Arabian Gulf nations want more tourism work for nationals

A joint committee of tourism authorities from Arabian Gulf states has called for more employment opportunities for GCC nationals as it moved to better co-operation in the sector.

Held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, the fourth joint meeting of the Committee on Tourism Cooperation (CTC) and Gulf Tourism Committee (GTC) stressed the importance of employing GCC nationals in the private sector and the need to learn from successful experiences of other GCC countries citing Oman's experience in encouraging Omani nationals' engagement in the private sector.

In other items on the agenda, members states were urged to co-operate with statistical agencies to complete productivity tables prepared by the General Secretariat.

Meanwhile, Riyadh Governate Prince Khaled bin Bandar has talked up the potential of the tourism sector as he inaugurated the Laureate College for Tourism and Hospitality in the Salahudeen district of the Saudi Arabian capital, Arab News reported.

With a capacity of 2,000 students, the new hospitality institution will provide world-class, tourism-related education and training programs.

It is the first form of institutional learning of its kind in the country and one of seven colleges to be built across the country as part of the ambitious long-term strategy of the government.

Prince Khaled explained "tourism is an important economic sector and promises business opportunities.

"What distinguishes the tourism sector is that it provides a great number of jobs, especially to citizens."

Prince Khaled said various Saudi hotels had assured him that Saudi youth had enjoyed gaining skills in the tourism industry, rejecting claims Saudis don't like to work.

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