The Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of Dubai’s Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism), organised a virtual workshop for national tourism companies to highlight its efforts in preparing Emiratis to play a vital role in the sector. The workshop, which was hosted under the Medyafprogramme, DCT’s industry nationalisation initiative, also provided participants with updates from the tourism sector and the College’s plan for the key fourth quarter period, as the country prepares to host the Expo 2020 Dubai from October.

The contribution of the tourism sector to Dubai’s GDP; the city’s advanced infrastructure and diverse attractions and experiences; the top searched places to visit in the emirate,as well as the shopping, dining and entertainment destinations,in addition to the hassle-free entry process for visitors were among the topics discussed at the workshop. Participants were also informed about the wide range of health and safety measures that are in place across the city to ensure that the safety and well-being of travellers, from arrival to departure, remains the city’s top priority.

The workshop highlighted Dubai Tourism’s passion to support local Emirati talent and national companies that employ highly qualified Emiratis, through courses taken at the Dubai College of Tourism such as the Online Tour Guide Course. It is important to provide the tourism sector with UAE nationals as they are regarded as the best placed candidates to introduce the Emirati culture, heritage and customs to visitors. They will also be able to provide information and share experiences to tourists that stems from their own understanding of Emirati society and its unique culture and traditions.