Tourism in Điện Biên has made significant progress, as evidenced by the increasing number of tourists year by year. In 2024, the number of tourists reached 1.85 million, 1.85 times higher than in 2023; among them, international visitors were estimated at 12,347, meeting 6.17% of the plan for the year, and increasing 1.41 times compared to 2023. Total tourism revenue reached over VND 3,321 billion, 1.9 times higher than in 2023.

However, the quality of the tourism workforce still faces many challenges. The number of workers in this sector accounts for only about 1% of the total labor force in the province. The workforce in tourism lacks professionalism, especially in management, skills, expertise, and foreign language proficiency, particularly for workers in tourism businesses. The percentage of workers with high technical qualifications is still limited, while untrained and low-skilled workers make up a large portion.

To address these limitations and develop sustainable tourism in Điện Biên, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has proposed comprehensive and effective solutions, focusing on improving the quality of human resources. Firstly, increasing awareness and responsibility among local authorities, businesses, and communities about the critical role of human resources in tourism development is essential. It is necessary to introduce career guidance programs starting from high school to encourage students to choose careers in tourism. Additionally, widely disseminating tourism laws, information about tourism products and destinations, and promoting civilized behavior in tourism activities will help form respectful habits among the public and individuals involved in the tourism sector.

Strengthening state management of tourism human resources is also crucial. It is necessary to reinforce and improve the capacity of tourism management staff. Annual training and development plans should be implemented, and cross-sectoral coordination should be strengthened. Surveys on labor skills and the relationship between supply and demand for tourism workers will help create training plans based on actual needs. Furthermore, cooperation with other provinces and international organizations for experience exchange and staff training is a strategic direction.

Additionally, the improvement of policies supporting tourism human resources is important. Policies should be developed to honor individuals and organizations that contribute positively to building a high-quality workforce. Support for training institutions and instructors should be prioritized, alongside the inspection and evaluation of training quality. Special policies for rural and mountainous laborers, such as tuition reductions, ensuring employment after training, and attracting young people to the tourism industry, should be in place. Điện Biên should collaborate closely with central ministries and international organizations to promote training and vocational education, and attract skilled experts in the tourism field.

Moreover, the focus should be on professionalizing the workforce to meet the growing demands of tourists. Emphasis should be placed on developing local human resources while attracting high-quality external labor. The creation of a local tour guide team and training essential skills for local residents to participate in community-based tourism is important. It is also necessary to invest in infrastructure and equipment for vocational training centers and tourism training institutions in the province. Strengthening the collaboration between schools and businesses during the training process, encouraging companies to provide training programs, and regularly organizing skill improvement programs for industry workers, especially tour guides, are crucial steps.

At the same time, promoting socialization in tourism workforce training and development activities is vital. Mobilizing resources from businesses and social organizations and expanding the network of vocational tourism training in companies is very important. Enhancing cooperation and encouraging training institutions and businesses to invest in training activities and participate in networks will help develop the tourism workforce.

With these efforts and directions, Điện Biên expects a promising future for tourism, where the quality of human resources is elevated to meet all the demands of tourists, helping tourism become a key economic sector, create stable jobs, and improve the living standards of local people.