Phnom Penh, Cambodia: On the morning of 26 October 2026, H.E. Pak Sokhom, Secretary of State and Chairperson of the HoKa Project Management Committee of the Ministry of Tourism; Dr. Daniel Nugraha, Country Director of Swisscontact; and Ms. Saroeun Leakena, National Coordinator of the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED), presided over the opening ceremony of HoKa Skills Day 2026, held at Sokha Phnom Penh Hotel & Residence. The event was organised under the theme “Skills for a Shared Future: Strengthening the Competencies of Tourism Professionals Through Lifelong Learning.”
The ceremony was attended by approximately 350 participants, including Excellencies and senior officials from the Ministry of Tourism; representatives of the Ministry of Labour and Vocational Training; Deputy Governors of the capital and provinces; distinguished guest speakers; civil servants from the Ministry of Tourism; leaders and officials from the capital and provincial tourism departments; representatives of tourism vocational training institutions; ASEAN Master Trainers and ASEAN Master Assessors; representatives of Swisscontact; tourism industry associations; and tourism businesses.
In his opening remarks, H.E. Pak Sokhom stated that the HoKa Project Management Committee was established on 14 August 2020, in accordance with the spirit of the Memorandum of Understanding signed between the Ministry of Tourism and Swisscontact on 5 August 2020. The Committee subsequently continued implementing the third phase of the HoKa Skills Development Programme for 2024–2028, following the official launch of the programme’s third phase on 9 December 2024. The launch ceremony was presided over by H.E. Huot Hak, Minister of Tourism, together with Mr. Reto Grueninger, Director of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), and Mr. Pius Frick, representative of the Liechtenstein Development Service (LED).
The Ministry of Tourism places strong emphasis on education, vocational training, and human resource development in the tourism sector. In this regard, the Ministry has introduced the “One Employee, One Skill” campaign, which is incorporated into the Tourism Human Resource Development Strategic Plan. The initiative focuses on both the quantity and quality of the tourism workforce to ensure that its competencies and capacities respond effectively to the evolving needs of tourism sector development.
To contribute to the implementation of this strategic direction, the HoKa Project Management Committee is also developing the HoKa Training Roadmap 2024–2028 as a key mechanism for advancing professional skills development. The roadmap focuses on six priority programmes:
1. Tourism Skills and Labour Market Needs Analysis: Assessing skills requirements and workforce demand in the tourism sector.
2. Demand-Driven Training Promotion: Expanding training opportunities and developing programmes that respond to labour market needs.
3. Training Quality Enhancement and Trainer Development: Improving the quality of vocational training and strengthening the competencies of trainers.
4. Private Sector and Stakeholder Partnerships: Strengthening collaboration with the private sector and relevant stakeholders.
5. Vocational Skills Promotion Among Young People: Raising awareness of vocational skills and promoting their value among younger generations.
6. Development of National Tourism Occupational Qualifications: Establishing and strengthening national occupational qualifications for tourism professions.
Furthermore, the Ministry of Tourism is promoting the alignment of HoKa training programmes with the Cambodia Qualifications Framework (CQF). This initiative aims to ensure that the skills and competencies individuals acquire through formal training and practical work experience can be formally recognised, thereby supporting professional development, enhancing workforce mobility, and contributing to the improvement of service quality and professional standards across Cambodia’s tourism sector.
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