100,000 young Saudis to be equipped with key hospitality skills via new program

June 8, 2022

It is estimated that during 2022, 100,000 young Saudis are to be equipped with key hospitality skills following today’s launch by Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism of a new program - 'Tourism Trailblazers'.

Launched by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Saudi Arabia at the 116th session of the World Tourism Organization's Executive Council in Jeddah, 'Tourism Trailblazers' will provide young Saudis with the key hospitality skills needed to pursue careers in the Kingdom's flourishing tourism industry.

The program has three main objectives that aim to nurture, develop and support talent in the industry. It seeks to spread a culture of professionalism, help nascent professionals gain the knowledge and qualifications needed to break into the industry, and support their success through refinement of their skills. The program will help trainees to secure jobs within the sector, including seasonal, part-time, or full-time opportunities across the Kingdom.

The campaign kicked off in late 2020 with the launch of a new human capital development strategy in the Kingdom's burgeoning tourism industry, which aims to attract more Saudi nationals to the sector.

This and other initiatives are geared towards delivering on the National Tourism Strategy and Saudi Vision 2030 targets, including the creation of one million new jobs in tourism by 2030.

His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, Minister of Tourism, Saudi Arabia, advised "It is vital that we invest in our youth now. Creating a skilled workforce with the talent and ambition to support and drive the tourism sector regionally and globally is key to realising Vision 2030. This program demonstrates our commitment to empowering young people by providing them with right skills, support and opportunities to shape the future of the tourism industry."

Mohammed Bushnag, Deputy Minister, Human Capital added "A financial investment of this size shows our determination to equip our youth with the tools they need to succeed. Three quarters of Saudi nationals now consider the tourism industry as a viable career option. Supporting the dreams of our Tourism Trailblazers and enabling their continued education at the best global schools, is vital as we continue to emerge as a global player in the sector."

Participants in the program are set to benefit from training scholarships at leading global institutions in France, Spain, Switzerland, UK, Australia, and Italy. Applications will be accepted not only from fresh graduates, but also from Saudis who already work within the industry and those who aspire to start a career in the tourism, hospitality, culinary, service, and sales fields.

His Excellency added that the highly specialised programs will empower scholarship trainees by equipping them with the skills and qualifications required to confidently enter the labour market.

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Tourism leads the Saudi Tourism ecosystem, with support from the Saudi Tourism Authority and the Tourism Development Fund. The Ministry sets the Kingdom's tourism sector strategy and is responsible for the development of policies and regulations, developing human capital, gathering statistics, and attracting investment.

It works in partnership with the Saudi Tourism Authority, which promotes Saudi Arabia as a global tourism destination, and the Tourism Development Fund, which executes the Ministry's investment strategy by providing funding for the sector's development.

Headed by His Excellency Ahmed Al Khateeb, the Ministry was founded in February 2020, following the opening of Saudi Arabia to international leisure tourists for the first time in its history in 2019. Saudi Arabia aims to welcome 100 million tourism visits by 2030, increasing the sector's contribution to GDP from 3% to 10%.

Image: Saudi Arabia Invests in the Next Generation with its Tourism Trailblazers Program

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