Department of Tourism and Dusit Thani College Advance the Development of an English Proficiency Test for Tourism Professionals in Alignment with CEFR Standards 

The Department of Tourism has assigned Dusit Thani College to implement the activity for developing an English proficiency test for tourism professionals under the framework of the ASEAN Mutual Recognition Arrangement on Tourism Professionals: MRA on TP. The primary objective is to develop a standardized assessment instrument for measuring the English language proficiency of tourism professionals in alignment with the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages: CEFR, ASEAN competency standards, and the practical workplace contexts of the tourism and hospitality industry. 

Accordingly, the Department of Tourism scheduled a meeting to review the “Draft Test Blueprint for the English Proficiency Test and the Handbook for English Proficiency Level Assessment Based on CEFR Standards for Tourism Professionals” on 14 May 2026, from 09.00 to 16.00 hrs., at Meeting Room BB 203, 2nd Floor, Centara Life Government Complex Hotel & Convention Centre Chaeng Watthana, Bangkok. The opening ceremony was presided over by Mrs. Witchanee Wuthipong, Expert in Tourism Destination Development and Acting Director of the Tourism Personnel Standards Development Division. 

The meeting featured presentations on two key components: the “Draft Handbook for English Proficiency Level Assessment Based on CEFR Standards as a Guideline and Foundational Knowledge Resource for Tourism Professionals” and the “Draft Test Blueprint for the English Proficiency Test.” These were presented by the advisory working team from Dusit Thani College. The test structure and blueprint were developed by Arj. Chisa Kittiyanpanya, Associate Dean of the Language Centre, together with faculty members from the Language Centre of Dusit Thani College. 

The meeting also provided a platform for receiving comments and recommendations from experts and representatives of various organizations, including the Department of Skill Development, Thailand Professional Qualification Institute, language institutes from Thammasat University, Suan Dusit University, and Rangsit University, educational institutions, the Association of Thai Travel Agents (ATTA), and representatives from Thailand’s leading hotel and tourism industry. The purpose was to ensure that the draft handbook and test structure are accurate, comprehensive, and practically applicable. 

The expected outcome of this meeting is to obtain constructive comments and recommendations from experts and relevant stakeholders, which will be used to further refine the draft handbook and test blueprint. The revised documents will subsequently serve as a framework for developing a test item bank comprising 1,500 items, with the aim of supporting personnel development, English competency assessment, and the certification of tourism personnel under the ASEAN MRA on TP framework.