Dubai tourism, private sector join hands to boost career opportunities

Dubai - The participating partners of Dubai Tourism represent various sectors including retail, hospitality and entertainment

Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) and its partners in the private sector have joined hands to promote the numerous career opportunities that await talented young UAE nationals, generating strong interest among young visitors to this year's Careers UAE, which runs until 11 April at the Dubai World Trade Centre.
At this event, Dubai Tourism is highlighting two major initiatives being carried out by its Dubai College of Tourism (DCT) - 'Medyaf' (Generous Host) and the 'UAE Tour Guide Programme' -that are part of its Emiratisation Programme aimed at training UAE nationals for a future career in the tourism industry. DCT is also promoting the programme of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS), the summer extravaganza run by the Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), an agency of Dubai Tourism, to recruit young UAE nationals as volunteers during DSS 2017.
The participating partners of Dubai Tourism representing various sectors including retail, hospitality and entertainment are: Emaar, Jumeirah Group, Dubai Parks and Resorts, Chalhoub Group, Shangri-La Hotel, Millennium Hotels and Resorts, AccorHotels, Rotana Management Cooperation, Habtoor Grand Resort, Marriott International, JA Resorts and Hotels, IMG Worlds of Adventure, Plazzo Versace, Hilton and InterContinental Hotels Group.
Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager, Dubai College of Tourism, said:  "Young Emirati men and women are being encouraged by the leadership of the country to participate in all aspects of development of this nation and contribute towards economic growth. As a result, Dubai's rapid development has seen the emergence of highly qualified young UAE nationals in the local workforce, both in government and private sectors, and more and more of our nationals are getting actively involved in imparting their knowledge and skills in diverse sectors. Against this backdrop, and based on our commitment to support the on-going programme of Emiratisation, we have joined hands with our partners in the private sector at this year's Careers UAE to provide promising young UAE nationals the opportunity to learn about suitable careers with tourist-facing roles in all sectors, whether it is  corporate, retail, hospitality or events. We would like to express our sincere appreciation to the private sector entities that are supporting us in the true spirit of collaboration to attract young visitors to our stand and offer them the opportunity to explore a range of exciting career options."
Hilton
Ahmed Lasheen, Regional Director of Human Resources, Arabian Peninsula, Hilton, said: "We are committed to working closely with Dubai Tourism to share the benefits of careers in hospitality to Emiratis and we will be seeking enthusiastic Emirati candidates for roles at our 20+ hotels in the UAE at this week's Careers UAE fair.  Our industry provides a unique opportunity for Emiratis to act as ambassadors for the nation's rich culture and heritage - something our guests are telling us they increasingly want to experience first-hand."
AccorHotels
Rachel Moosa, Vice President, Talent and Culture, Middle East, AccorHotels, said: "As a valued guest of the United Arab Emirates, AccorHotels is proud and grateful for the opportunity to provide hospitality services to the millions of visitors to Dubai each year. AccorHotels believe it is our responsibility to showcase the amazing Emirati spirit of hospitality and welcome in our hotels, and thus we embrace our partnership with the Dubai College of Tourism to grow and develop the talented local colleagues."
JA Resorts and Hotels
JA Resorts and Hotels' Corporate Human Resources Emiratisation Director, Ghanim Al Marri, states: "JA Resorts and Hotels have supported the recruitment, development and career progression of UAE nationals in the hospitality industry, for over fifteen years as a founding member of Dubai Tourism's Emiratisation Taskforce for Tourism. Now we have women and men in leading managerial roles in Front Office, Human Resources, Food and Beverages, Housekeeping, Central Reservations, and Security."
Millennium and Copthorne
Anis Fares, Director Human Resources - Middle East and Africa, Millennium & Copthorne, said: "We are proud to partner with Dubai Tourism during the Careers UAE fair and fully support their vision to increase the number of Emiratis working in tourist-facing roles. At Millennium and Copthorne, we are committed to attracting national talent and empowering ambitious Emiratiswith the skills and expertise to pursue a successful career in hospitality. Our priority is to foster a positive work culture as well as instill a sense of ownership with our team members and a strong sense of pride in their careers in the hotel industry. We have recognised that it is vital that we attract and retain talent from the national pool, after all no-one else has a better knowledge of the local culture as well as the desire to aid the country's future growth and development."
Al Habtoor City Complex
Marianne Albalkhi, Complex Director of Human Resources, Al Habtoor City Hotel Collection, said: "The UAE is known around the world as being one of the most welcoming destinations, which stems from the warmth of the hospitality of the UAE nationals. We whole heartedly support the Dubai Tourism's Emiratisation programme, which will help to grow new leaders in tourism and enhance the overall visitor experience. We encourage young UAE nationals to take up exciting positions in our industry to make a significant difference."
Chalhoub Group
A spokesperson for Chalhoub Group, said: "Emiratization is one of our greatest priorities at Chalhoub Group. We are working hard to provide rewarding and long-term career prospects for UAE Nationals, to help them excel from graduate programmes into senior management positions. We would like to thank Dubai Tourism for their valuable initiative Medyaf and we hope to have a long-lasting partnership with them."
The Dubai Tourism stand at Careers UAE is located in Hall 6, and also in Hall 8 within the Government of Dubai Pavilion at the Dubai World Trade Centre.