Dubai College of Tourism and Chalhoub Group Form Partnership to Support New Generation Tourism Workforce

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, 08 April 2021: In line with Dubai's tourism growth strategy, Dubai College of Tourism (DCT), part of Dubai's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism) has announced a strategic partnership with the leading partner for luxury across the Middle East, Chalhoub Group. This partnership comes as part of DCT's Medyaf programme, the industry nationalisation initiative aimed at preparing talented young UAE nationals for careers across tourism touchpoints including the retail sector.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of DCT and Wassim Eid, President People andCulture at Chalhoub Group. The MOU will pave the way for the development and career support of DCT students and UAE nationals in various roles in the retail sector.

Essa Bin Hadher, General Manager of Dubai College of Tourism,commented:"Our partnership with Chalhoub Group will provide a major boost to our Medyaf programme to create more opportunities for talented Emiratis to work in the retail sector. The continuing collaboration with the private sector in Dubai comes within the framework of strategic measures being undertaken to meet a key goal of Dubai's tourism strategy to make the city the world's No.1 most visited, revisited and preferred destination. During these challenging times, there is even greater urgency to expand the pool of local talent by working with industry partners like the Chalhoub Group to achieve the goals of our industry nationalisation drive, a critical element in strengthening the citys tourist-facing workforce and adding to the sustainability and growth of our industry."

Commenting on the agreement, Wassim Eid, President People andCulture, Chalhoub Group, said: "We are proud to partner with the Dubai College of Tourism to support a new generation workforce and attract UAE nationals to join the luxury retail sector. DCT is giving young talents a great opportunity by introducing them to the private sector and equipping them with the right skills and knowledge to work within those organizations."

"We will always be committed to the UAE Vision 2021 to increase the number of nationals in the job market by attracting, nurturing, empowering, and developing Emirati talents within our Group. We want to leverage on the national capacities to contribute to the growth of our Group and the United Arab Emirates."

It is noteworthy that the retail sector is one of the important sectors of the Dubai economy and makes an enormous contribution to the GDP, and is a key player in driving tourism growth and supporting the local community.

Through its Medyaf programme, DCT offers Emirati job seekers a robust recruitment, internship and industry on-boarding platform, helping candidates define their interests and preferences for a suitable career within the tourism industry, based on their skills and competencies. The program also helps industry leaders understand the importance of hiring UAE nationals and investing in their career development.

-

About Duba's Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Dubai Tourism)

With the ultimate vision of positioning Dubai as the world's leading tourism destination and commercial hub, Dubai Tourisms mission is to increase the awareness of Dubai among global audiences and to attract tourists and inward investment into the emirate. Dubai Tourism is the principal authority for the planning, supervision, development and marketing of Dubais tourism sector. It markets and promotes the Emirates commerce sector, and is responsible for the licensing and classification of all tourism services, including hotels, tour operators and travel agents. Brands and departments within the Dubai Tourism portfolio include Dubai Business Events, Dubai Calendar, and Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment.

-

About Dubai College of Tourism (DCT)

DCT runs the first-of-its-kind multi-disciplinary educational platform in the region. The College provides certificate and diploma courses in tourism, hospitality, retail, events and culinary arts through the TVET accreditation framework. DCT aims to be recognised as the premier vocational institution in the region with its courses bridging the gap between in-house training and a full bachelors degree, ensuring a steady stream of highly trained tourism professionals for the city. The college is also responsible for delivering fundamental programmes specifically designed for those working within the tourism industry, such as Dubai Way (for tourist-facing staff in Dubai) and Dubai Expert (an interactive online training tool for international travel agents). For more information, please visitwww.dct.ac.ae

-

About ChalhoubGroup:

The Chalhoub Group is the leading partner for luxury across the Middle East since 1955. As an expert in retail, distribution and marketing services based in Dubai, the Group has become a major player in the beauty, fashion and gift sectors regionally.

By blending its Middle East expertise and intimate knowledge of luxury, the Chalhoub Group is building brands in the region, by offering service excellence to all its partners and a unique experience to its customers. With a growing workforce of more than 12,000 people, in 14 countries, as well as operating over 700 retail stores, the Group's success is attributed to its most valued asset: highly skilled and dedicated teams. Professionalism and passion are what fuel the Chalhoub Group's competitive edge in today's market.