Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has launched the Marhabtain Programme for Innovators to train department managers in the emirate’s hotel sector.
The programme comes under SCTDA’s ‘Marhabtain’ initiative launched in 2015 to develop competencies and capabilities in the tourism sector as a key pillar of the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021, according to an official statement.
The training programme aims to develop the interpersonal skills of managers and enhance their knowledge levels. It will also contribute to improving the quality of services in the tourism and hospitality sector apart from supporting the promotion of tourism and commerce in Sharjah.
The project will help strengthen collaborative efforts with tourism stakeholders to improve the delivery of services in Sharjah’s tourism sector, which in turn will lead to an increase in hotel guest numbers. It will also help expand tourism industry’s role in economic development.
SCTDA launched the training programme during an event at the Sheraton Hotel Sharjah in the presence of His Excellency Khalid Jasim Al Midfa, chairman of SCTDA, and Mohammed Desouki, CEO of Business Training Company, and representatives of Sharjah's hotels.
HE Khalid Jasim Al Midfa said: “The Marhabtain Programme for Innovators aims to enhance the performance of department managers in hotels by providing innovative courses such as ‘Innovation & Creativity’, ‘Change Management’, and ‘Risk Management’.
"The programme will reflect positively on the performance of the hotel facilities and contribute to the development of internal systems and services provided to guests. This will lead to increased occupancy and profits rates.”
HE Al Midfa added that through the Marhabtain initiative, the SCTDA will invest in improving the skills of all the employees in the hotel sector; from managers to front-line staff.
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HE Al Midfa pointed out that ‘YOU@SHARJAH’ training course, part of Marhabtain initiative, has witnessed huge participation, offering training to more than 180 front-line staff until today.
“The training programmes will contribute towards enhancing the tourism sector and achieving the Sharjah Tourism Vision 2021 to attract 10 million tourists. They will help provide the best tourism and hotel services to the tourists, especially since the Authority is targeting a new global tourist market, and is keen to enhance the capabilities in the hotel sector to deal with guests from different nationalities,” HE Al Midfa said.
The programme includes six programmes, starting from March to August 2016: ‘Innovation & Creativity’, ‘Change Management’, ‘Environmental and Social Responsibility’, ‘Event Planning and Management’, ‘Risk Management’ and ‘Essentials of Marketing and Branding’. Each programme features two courses.
The programme seeks to achieve revenue and profit growth in the tourism sector, and reduce staff turnover which is a major threat to the industry. The programme will help enhance the capabilities of employees and strengthen their competitive advantage. It will enable managers to relate to complex job requirements within the strategic scope of the sector.
Marhabtain initiative is aimed at training employees working in the tourism sector, especially front-line staff who deal directly with tourists, including hotel staff, transportation employees and tourist guides. The initiative has led to the launch of several training programmes targeted at various categories of workers in the tourism and hospitality industry in Sharjah.
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