Human resources development and planning for tourism: Case studies from PR China and Malaysia

This study is primarily concerned with developing countries' tourism human capital issues within the context of planning and policy formation. The main purpose is to investigate the hosts' capacity to take part in tourism development and to examine the adequacy of attention to tourism's human resources as elucidated in tourism plans. It is questioned whether the tourism policies and plans have given enough prominence to tourism's labour requirements, while aggressively and consistently pursuing tourism growth.;A review of literature provides a discussion on appropriate tourism planning approaches, identifies the extent to which tourism plans consider the role of human resources and addresses problems associated with a chronic shortage of skilled workforce in developing countries that hinders tourism growth. Contested views concerning tourism and the relative merits of tourism employment in a developing economy are also discussed.;Based on the literature, conceptual considerations concerning human resources development for tourism are arranged in a policy-industry-locality schema, involving: (1) broad tourism policy issues and tourism plan priorities; (2) the associated common tourism employment concerns pertaining to a developing economy and the nature of the locals' participation; and (3) the nature and availability of tourism education and training opportunities. An understanding of developing nations' tourism human resources is pursued through an exploration of the locals' involvement in tourism from multiple perspectives (e.g., political-economy, culture and ethnicity). Illustrations are drawn from case studies conducted in Hainan Province, PR China and Kedah State, Malaysia to exemplify some of the complex facets of tourism as a development strategy and to provide examples of mechanisms employed by the governments to mitigate daunting demands for tourism personnel.;Results indicate that, given the dynamisms of tourism, tourism employment should be placed in a broader context embracing issues of culture, religion, ethnicity, and ideology. Research findings indicate there is a need to give more adequate attention to tourism's human resources issues. Human resources development is often addressed inadequately in tourism policies and plans. It is found that limitations of local benefits from tourism arise due to human resource shortages. Skill deficits and even unfamiliarity with tourism are common obstacles preventing the locals from participating in and benefiting from tourism. It is also revealed that, while tourism has been integrated into national social and economic plans, the efforts in human resources development for tourism have been generally limited to cultivating personnel for hospitality needs and superficial in nature, situated in a narrow aim of "meeting tourist's satisfaction". Accumulation of tourism human capital is constrained by attempts to services standards and professionalism without sensitivity and an adequate adaptation to a local societal and cultural compatibility. To enhance developing countries' human resources development strategies for tourism, a more appropriate approach, catering to the quantity and variety of the required tourism workforce with an integrated continuum of employment progression opportunities for tourism workers, is outlined.