A NEW batch of the UAE’s tourist guides got a professional leap forward by enrolling themselves for the professional course offered by the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) in association with the University of Sharjah. This is the third batch of professional tourist guides to undergo the two-week course this year and eighth since the course was introduced three years ago.
The professional licensing and training program offered by the Sharjah University faculty and a diverse range of professional experts includes theory classes, practical workshops and field visits to a number of tourist attractions, museums and archaeological sites in Sharjah under the supervision of a diverse range of experts and faculty.
Welcoming the new batch of tourist guides professionals, SCTDA chairman Mohamed Ali Al Noman said the licensing and training program being offered with the help of University of Sharjah was part of the Authority’s efforts to encourage excellence in the tourism industry on par with international standards and norms.
The course does not just arm tourist guides with a professional license and enhance their professional skills and capabilities, it will provide them with the right understanding and knowledge of Sharjah’s and the UAE’s cultural heritage, traditions and sensitivities. They are also updated on the latest trends and developments in the tourism sector. “The program will help sensitize these tourist guide professionals who come from so many diverse international backgrounds to the Arab and Islamic values and sensibilities,” emphasised Al Noman.
With the introduction of the course, it is now mandatory for all tourist guides in the emirate to undertake the course in order to obtain the license, said Al Noman.