Hanoi, 28 October 2026 – Today, the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development (ST4SD) project and the School of Tourism at Phenikaa University co-hosted the workshop “Tourism and Hospitality Competencies in a Changing Context: Sustainable Practices and Global Adaptability”. The event welcomed participants from the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, the Vietnam Tourism Association, the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the donor agency – the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), alongside various experts and business owners operating in the tourism sector across the Northern region.
Vietnam’s tourism industry is currently facing a significant paradox: despite its abundant development potential, it is constrained by a severe shortage of highly qualified management personnel. Reality shows that up to 85% of employees in the sector require retraining in basic skills, and 100% of surveyed 4- and 5- star hotels affirm an urgent need for in-depth training.
Faced with this reality, alongside the increasing demands for digital transformation and sustainable tourism development, standardizing and enhancing the capacity of management personnel has become an urgent task. A key solution highlighted is the close coordination between international projects, educational institutions, and the business community. This is considered the critical key to resolving the bottleneck in high-quality human resources, thereby helping Vietnam’s tourism industry boost its global competitiveness.
To address these challenges, the workshop provided a practical dialogue forum to bridge the gap between labor market requirements and current training activities. Participants analyzed new vocational competency requirements from the perspectives of policy, business, and international standards, evaluated gaps in current training methods, and sought solutions to promote sustainable practices and expand practical learning environments.
A major highlight of the workshop was the collaborative orientation and the expansion of the Swiss Executives Hospitality Training Program (Swiss EHT Program). This is a high-level education program designed for management staff in Vietnamese hospitality enterprises. The program is funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) and has been developed and transferred by EHL Hospitality Business School, the globally ranked No. 1 institution for hospitality management.
With a commitment to go alongside Vietnam in its sustainable economic development, the Swiss Government, through the donor agency SECO and the ST4SD project, brings a long-term vision to share the premier standards of Swiss hospitality. This support aims to help Vietnam enhance the quality of its human resources, meeting international standards to build a comprehensive and sustainable tourism industry.
Mr. Olivier Messmer, Team Leader of the ST4SD project, stated: “The Swiss EHT Program is designed not only to elevate management skills to international standards but also to deeply integrate sustainability principles into practical operations. Expanding our collaboration with prestigious educational institutions is a crucial step for us to enhance the program’s sustainability, bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application, and contribute to building a generation of dynamic, highly adaptable hospitality leaders committed to sustainable development in Vietnam.”
Assoc. Prof. Dr. TS Đỗ Anh Tài, Vice Rector of the School of Tourism, Phenikaa University shared: “We hope to have the opportunity to participate in the Swiss EHT program through the ST4SD project, effectively integrating it into the training programs at Phenikaa. We highly value the application potential of the Swiss EHT training model, not only for the university and our students but also to spread and deploy it extensively across the Northern market. This will thereby solve the shortage of high-level management personnel for the tourism industry in the region.”
Launched in early 2025, Swiss EHT delivers certification that carries international recognition through a flexible hybrid learning model (70-80% online convenience, 20-30% in-person networking and practice). The program is structured into condensed 1-month learning cycles, revolving around three main blocks: Service Excellence, Sustainable Operations, and People and Leadership. This flexible learning structure is perfectly suited for current working professionals and students wanting to upskill into management, and SMEs looking to improve service quality.
Starting in Ho Chi Minh City—through a collaboration with the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism—and Da Nang with four initial educational partners (Van Lang University, Saigon Tourism College, National Economics University, and IBH Academy), the program is proving its strong impact. Currently, Swiss EHT continues to expand partnerships with the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Hue Tourism College, and Hue University of Economics, while reaching out to localities such as Khanh Hoa, Lam Dong, An Giang, Ca Mau, Vinh Long, and Hue City. To date, the program has successfully trained a total of more than 650 participants, making a practical contribution to the goal of elevating Vietnam’s tourism service quality.
Background Information:
The Swiss Executives Hospitality Training Program (Swiss EHT Program) is a high-level education program designed for management staff in Vietnamese hospitality enterprises. The program provides Vietnam’s future hospitality leaders and managers with the tools to deliver exceptional service while maintaining a commitment to sustainability.
This executive hospitality training program is provided by the Swiss Tourism for Sustainable Development (ST4SD) project, funded by the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO), with the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism acting as the project owner. It is part of the economic development cooperation program of Switzerland for Viet Nam. The training has been developed and transferred by the EHL Hospitality Business School, ranking No. 1 institution for hospitality management worldwide.