The "heart" of tourism is "thirsty" for manpower.

(QBĐT) - Phong Nha-Ke Bang is considered the "heart" of Quang Binh's tourism , attracting millions of visitors annually. The system of accommodation, restaurants, and tourism services is expanding rapidly, but behind this strong development lies a paradox: the workforce is not keeping pace with the development. The shortage of both the quantity and quality of human resources is causing businesses to struggle, directly impacting the visitor experience and the sustainable development of the local tourism industry.

1 worker, 20 businesses need them.

Contrary to the image of a bustling tourist destination, many restaurants and hotels in Phong Nha are currently struggling with staffing issues. Numerous businesses have posted job advertisements for months but still cannot find enough employees. Similarly, on Phong Nha tourism groups, it's easy to find job postings from hotels and restaurants in the area. While the demand for staff is high, job seekers remain uninterested or only work on a temporary basis.

According to data from the People's Committee of Phong Nha town (Bo Trach district), there are nearly 120 hotels and guesthouses with approximately 1,210 rooms, along with 160 restaurants, eateries, cafes, and beverage services in the area. During peak tourist season, a widespread shortage of manpower occurs, forcing many businesses to find various ways to maintain operations.

Ms. Nguyen Ngoc Phuong Anh, manager of Central Backpacker Hotel, shared: “From the beginning, we aimed to recruit stable staff, requiring employees to commit to working for at least one year, but the number of people who actually stay is not large. They come and go, few commit to long-term employment. Many only work for a few months and then quit, looking for other jobs or going abroad for work.”

The tourism workforce in Phong Nha is mainly composed of local people.

Mr. Mai Xuan Ngoc, manager of Phuong Nam Hotel, said that the shortage of tourism personnel is a common problem for most tourism establishments in the area. This situation is especially serious during peak season. “For every one worker needed, there are 20 businesses looking to hire. If that worker can communicate in English, that number can reach 25 companies willing to recruit. But finding someone with experience, good foreign language skills, and who wants to work here long-term is really difficult,” Mr. Ngoc affirmed.

The labor shortage has led many hotels and restaurants to offer higher-than-average salaries to retain staff, but even that doesn't guarantee long-term employment. "We recruit a few people, invest time and effort in training them, but after a short time, they quit. This isn't uncommon. Every peak season, we have to start the recruitment and training process all over again," Mr. Ngoc added.

Why are workers leaving?

Many business owners acknowledge that, in recent years, despite the increasingly vibrant tourism activities in the area, recruiting local labor has become increasingly difficult. One of the main reasons for the constant shortage of tourism personnel in Phong Nha is the seasonality of local tourism. The peak tourist season in Phong Nha only lasts from March to September each year, after which the number of visitors drops sharply. Unstable employment and uncertain income discourage many workers from committing to the tourism industry long-term. On the other hand, due to the seasonal nature of business, tourism establishments only recruit staff on a seasonal basis. The relationship between employees and businesses becomes loose and indifferent, lacking a sustainable bond.

The shortage of tourism personnel is a pressing issue in Phong Nha-Ke Bang. Without timely solutions, service quality will be affected, hindering sustainable tourism development. To ensure Phong Nha remains not only an attractive destination but also retains its workforce, the tourism industry needs a long-term human resources strategy and the development of diverse tourism products.

Furthermore, income levels in the tourism industry in Phong Nha remain quite modest. Currently, the average salary for workers in the industry ranges from 4-6 million VND per month. Meanwhile, working in major cities or through overseas employment can yield 15-20 million VND per month, or even higher. With such a large disparity, it's not surprising that many young workers decide to leave their hometowns to seek better opportunities. The mentality of "working abroad for a few years and then returning" is causing a decline in the workforce in Phong Nha. Those who go abroad for work often don't return to tourism, instead shifting to other professions with higher and more stable incomes. This is one of the main reasons why the tourism workforce problem in Phong Nha is becoming increasingly difficult to solve.

Ms. Phuong Anh frankly stated that, for the majority of local workers, working in the service industry is not a sustainable long-term option. Although businesses always set criteria and are willing to sign long-term contracts, most workers still consider this job only temporary, a short-term "stopover." This leads them to neglect improving their skills and expertise, even though, as Ms. Phuong Anh noted, the local workforce's strength lies in their diligence and hard work.

"Retaining" tourism workforce

Every year, the Department of Tourism (now the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism) and the People's Committee of Phong Nha town have collaborated with schools and vocational training institutions to organize training courses in tourism skills and English communication for local workers. Businesses also implement training activities for employees immediately upon recruitment. However, the quality of tourism human resources remains one of the limitations of Phong Nha-Ke Bang tourism. There is a lack of professionalism, vocational skills, and foreign language proficiency, while the development of the tourism environment places increasingly high demands.

According to representatives of many tourism businesses in Phong Nha, given the current shortage of tourism personnel, specific solutions are needed to retain workers. One important solution is to improve compensation and benefits. Relying solely on low salaries makes it difficult to compete with other destinations. Simultaneously, policies are needed to support workers during off-peak seasons, ensuring stable income so they can feel secure and committed. Furthermore, to reduce seasonality, the tourism industry needs to promote the development of year-round tourism products.

Dieu Huong

Source: https://www.baoquangbinh.vn/kinh-te/202504/trai-tim-du-lich-khat-nhan-luc-2225580/