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Lanith’s “Passport to Success” skills training programme has pulled in the coveted Pacific Asia Travel Association’s (PATA) Grand Award for Education and Training for 2012, and will receive the prize at a ceremony during the PATA Annual Conference in Kuala Lumpur on 21 April.
This year, PATA presented Grand Awards for its four primary categories – education and training, marketing, environment, and heritage and culture – to outstanding entries for its 23 annual Gold Awards, which recognize achievements in a range of sub-sections.
“This award recognises that local trainers can effectively teach international-level tourism and hospitality skills to their own country’s staff, who have low levels of expertise,” said Passport to Success architect Mike Loose, Lanith’s Technical Advisor, Industry Training.
He added, “This is an achievement for all of Lao tourism and its people, including the Lanith core team, Luxembourg Development which is funding the project, Passport to Success participants, and the country’s education system.”
Lanith Chief Technical Advisor Peter Semone said, “What makes this PATA Grand Award particularly gratifying is that we took an idea and turned it into an operational reality in about a year.”
Mr Loose noted that the achievement awards system built into the Passport to Success’s module-based programme plays a crucial role in motivating its participants, and stressed that only those who prove their competence in a skill receive “Statements of Attainment”.
He also stressed that the PATA Grand Award is a testament to the Passport to Success’s internationally trained, dedicated core teaching team, who are training enthusiastic hospitality staff, many with limited knowledge, and lifting their skill levels to international standards.
Core team trainer, Vilasa Chanthalangsy, pointed out the need for flexibility in his teaching approach. “The food and beverage staff in Luang Prabang have the basic knowledge. They know how to take orders and set tables, but they lack skills in new techniques, so I need to build on the skills they have to show them how to work better.”
However, for a less-developed province like Xieng Khouang, he needed to work harder. “They have never seen proper F&B methods before, and taking training modules in the Passport to Success was very exciting for them. They want to know why we do things like set tables in a certain way, and they learn fast.”
Chounlachan “Nickie” Phengdy, another core team member, agreed. “Passport participants are eager to learn and highly motivated…They like to exchange experiences and try to come up with solutions.”
Mr Semone pointed out that Lanith’s Passport to Success will not rest on this laurel. “We are continuing to create more three-to-four-day modules with accompanying videos, we’ve broken ground on the Lanith Restaurant and Inn in Luang Prabang as part of a Passport to Success training facility, and we are even stepping outside the travel industry due to diverse demand.”
He also noted interest in the Passport to Success programme from other countries including Myanmar and Cape Verde in Africa. “The beauty of the Passport to Success is that it can be adapted to the natural hospitality of any culture.”
The awards have long been supported and sponsored by the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO). MGTO Director Mr Joao Manuel Costa Antunes said, “Our applause goes to all the winners for their remarkable achievements…It is no easy task for the judges to determine the winners, given the number and quality of the entries…who have done their best in the sustainable development and promotion of the travel and tourism industry.”
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