Saudis in high demand for KSA hospitality industry

Diversification of Saudi Arabia’s economy see’s growing demand for Saudi employees in the tourism sector.

The tourism sector in Saudi Arabia has an abundance of jobs to offer to young Saudis, according to Ibrahim Al-Sini, dean of the Tourism Institute at King Abdulaziz University.

“The tourism industry is hungry for qualified Saudis,” he said in an interview with Saudi Gazette.

“Training needs to be hands-on and teach foreign languages to accommodate Saudis to the market.”

Students enrolled in the program at KAU are immediately hired upon graduation, said Al-Sini.

“General managers have complained that Saudi employees don’t have work discipline or commitment to work in hotels. They would face difficulties in hiring them and many of them are not certified with proper training,” he said.

“Now hotels are immediately hiring Saudis who are qualified and who have been trained with the right skills.”

New programs and specialties are soon to be introduced for Saudi students, including airport services management, event management, tourism destination management, and protocol and etiquette.

“Saudis succeed in the job market when they first surmount the psychological obstacles of working in this industry. Then they quickly adjust and get accustomed to the work,” said Al-Sini.

The news follows announcements from The Ministry of Labour and Social Development that Makkah is set to Saudise 80% of jobs in the region’s hotels and tourist resorts by the end of 2016.

The tourism sector is predicted to diversify the Kingdom’s economy in a significant way as spelled out in Saudi Vision 2030.