ABU DHABI // A new summer course is under way to boost the number of Emiratis working in the hospitality sector.
Only one per cent of Abu Dhabi's tourism workforce is Emirati, according to the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, and in a bid to increase that figure, the authority and the Armed Forces Officers Club organised a three-week summer course for people aged 15 to 20.
More than 200 people applied for the 70 places in the programme, which runs until Aug 6.
The course is intended to hone students' leadership and teamwork skills and their understanding of Abu Dhabi's appeal as a tourist destination.
"We have touristic locations and we need Emiratis," said Atef al Bastaki, the ADTA's senior Emiratisation executive. "The door is open, but nationals don't find it palatable."
Mr al Bastaki said he wanted more Emiratis in the industry because, for instance, "a foreigner will talk about the mosque without knowing much about it".
Emiratis, he said, "have no knowledge about the country's need in that sector".
The ADTA has set an Emiratisation target of at least five per cent for the hospitality sector by 2012.
Mr al Bastaki hopes at least five of the students on the course will take up careers in tourism.
The 70 places are divided equally between males and females. Four of the students are deaf and are assisted by a translator.
* The National
Real estate tokenisation project
Dubai launched the pilot phase of its real estate tokenisation project last month.
The initiative focuses on converting real estate assets into digital tokens recorded on blockchain technology and helps in streamlining the process of buying, selling and investing, the Dubai Land Department said.
Dubai’s real estate tokenisation market is projected to reach Dh60 billion ($16.33 billion) by 2033, representing 7 per cent of the emirate’s total property transactions, according to the DLD.
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The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
