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UNWTO and IE University join forces to launch the Tourism Online Academy to train tourism management experts worldwide

Online training platform, the world's first online specialized in tourism, will train experts in travel & tourism.

The World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) and IE University presented the Tourism Online Academy within the framework of the 23rd UNWTO General Assembly being held this week in St. Petersburg. The Tourism Online Academy will provide specialized training programs for managers and professionals of tourism companies with an international profile in the areas of travel & tourism. The platform is supported by the Qatar National Tourism Council (QNTC) and foresees the inclusion of Gino Holding and new internationally known educational institutions soon to expand the scope of the initiative.

IE University has developed the first two programs, which will be taught in English: Introduction to Tourism Industry Management (MOOC) and Fundamentals of Tourism Industry Management (Online Certificate Program). The courses have a flexible format, allowing participants to combine training with their professional responsibilities around the world. The Tourism Online Academy plans to expand the number of languages in the near future to offer courses in all official UNWTO languages: Arabic, Spanish, French, English and Russian.

“The Tourism Online Academy that IE University and the World Tourism Organization is jointly promoting aspires to become an international benchmark for training in the tourism sector, a growing industry that employs more than 300 million people and that in 2018 contributed more than $8 trillion dollars to the world economy,” said Diego del Alcázar Benjumea, Vice President of IE University.

“Our vision is to give global opportunities to people that are interested on the tourism sector and mind the gap between jobs, skills and education.”

“Education is one of my main priorities. Thank to the Tourism Online Academy, a joint initiative between UNWTO and IE University, we will have the opportunity to train, democratize and scale the way people are educated regarding the tourism sector. Our vision is to give global opportunities to people that are interested on the tourism sector and mind the gap between jobs, skills and education”, Zurab Pololikashvili UNWTO Secretary General addressed.

His Excellency Mr. Akbar Al Baker, Secretary-General of Qatar National Tourism Council, stated: “In Qatar we believe education and tourism go hand in hand, both expanding horizons. We are proud to be supporting the UNWTO and IE University’s Tourism Online Academy, which trains professionals in a sector that continues to exhibit growth. We are committed to being at the forefront of the development of human capital throughinnovation and knowledge building.”

More information about the Tourism Online Academy at www.unwto.ie.edu.

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