Monday, July 29, 2024
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UN Tourism has taken a significant step in advancing education and skills development in Africa by establishing the region’s first collaborative Academies.
With African tourism rapidly growing, there is an urgent demand for skilled professionals equipped with the expertise required by modern tourism businesses. To address this, UN Tourism has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Zambia’s Ministry of Tourism to create the ZITHS Mukuni International Academy for Tourism and Hospitality. This Academy will offer a variety of courses designed to equip both newcomers and established tourism workers with the skills needed to secure employment or advance in their careers.
Laying the foundation stone 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.”
Joining the Secretary-General in signing the agreement, the Minister of Tourism of Zambia, 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.”
Culinary Arts Academy Planned for Zimbabwe
UN Tourism has announced plans to establish the Africa International Tourism Academy for Culinary Arts in collaboration with the Zimbabwean government. This specialized center, located in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, will focus on training skilled culinary professionals from across the continent. The announcement comes alongside the first UN Tourism Gastronomy Tourism Forum for Africa, an event celebrating the region’s diverse culinary traditions and bringing together key figures from both the public and private sectors.
Zimbabwe’s Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Barbara 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.”
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