The review of the Tourism and Hospitality Training Packages included widespread and extensive consultation with industry and training providers. As a result, some key changes have been made in this version. An overview is as follows:

• increased flexibility in qualifications addition of new qualifications for Event Management, Natural and Cultural Heritage Tourism and merging of qualifications to better reflect industry needs
• expanded industry guidance for packaging qualifications through the inclusion of examples of elective groups for particular job outcomes
• general enhancement of all competency standards, including rewriting of Performance Criteria in the active voice to improve user-friendliness
• more detailed guidance on knowledge requirements in Range Statements and Evidence Guides
• expanded Range Statements to clarify compulsory and optional areas of unit coverage
• improved guidance on assessment, including examples of suitable assessment methods and more specific and rigorous assessment requirements
• minor changes to some competency standards in codes, titles and/or content to streamline and remove duplication/ambiguity
• development or incorporation of competency standards to cover areas such as espresso coffee, wine tourism, technology, languages other than English, event management and specialist guiding knowledge
• the provision of examples within each competency standard on the application of Key Competencies
• integration of many standards in Asian cuisines to reflect commonalities in skills and knowledge and allow for greater customisation.

The Hospitality and Tourism Training Packages were first developed and endorsed in 1997 and 1998 respectively. This current version has been reviewed and reproduced as an integrated publication comprising five volumes. This User Guide contains assessment guidelines, qualifications and industry requirements.