Lack of skilled manpower key challenge for tourism sector

Although the tourism and hospitality management industry in Bangladesh is expanding fast, the lack of a skilled workforce is the key challenge right now, stakeholders said yesterday.

"Bangladesh has huge potential in this sector. It has already focused on creating connectivity and several residential infrastructure and tourism places," said Mohiuddin Helal, chairman of the Tourism and Hospitality Industry Skills Council.

"So, there is no alternative to creating skilled manpower to cope with the challenge," he said.

Many types of workers, including tour guides, travel agents, restaurant personnel, hotel staff and chefs are needed to boost the sector.

"If we want to attract more domestic and foreign tourists, we have to ensure proper management through skilled manpower."

"If we want to attract more domestic and foreign tourists, we have to ensure proper management through skilled manpower."

Helal made the comments at a seminar titled "Future Skills, Jobs and Entrepreneurship in Tourism" at the Bangabandhu International Conference Center on the last day of the three-day 10th Asian Tourism Fair.

Parjatan Bichitra organised the fair, where 150 tourism companies from various countries, including Bangladesh, India, China, Nepal, Thailand, Sri Lanka, Vietnam and Dubai, participated.

Helal went on to say that some public and private universities in Bangladesh had opened academic departments on tourism and hospitality management.

"Still, we could not utilise this graduated manpower," he said.

Helal, also chairman of the Asian Tourism Fair and editor of Parjatan Bichitra, suggested designing academic courses with proper correlation.

Alongside local demand, Bangladesh has the potential to export skilled manpower abroad and earn huge amounts of foreign currency, he said.

"In this regard, proper training certification is needed."

Lamenting a scenario in a hotel in Malaysia, Helal said he witnessed Bangladeshi workers being deprived. "Although Bangladeshi workers were more skilled, they were getting almost half of the salary compared to others due to a lack of certification," he said.

At the event, Mohammed Ali, sous chef at Biman Flight Catering Centre of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said ensuring safe and healthy food on the dining table was a major challenge in the tourism sector.

After removing barriers related to foreign languages and building confidence, Bangladeshi workers can perform on global platforms, he said.

Md Anwrul Hoque, director of planning and industry linkage at the National Skill Development Authority, said they were coordinating several training programmes targeting the tourism sector.

On the last day of the fair, a number of visitors were seen browsing various packages, discounts and offers tailored for both business-to-business (B2B) enterprises and tourists.

"I came to the fair to get updated information about Umrah," said Abdus Sukur Howlader, a visitor who came from the Fakirapool area in the capital.

"According to my academic assignment, I participated in the fair and availed a lot of information from here," said Abul Hossain Sohel, a student of Tourism and Hospitality at the Daffodil International University.

The fair was open for visitors from 10:00am until 7:00pm every day. The entry fee was Tk 30. However, students enjoyed free admission through online registration.