Ho Chi Minh City launches Swiss-backed training to tackle tourism labor gap

The Swiss Executive Hospitality Training (Swiss EHT) program, developed with the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development Project in Vietnam (ST4SD), will run from 2025 to 2027, the city's tourism department said.

"Behind the impressive numbers lies a serious problem: a shortage of skilled labor," said Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, deputy director of the department.

The program aims to train 400–500 workers from the city's tourism and hotel sector, combining online learning with practical sessions. 

The first classes are scheduled to begin in July.

Participants will include public tourism officials and staff from 3- to 5-star hotels, nominated by their employers.

The initiative includes support from Switzerland's EHL Hospitality Business School, one of the world's top-ranked hotel management institutions, which will issue internationally recognized certification.

Ho Chi Minh City attracted over six million international visitors in 2024, up 20 percent year-on-year. 

Domestic tourist numbers rose 8.6 percent to 38 million, with total tourism revenue reaching VND190 trillion ($7.3 billion).

The city aims to welcome 8.5 million international and 45 million domestic tourists in 2025, targeting VND260 trillion ($10 billion) in tourism revenue.