DTCM LAUNCHES TOURISM & HOSPITALITY TRAINING INITIATIVE INDUSTRY-BASED, DUBAI-SPECIFIC STRUCTURE MAKES IT ANOTHER FIRST FOR DUBAI

In its on-going drive for service excellence across all sectors, the Government of Dubai's, Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (DTCM) launched a training initiative to the industry here yesterday (Sunday January 14 2001).

DTCM Director General, Khalid A. bin Sulayem told a full house audience at the combined industry and press launch, that the new division (of DTCM), branded Tourism & Hospitality Training Solutions, is established to better ensure that Dubai's tourism and hospitality sectors are equipped to consistently deliver world-class levels of service.

"Tourism & Hospitality Training Solutions is the result of months of study and pilot research that confirms industry-based, Dubai-specific training is the key to attaining and maintaining service excellence.

"Infrastructure alone is not enough to sustain Dubai's burgeoning reputation as a sought after destination for business, incentive and leisure travellers. We must excel in our service delivery. To do this DTCM will continue to work with the industry as a whole to ensure skills and values-based training that is specific to Dubai and the industry."

Mr. bin Sulayem also stressed its objective to assist the industry in the further development of Emiratisation : "We appreciate that tourism and hospitality are not traditionally the first-choice for young nationals looking to embark on a career.

"However, the fact is, tourism is the world's fastest growing business sector and a proven catalyst for economic growth. It is a perfect choice of career for young people with ambition and enthusiasm to do well and in so doing able to show their country to the world."

Mr. bin Sulayem said the new division would work with the industry to help ensure that a vibrant Emiratisation deployment is achieved.


DTCM Director Operations and Marketing, Mohammed Khamis bin Hareb, confirmed that the training offered by Tourism & Hospitality Training Solutions, is indeed particular to the tourism and hospitality sectors, while designed around the individual attributes of Dubai, its heritage and its culture.

"This is truly a unique training solution. There is no other training world-wide to match the industry-focused base that embraces the very core of Dubai.

"It is personalised training geared to instil a personalised service offering, with the key to its success being that the structure has been developed with the input of the training sector world-wide and the industry here in Dubai."

Mr. bin Hareb said that the philosophy of Tourism & Hospitality Training Solutions is simple : "It stands for our all-embracing commitment to service excellence driven by our understanding that people do make the difference."

Turning to the target audience for the new division, Abdul Hakim Al Thani, DTCM Manager Human Resources, stressed that the initiative has been made to assist the tourism and hospitality sectors in the mapping out of their individual training processes, at the same time, offering courses that complement existing training portfolios.

"Tourism & Hospitality Training Solutions offers multi-track solutions designed to work for the industry. HR and Training managers will be able to add value to their own programmes by combining our Dubai-specific courses with their own," said Mr. Thani.

"While, individuals already immersed in the sector, will find Tourism & Hospitality Training Solutions an avenue to nurture the passion and ambition that is essential in the all-embracing industry, where 24x7x365 has always been a reality."

Turning back to Emiratisation, he stressed the promise of Tourism & Hospitality Training Solutions to help the industry and individuals in making the very best from a career path in the industry in Dubai.

Tourism & Hospitality Training Solutions management includes Gary Mason, DTCM Senior Manager, Tourism Affairs and Lisa Steel, head of training and development.

Mr. Mason advised that the division has already achieved external accreditation for a number of its courses through the United Kingdoms' Business and Technology Educational Council (BTEC), part of Edexcel Foundation, one of the world's largest vocational and academic educational bodies.

While, Steel said that the courses available range from two days to one year in length. They currently focus the hotel and tour operator sectors in topics ranging from concierge skills, to finance for non-finance managers, to leadership and motivation and quality management.

She stressed that all training aims to provide action recommendations for immediate integration into the workplace.

"We are committed to provide specialised tourism industry training programmes as part of our drive to raise overall standards of service in the industry. It is not enough to merely offer good service, we have to surpass the best in the tourism business because the visitor doesn't deserve any less," Ms. Steel concluded.