The travel and tourism sector has become an increasingly important driver of growth and prosperity for many countries, with a reported contribution of around 9% of the World’s GDP and employment in 2013 (Crotti & Misrahi, 2015). In Vietnam this sector accounted for over $US 7 billion, or around 4.6% of 2013 GDP. While this is a significant contribution to the economy, it is markedly less than the contribution of the sector in neighbouring Thailand, with a contribution of $US 35 billion, or 9% of GDP. Given the comparatively low contribution of the tourism sector to the economy, a more in-depth exploration of aspects of the industry are worthy of further consideration. One such aspect is the human resources, the key factor exerting a major impact on the services delivered by the industry. This study focuses on the preparation of such resources through tertiary education. The aim of the study was to explore factors influencing effective tertiary hospitality higher education (HE) in Vietnam that supports the on-going development of the industry through the availability of quality human resources. In addition, the study assesses the alignment between the knowledge and skills developed in education institutions, and those required by industry professionals.