Dubai's tourism and retail sectors contribute three times more than the oil sector to GDP

In Dubai alone, the tourism industry has accounted for a steadily increasing percentage of the emirate's GDP, with the combined tourism and retail sectors contributing more than 20 per cent of Dubai's Gross Domestic Product (GDP), far surpassing the oil sector that contributes just a little over 6 per cent of the GDP. It is not surprising then, that for a large number of Middle East students hospitality and tourism are emerging as leading career choices. This fact will be in focus at the 16th Gulf Education and Training Exhibition (GETX) to be held from April 20 to 23, 2004 at the Dubai International Exhibition Centre.

"Due to its location, the UAE has been able to act as a connecting link between Europe and the Indian subcontinent, the Far East and Africa. Traditional Arab hospitality and a delightful winter climate complemented by a highly sophisticated tourism infrastructure, have also contributed in recent years to creating an ideal atmosphere for the development of tourism. The country is also a much sought after venue for conferences, regional and international exhibitions and major sports events," said Anselm Godinho, Managing Director, IC&E, organisers of the show. "The potential of the tourism sector is set to grow exponentially with the major investments being made by the country's government. All these factors will contribute to further creation of jobs for applicants with the right qualifications."

"Besides the UAE, other countries in the Middle East such as Lebanon are witnessing a tourism revival, encouraging students to aim for qualifications and jobs in the tourism and hospitality industry," added Godinho. "As an international forum for information on quality education, the 16th GETX seeks to explore the potential of this sector. The show will feature leading international institutes related to the tourism and hospitality industries, allowing potential students to explore their options and make informed career choices."

Amongst the leading international institutes from Switzerland showcasing course options at the 16th GETX will be the Lausanne Hotel Management School, the HTMI Hotel Management School and the combined presence of the International Hotel Management Institute Switzerland and the International Tourism Institute Switzerland (IMI-ITIS). Besides the Swiss institutes, GETX will also see the participation of a Greek institute, the Alpine Centre for Hotel and Tourism Management Studies, as well as the Dubai based Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management. The IMI-ITIS and the Alpine Centre distinguish themselves from the rest by offering courses in Tourism Management besides the regular Hotel Management courses.

The IMI-ITIS offer courses in Associate of Science Degree in European Culinary Management, a Postgraduate Diploma in International Hospitality and Tourism Management, a MBA in International Hospitality and Tourism Management and a B.A. Degree with Honours in International Tourism Management.

"Switzerland has a highly sophisticated tourism industry and has built the reputation of being the world leader in providing education and training targeted at the Tourism and Hospitality industry. In fact, year after year the large majority of students at the IMI-ITIS have been from outside Switzerland, with China, Japan, Gulf countries, rest of Asia and Russia leading in numbers," said Jamal Aref Kleibo, Regional Marketing Manager, IMI-IT IS, representative Lucerne Tourism in the Middle East and member Swiss Business Council, Abu Dhabi.

"At the moment, the ratio of students applying for hospitality courses as against those applying for tourism courses stands at 5:1. There is obviously a potential for growth in the tourism sector, especially keeping in mind the booming tourism industry in the UAE. This will be one of our main areas of focus at GETX," added Kleibo.

As part of IMI-ITIS' commitment to providing quality professionals to the Tourism and Hospitality industry, career guidance and information is an essential element of the IMI student support services. Students are taught efficient techniques for job applications, personal profiles, and interviews. As well, IMI-ITIS' excellent contacts with the hotel industry, and its worldwide representatives, are of assistance to graduates looking for jobs in the industry. Among the international hotel corporations sourcing professionals from IMI-ITIS are the Hilton, the Accor, the Marriott, the Crowne Plaza and the Holiday Inn chain of hotels, as well as corporations such as Disney World.

"This will be Alpine Center's first participation in the GETX. Operating in Greece as an associate institute of IHTTI Switzerland for the last 17 years, Alpine Center is expanding its market to include students from the Middle East, Asia, Africa and Eastern and Central Europe," said Sybil Hofmann, President, Alpine Center for Hotel & Tourism Management Studies. Until last year, the Greek government did not issue student visas to students wishing to study at private institutions in Greece but now that they do, we are encouraged to attract students from all over the world. Students taking an Alpine Centre course in Greece will benefit from the dual advantage of studying in a Swiss Institute and experiencing one of the most well-established tourist industries in the world."

The Alpine Centre offers courses in MA in International Hospitality & Tourism Leadership; BA (Hons) in International Hospitality & Tourism Management, a three year programme that includes the Swiss Diploma in Hotel Management; BA (Hons) in Culinary Arts Management, and distance learning programmes in Hotel & Food and Beverage Management.