FOREWORD
Welcome to the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement (MRA) on Tourism Professionals
Handbook. MRA is an arrangement among ASEAN countries designed to facilitate the free
movement and employment of qualified and certified personnel between ASEAN Member
States.
MRAs for tourism qualifications are seen as one essential requirement of the ASEAN
Community as stated in the Bali Concord II at the Ninth ASEAN Summit (2003) calling for
completion of Mutual Recognition Arrangements for qualifications in major professional
services by 2008 and confirmed through the Cebu Declaration on the Establishment of the
ASEAN Community by 2015 adopted at the 12th ASEAN Summit in January 2007.
The objectives of the Arrangement are to facilitate mobility of Tourism Professionals, to
exchange information on best practices in competency-based education and training for
Tourism Professionals, and to provide opportunities for cooperation and capacity building
across ASEAN Member States.
Purpose of Handbook
The Handbook has been produced as an essential reference to the key policies, processes
and implementation guidelines for National Tourism Organizations (NTOs) in ASEAN. It can
be disseminated to staff within NTOs who are responsible for manpower planning, HRD,
training and qualifications.
It is hoped the Handbook will be useful in preparing each ASEAN NTO in implementing the
MRA for Tourism Professionals, answering questions about the mobility of skilled labour in
ASEAN Member States and in ensuring the essential systems, processes and qualifications