Siem Reap province

TOURISM Minister Thong Khon is set to preside over the signing of an agreement today allowing the Paul Dubrule Hotel and Tourism School to take over the training of tour guides in Siem Reap province.

The memorandum of understanding, intended to be effective for at least two years, will be signed by Sdoeung Sokhom, an undersecretary of state at the ministry.

Negotiations for the agreement date back to January, when the ministry approached the school asking for a proposal for the training, which has previously been handled by the ministry.

Thong Khon said that under the old arrangement, tour guides were usually required to complete three-month courses.

He said the Paul Dubrule school was chosen as a private-sector training partner because it has a “good background and [is an] outstanding school”.

Gerald Hougardy, the school’s director, said the agreement would call for it to “prepare, train and certify the next batch of tourism guide trainees, starting in mid-October with the first group of 50 students”.

He added that details of the training programme have not been fully finalised, and that two international tourism experts from France will arrive in Siem Reap in early October to consult on final preparations for the programme and to help with its launch.