ORGANISERS of World Green Tourism Abu Dhabi earmarked the event’s last day, as ‘Green Tourism Careers Day’ as the industry looks to sustain and inspire human resource capital.
The day provided college and university students, as well as those who are just starting their working lives, the chance to discover how businesses, locally and globally, are introducing sustainable practices to reshape the tourism industry.
Highlights included two interactive panel discussions on preparing green tourism champions moderated by Mohamed Al Hammadi, editor-in-chief of National Geographic Al Arabiya.
The powerful line-up of speakers included Elham Al-Qasimi, the first Emirati and Arab woman Antarctic explorer; Linden Coppel, head of environment and sustainability for Etihad Airways; Sarah Dayboll, manager, environmental affairs for Fairmont Hotels and Resorts International, and Ghanim Al Marri, corporate Emiratisation director for Jebel Ali Hotels.
The event’s patron, HH Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, chairman of Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) hailed the initiative as a significant step forward in securing the destination’s sustainability.
“The tourism industry is extremely service-, and therefore people-, orientated and for every destination the principle foundation for success is friendly, efficient professionals with a thorough understanding of the culture, heritage and environment of the region they work in. This is particularly true for Abu Dhabi as we seek to establish a sustainable tourism industry and this initiative will help encourage the next generation to become a part of our vision,” he said.
Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, assistant secretary general of the Environment Agency, Abu Dhabi, which co-hosted the conference, added: “At the environment agency, we are preserving Abu Dhabi’s natural heritage, protecting our future and raising awareness about environmental issues. Together with our partners in the tourism sector, we are working to find solutions to many environmental problems. The UAE has followed through with sincere initiatives as it tries to develop in a sustainable way.”