Regional Association News (Local government news, laws etc.)

MALAYSIA:

Traditional Complementary Medicine Act - is expected to be tabled in Parliament soon. With this in view, the Traditional Complementary Medicine (TCM) Department of the Ministry of Health gave a briefing to AMSPA members and fellow spa industry players on the TCM Act. With this Act, therapists must be properly certified to practice. Therapists found to be working without a Certification of Practice, will be fined and Spas found to have therapists that working without a Certification are likely to loose their license.

Retreat organised by Tourism Malaysia - July 2007 - a retreat is being organised at the end of the month by Tourism Malaysia in Cherating where representatives of the Spa Industry can bring out each and every grievance that is hampering the spa industry. The Head of various Government Departments, namely Tourism Malaysia, City Hall, Immigration, Police and other related regulatory bodies are expected to be present. This retreat is organised for the benefit of spa operators by bringing together Government Department and Officials and spa operators in order to discuss various regulations that are posting difficulties to operators and are hampering the healthy growth of the spa industry.

PHILIPPINES:

Presidential Decree - On 24 April this year President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo of the Philippines declared "October 2007 and each year thereafter Health and Wellness Tourism Month." This is an important commitment to tourism in the Philippines, most especially in the spa and wellness arena.

Hilot Massage Definition - SAPI has been meeting intensively with various government agencies (the Dept of Trade, Dept of Health, TESDA etc) and the various Hilot experts to make a definitive description of the benefits and treatment content of Hilot Massage. This will be used in all overseas marketing and is an effort that will be mirrored by the work that will be done in coming months by the Traditional Therapies sub-group of the Professionalisation Task Force.

SINGAPORE:

Workforce Competency Mapping for the Spa Industry - The Singapore government is embarking on the next stage of their national, industry-wide competency mapping exercise, this time in the spa industry. They have appointed a consultant partner to carry out the necessary research in order that qualification guidelines and competency maps can be created and implemented for therapists in holistic spas.

THAILAND:

New Regulations for Overseas Workers - All companies sending workers overseas now have to get paperwork from the Ministry of Labour in order for the staff to be able to board a plane to leave the country; they also have to register when they return to Thailand. The purpose is, supposedly, to keep a track on how many Thai Nationals are working overseas but the system is cumbersome and time-consuming.

TSPA plus other industry bodies have completed English for Spa Therapists and also for Spa Receptionists - a book and a CD are available. The course and test are both free, or at the very least will be available at cost price. The language is spa business related and was taken from the language that researched confirmed is used in spas in the Kingdom. The course will be Government tested. KPIs have been set for its delivery and Government will follow up on how beneficial it has been. Under development is English for Spa Managers.

TSPA is also launching an Advanced Management Training Manual. This training course is for 100 Thai spa managers covering financing, marketing etc with the aim of bringing them up to international standards. It will be conducted in Bangkok, Phuket and Chiang Mai. TSPA would like a spa professional from Indonesia to speak in Phuket and one from the Philippines to speak in Chiang Mai. Please contact Andrew Jacka if you are interested.

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