Guide to ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals (MRA) – Handbook

This Handbook has been produced as an essential reference to the key policies, processes and implementation guidelines for the MRA – TP, and is provided for National Tourism Organizations in ASEAN. It can be disseminated to staff within NTOs who are responsible for manpower planning, HRD, training and qualifications. In order for a Foreign Tourism Professional to be recognised by other ASEAN Member States and to be eligible to work in a host country, they will need to possess a valid tourism competency certificate in a specific tourism job title as specified in the Common ASEAN Tourism Curriculum (CATC), issued by the Tourism Professional Certification Board (TPCB) in an ASEAN Member State. It is important to recognise that while the MRA on Tourism Professionals will be active, the application and implementation by the various tourism educational and training providers in each country will be voluntary. This is especially true in terms of quality of instruction, evaluation and standards of curriculum development.