On 15 August 2019, the Thalias Assessment Centre for Food Production was inaugurated in Phnom Penh, established by the partnership between Thalias Co. Ltd., ASSIST Mekong, and the National Committee for Tourism Professionals (NCTP) of the Ministry of Tourism. Tourism is widely considered one of the priority sectors in Cambodia and the ASEAN Economic Community. With the number of international visitors expected to surge from seven million in 2019 to 15 million in 2030, Cambodia’s tourism and hospitality sector must employ more than double the current number of professionals.
Understanding the challenge to address the shortage of human resources in the tourism and hospitality industries as well as the prevalent skills gap, the Thalias Assessment Centre for Food Production aims to ensure that Cambodia’s rapidly expanding hospitality workforce is composed of skilled professionals whose competencies may be formally developed, certified, and recognized within the country and abroad. Starting with a small pool of trainers, assessors, and food production professionals, the program aims to create a wave of new talents that can maximize the impact by passing on their learnings and fostering an exponential rise in skills development, recognition, and professionalism.
Arnaud Darc, CEO of Thalias, said: “These tourism professionals are at the frontline of Cambodia’s relationship with the world, and this initiative is an important step for fostering and promoting the skills and professionalism Cambodia needs to complement the warmth and grace of its already infamous welcome. I believe this initiative will create a rising tide of competence and confidence that will benefit all stakeholders of this industry, whether they are hospitality service providers, training schools, or indeed, our growing number of guests and tourists.”
