"We are optimistic that the target can be achieved. Last year 35,150 out of the targeted 35,000 tourism workers were certified," the Assistant Deputy for Tourism Human Resources Development to the Tourism Minister, Dr. Wisnu Bawa Tarunajaya, stated on Saturday.
To achieve the target of 65,000 certified tourism workers, the ministry will conduct competency tests on 27,000 tourism workers across the country, he said.
Tourism colleges and vocational schools have also been set up across Indonesia to conduct competency tests on between 8,000 and 20,000 tourism workers, he added.
"We will give tourism colleges with the status of profession certification institutions (LPS) the opportunity to certify 10,000 tourism workers" said Tarunajaya.
He further mentioned that only 10 out of 120 tourism colleges in Indonesia have LPS status.
"We want to encourage the tourism colleges that do not have LPS status to improve the quality of their graduates," he added.
Some of the tourism colleges with LPS status are found in Bali, including STP Bali Nusa Dua and STPBI Denpasar.
The government has set a target of attracting 15 million foreign tourists to Indonesia this year. (*)
Editor: Heru Purwanto
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