Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, the Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Chairman of the UAE Tourism Council, recently visited several hotel establishments across the country. This visit was aimed at monitoring the progress of the “Summer Hospitality Camp” initiated by the ministry in collaboration with various private tourism and hotel entities, as well as exploring the summer initiatives and activities being implemented, and reinforcing partnerships with the private sector in tourism and hospitality.
The tour included The First Collection Hotel and Anantara the Palm Hotel.
During his visit, Abdullah bin Touq interacted with a number of students participating in the camp to learn about their experiences in the hospitality work environment. He listened to their feedback regarding the practical training and how beneficial the program’s hands-on skills are to them.
Additionally, he discussed ways to enhance cooperation with hotel representatives in developing human resources within the hospitality sector and expressed interest in expanding the initiative in the future.
He emphasized that tourism is a fundamental pillar of the economy, receiving increasing attention in light of the leadership’s vision that focuses on economic diversification and sustainable growth. The visit was part of the ministry’s commitment to support tourism and hotel establishments and strengthen communication and collaboration channels with private sector partners by developing on-ground partnerships and tracking the implementation of initiatives in real-time, thereby assessing their impact on national competencies and the sector as a whole.
He stated, “This camp is a unique initiative launched by the ministry to build competencies and equip students with the skills needed to enter one of the fastest-growing sectors in the country.”
“We believe in the importance of providing practical training opportunities for our youth, helping them understand the tourism work environment and preparing them for active participation in the growth of this vital sector.”
“We view the private tourism sector as a strategic partner of the government in this regard and greatly appreciate the significant collaboration from our hotel and tourism partners who have provided a rich training environment for participating students.” He further noted that the ministry will continue to develop similar training initiatives.
In the current edition of the camp, over 500 students from approximately 200 educational institutions have registered, in partnership with more than 40 tourism and hotel establishments.