mr Veunxay said the core team was selected from a candidate pool of more than 200 people in November 2008. Since then, the group has undertaken intensive in-country training as well as spending the last three months in Diekirch, Luxembourg, at the Lycée Technique Hôtelier Alexis Heck., honing their skills in cookery and food and beverage service.

“The project is making a large investment in ensuring that the core team is trained to the highest international standards available,” said Mr Veunxay.

He said the students should use this opportunity wisely and consider how best they could use the skills they learned in Singapore on their return to Laos.

“You should use this chance to learn as much as you can, not only in your work, but also about Singaporean culture. It is the best opportunity you will have. The knowledge you gain will be of great help to you and to Laos,” he said.

The group was welcomed by Ambassador of Singapore to Laos, Mr Jeyaraj Benjamin William. He cautioned that the differences in lifestyle and new teaching methods may pose challenges, but he believed they would succeed and prove to be good representatives of their country.

“I am delighted to see this group of promising young Lao people heading to Singapore to embark on long term studies,” he said.

“Upon their return to Laos in two years they will no doubt make a great contribution to the emerging hospitality and tourism sector in this country and to the development of human resources.”

Mr William encouraged them to share in Singaporean traditions and culture to strengthen the ties between the two countries.

Source : Vientiane Times - September 21, 2009 - Article by Phaisythong Chandara