Fujairah chamber looks to tap hotel, tourism industries

A project to create jobs for UAE nationals in the tourism and hotel industry was discussed recently by the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture in its meeting with the UAE Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FCCI).

The meeting entitled Strategic Policies and Planning to Develop Small and Medium Businesses in the UAE was attended by members of the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce and experts from the International Labour Organisation (ILO).

Khaled Mohammed Al Jasim, Director General of the Fujairah Chamber, said the main purpose of the meeting was to discuss the project prepared by ILO experts about finding jobs for nationals in the hotel and tourism industry.

"Finding jobs for nationals in the hotel and tourism industry is becoming very essential as the UAE, and Fujairah in particular, needs to improve tourism. Nationals will give the right impression about the country's tourism potential and hospitality industry," Al Jasim said.

The project came as a response to the recommendations of seminars in Fujairah in late 2001 about creating jobs to enhance the role of small and medium businesses.

"The meeting discussed various major topics including a study about the possibility of setting up a national strategy to help improve the tourism sector and look for the best solutions to establish an institutional framework and other training programmes to qualify and develop the skills of staff," Al Jasim said.

The meeting also discussed a plan to hold training programmes to qualify the national workforce and recruit them in hotels and other tourism promotion businesses in collaboration with the Fujairah Chamber of Commerce, FCCI and ILO experts.

There are seven major hotels and motels in Fujairah. No nationals work in these hotels, except for only six national women who found jobs recently at the new Le Meridien Al Aqqah Beach Resort.

"More plans and practical programmes should be organised by the Fujairah Government to encourage our national youth to take up jobs in the field of tourism and hotels with the help of the Fujairah Tourism Bureau," he added.