Muscat: As part of its continuous commitment to enhance the quality of its academic programmes, Oman Tourism College (OTC), represented by the Department of Tourism and Management Studies, recently held a meeting via Microsoft Teams. This was set up to review and update the academic programmes offered by the college to prepare a well-trained and qualified national workforce. The meeting saw the presence of 45 participants from across the tourism, hospitality, events and aviation sectors.

Commenting on the importance of holding the meeting, Dr Abdulkarim Sultan Al Mughairi, Dean of OTC said, “Such meetings are integral in bridging the gap between the offered academic programmes and the requirements of the labour market. This is because it represents the link between the academic institution and hotel and tourism establishments to come together and discuss various aspects related to the academic programmes that are offered and the skills, expertise and knowledge that is required by the labour market. During the meeting, several topics were touched upon, including industry trends and labour market needs in the fields of tourism, hospitality, marketing and event management. Graduate employability skills, the role of foreign languages in enhancing job opportunities and the importance of internships for graduates were also discussed. The meeting further shed light on the challenges facing the industry given the current circumstances and means to deal with them.” 

“I would like to extend my thanks and appreciation to all the participants of this meeting. Through each of their cooperation and good efforts, we can look forward to the progress and prosperity of the tourism sector in the future,” he added.

Oman Tourism College is the leading academic institution that offers various study programmes related to tourism and hospitality in the Sultanate. The college strives to provide highly competent and trained graduates who are well-prepared to take on a competitive labour market, further enhancing its pivotal role in developing this sector on a local level.