UN Tourism to upskill African professionals in business tourism

UN Tourism has signed has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zambian Ministry of Tourism to establish academies in Africa to train professionals, and help them meet the needs of especially modern business tourism in the region.

In line with this, the Ziths Mukuni International Academy for Tourism and Hospitality will offer a range of programmes that will upskill students new to the sector, and established tourism professionals.

Laying the foundation stone for academy in Livingstone, Secretary-General Pololikashvili said: “Africa’s tourism sector is growing and diversifying at a tremendous rate. These new academies in Collaboration with UN Tourism will help train the tourism workers of tomorrow in a range of specialisms, giving African tourism the talent it needs to thrive.”

Zambia’s Minister of Tourism, Rodney M Sikumba, said: “Through the adoption of the UN Tourism Education Guidelines, Zambia has been able to reposition the role of education in tourism development.

“The establishment of the Academy is a game changer of how we will bridge the evident skills gap for the existing and future workforce of our tourism sector.”

The Africa International Tourism Academy for Culinary Arts will be set up in collaboration with UN Tourism at Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe. The specialist centre that will train skilled professionals in culinary arts both within the country and right across Africa.

This initiative coincides with the celebration of the first UN Tourism Gastronomy Tourism Forum for Africa, an event showcasing the region’s diverse gastronomy and set to bring together leading players from the public and private sectors.

Rwodzi said: “We are excited to be working closely with UN Tourism to grow gastronomy tourism in our country and across the wider region.

“The new academy in collaboration with UN Tourism signals our shared commitment to empowering tourism workers within the field of culinary arts, putting Zimbabwe firmly on the global gastronomy map.” – TradeArabia News Service