Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Youth Summer Camp, an annual programme organised by Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority (TCA Abu Dhabi), saw 50 Emirati students enjoyed a fact-finding tour to Saadiyat Island, exploring the iconic Manarat Al Saadiyat on the emirate’s fast-developing cultural focal point.

The group, made up of both boys and girls aged between 18 and 21, visited the impressive facility as part of the three-week-long programme that is designed to introduce students to the concept of Abu Dhabi as a tourism and cultural destination, and to encourage them to potentially take up tourism careers in the emirate in the future.

The students got to experience the Louvre Abu Dhabi Stories Immortal Figures exhibition, a celebration of sculptures from across the globe, which will form part of the permanent exhibition for the museum that is currently being built on the island.

“We were keen to introduce the students to the world-class offerings that Abu Dhabi has to offer visitors to the emirate, in effect showing them the tools they would be using, and the knowledge they would need should they choose a career in the tourism industry in Abu Dhabi,” said Nasser Al Reyami, Standards Regulations & Licensing Department director at TCA Abu Dhabi. “It is vital to introduce the students to the different components of the tourism industry and how they contribute to the growth and development of the country.”

The visit was part of a packed first week of activities for the students, which included a number of workshops at the Eastern Mangroves Hotel & Spa by Anantara, covering a range of topics from culture, hospitality, events, attractions, sports tourism, entertainment and entrepreneurship.

The class enjoyed talks from experts from Flash Entertainment – one of the three key event delivery partners for the ongoing Abu Dhabi Summer Season, Yas Island, Farah Leisure and Abu Dhabi Motorsport Management – operators of the Yas Marina Circuit, which hosts the annual Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.

The workshops covered the Events, Attractions, Entertainment and Sports tourism sectors, as well as a talk on entrepreneurship in the travel and hospitality industries. There was also time in the packed schedule for another field trip to the grandeur of Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and an introduction to the Big Bus Tour Company.

With the first week complete, the students can now look forward to placement in a summer job for eight days to gain experience in one of the leading tourism entities in Abu Dhabi, with hotels and entities working in partnership with TCA Abu Dhabi including the St Regis Abu Dhabi,  the Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal, Fairmont Bab Al Bahr, Rosewood Abu Dhabi, Shangri-La, Emirates Palace, Yas Viceroy, St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, the Westin Abu Dhabi Golf Resort as well as Farah Leisure Parks Management and the aforementioned Eastern Mangroves Hotel.
 
The Tourism Youth Summer camp will culminate with a graduation ceremony on August 20 at the Ritz-Carlton Grand Canal. - TradeArabia News Service