Act No. 179/2006 Coll., on recognition of further education results, and the scope of powers of the Tourism Department of the Ministry for Regional Development as the authorising body Act No. 179/2006 Coll., on verification and recognition of further education results and on changes to certain acts (“Qualification Recognition Act”), complemented with implementing regulation No. 208/2007 Coll., on implementing details to the Qualification Recognition Act, together allow for verification and recognition of current knowledge and skills of applicants for the Professional Qualification Certificate (“Certificate”). The Certificate helps its holder to get a job on the labour market and start a new career. Effective as of 1 April, 2012, original terms “full qualification” and “partial qualification” were replaced in the wording of the Act with new terms “full professional qualification” and “professional qualification”. By full professional qualification the Act means professional competence of a person to duly perform all work activities in a certain profession; professional qualification means a professional competence of a person to duly perform a certain work activity or a complex of work activities in a certain profession, or two or more professions, within the scope determined in the qualification standard. The Ministry for Regional Development as the authorising body to the effect of Act No. 179/2009 Coll. grants authorisations for professions in the field of housing, territorial planning, construction rules of procedure, investment policy, tourism, and funeral services. An authorisation entitles an individual or a legal entity to verify the level of acquired professional competence of a person according to the relevant assessment and qualification standard for those professional qualifications for which the authorisation is granted. The Tourism Department is in charge of assessing the professional aspects of applications for authorisation in group 65 – Gastronomy, hotel industry, and tourism; the assessment follows relevant standards of those professional qualifications for which the authorisation is requested. In 2012, the Tourism Department assessed 32 applications for authorisation and the Ministry for Regional Development granted a total of 39 authorisations, of which 30 in the Gastronomy, hotel industry, and tourism group. In the same year, the authorisation holders tested altogether 1,288 applicants for a Certificate, of which 1,174 in the said group. Preparation of hot meals, preparation of minute meals, preparation of cold food, and tourist guide ranked among the most sought‑after professional qualifications. In 2012, the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports approved a total of seven professional qualifications revised by the Sectoral Council for Catering, Gastronomy and Tourism, while the Council in turn approved six new professional qualifications: local delegation of a travel agency, tour leader, head of the tourist information centre, tourist information centre officer, Prague tourist guide, and mountain guide. All necessary information and support materials are available at www.mmr.cz, see headings Legislativa (Legislation) / Autorizace osob v oblasti dalšího vzdělávání (Authorisation in further education). (Note: Authorisation is valid for 5 years and may be repeatedly renewed each time for 5 years. It may also be withdrawn; see S. 16 of Act No. 179/2006 Coll.) TOURISM IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC IN 2012