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ATM to debut exclusive student programme to promote opportunities
for ‘tomorrow’s’ travel professionals and hoteliers
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Tourism employment in the UAE expected to grow to 394,000 by 2026
and 781,000 by 2027 in Saudi Arabia
Reed Travel Exhibitions, organiser of the annual Arabian Travel
Market (ATM) showcase in Dubai, which will take place at the Dubai World Trade
Centre from 22-25 April 2018, has announced that it will host the first ATM
Student Conference – Career in Travel - as part of its line-up of special focus
events.
The two-hour conference, scheduled to take place on Wednesday 25th
April in the Showcase Theatre, will feature three interactive seminar sessions
including, how to gain a career in the industry; developing tourism skills and
employment opportunities in travel & tourism; and how to create a job in
the travel and tourism industry.
The travel and tourism sector will continue to play a vital role
in the UAE’s economy, with the number of people employed in the industry to
increase from 317,300 in 2016 to 394,000 in 2026, according to a World Travel
and Tourism Council report. An increase in new retail, leisure and entertainment
offerings will drive this growth over the next eight years.
Following
recent reforms and the relaxation of visa regulations, Saudi Arabia is poised
to capitalise on these factors as it nurtures a vibrant leisure and
entertainment sector, supported by a new generation of hotels. In 2017, travel
and tourism generated 613,000 jobs in the Kingdom with this figure expected to
increase at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 2.5% to 781,000 by 2027.
Simon
Press, Senior Exhibition Director, ATM said: “Career in Travel has been an
integral part of WTM London for the last ten years. Following this success, we
are proud to introduce the exclusive student conference to ATM 2018. Designed
to increase student and graduate opportunities within the travel and tourism
sector, the complimentary programme will allow attendees to learn from the
sharpest minds in the industry.”
“A
line-up of key travel experts will share their invaluable knowledge of the
sector, as well as their individual career experiences, while providing advice
on how to launch a career in the travel and tourism industry.
Kick-starting discussions in the Showcase Theatre, a specialist panel
featuring Alessandro Cabella, General Manager, Jumeirah Group and Abdo Basmaji,
Travel Counsellor, will explore how to secure a career in the travel and
tourism industry. Panellists will share their experiences while offering advice
on the current job market in the region.
The second panel, made up of educators, trainers and
employers, will focus on training the next generation of travel, tourism and
hospitality graduates and professionals. This session will be moderated by
Chris Warren, International Director for Responsible Tourism – Australia and
the Middle East, who will be joined by a host of key industry experts.
Wrapping
up the inaugural conference, the third and final panel session will explore how
to create your own job in the travel and tourism industry. Hear from Rana Dababneh, founder, Pomalo
travel and tourism and Heba Bin Redha, Co-founder of Emirati Kashtas on their
experiences and how they went about setting up on their own.
Press
added: “The student conference is a great addition to ATM 2018 and we look
forward to welcoming the current crop of travel and tourism students to these
important sessions, which we hope will equip them with the skills they need to
thrive going forward.”
ATM
– considered by industry professionals as a barometer for the Middle East and
North Africa tourism sector, welcomed over 39,000 people to its 2017 event,
including 2,661 exhibiting companies, signing business deals worth more than
$2.5 billion over the four days.
Celebrating
its 25th year, ATM 2018 will build on the success of this year’s
edition, with a host of seminar sessions looking back over the last 25 years
and how the hospitality industry in the MENA region is expected to shape up
over the next 25.
To
register to attend the ATM student conference ‘Career in Travel’, visit http://arabiantravelmarket.wtm.com/en/visit/Register/