UN Tourism has partnered with Zambia and Zimbabwe to establish Tourism and Culinary Arts Academies to enhance skills development to support Africa’s growing tourism sector.
The United Nations Tourism Agency has announced a major step forward in its efforts to promote education and skills development in Africa with the launch of the region’s first collaborative academy.
As tourism in Africa experiences significant growth, there is an urgent need to develop a wide range of skilled professionals with the skills required for modern tourism. Reflecting this demand, we signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zambia Ministry of Tourism and partnered with the United Nations Tourism Office to establish the ZITHS Mukuni International Tourism and Hospitality Academy. The Academy offers a range of courses, all focused on equipping both students new to the tourism industry and existing tourism workers with the skills they need to find work or advance in their careers.
Laying the cornerstone in Livingstone, Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili said: “Africa’s tourism sector is growing and diversifying at an incredible rate. These new academies, in partnership with UN Tourism, will train tomorrow’s tourism workforce in a range of specialisms, providing the talent Africa’s tourism industry needs to thrive.”
Zambia’s Minister of Tourism, Rodney M. Sikumba, who signed the agreement with the Secretary-General, said: “The adoption of the UN Tourism Education Guidelines has enabled Zambia to redefine the role of education in tourism development. The establishment of the Academy marks a milestone in how we bridge the glaring skills gap in our country’s current and future tourism sector workforce.”
Plans to establish a culinary arts academy in Zimbabwe
The organization also agreed to partner with the United Nations Tourism Department to establish the Africa International Tourism Culinary Arts Academy. The center of expertise will be located in Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and will focus on developing skilled professionals in culinary arts in the country and across Africa. The announcement coincided with the opening of the first United Nations Tourism Africa Gastronomic Tourism Forum, an event showcasing the diverse cuisines of the African region and bringing together key players from the public and private sectors.
Zimbabwe’s Minister of Tourism and Hospitality, Barbara Luwozi, said: “We are delighted to be working closely with UN Tourism to develop gastronomy tourism in the country and the region. Our new Academy in partnership with UN Tourism demonstrates our shared determination to build the capacity of tourism practitioners in the field of culinary arts and put Zimbabwe firmly on the global gastronomy map.”
Theodore is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of the TravelDailyNews Media Network and is responsible for business development and planning for the long-term opportunities for TravelDailyNews.
