RIYADH: The Red Sea Development Co. (TRSDC), the developer behind the Red Sea project, and the Human Resources Development Fund (Hadaf) have joined forces to establish a series of training programs to support the Kingdom’s tourist industry.
The two-year diploma programs will provide training and qualifications to 500 young Saudis for careers in tourism.
Along with hospitality and airport services, the programs will also allow young people to gain qualifications in mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, and renewable energy services.
The tourism industry in Saudi Arabia is undergoing a major transformation as part of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 program.
The aim is to increase the sector’s contribution to GDP from its current level of less than 4 percent — currently driven by religious tourism — to 10 percent by 2030.
John Pagano, chief executive of TRSDC said the training program would provide “the skills necessary to put Saudi Arabia on the global tourism map through a sustainable and more resilient tourism sector in the Kingdom.”
