The Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) has launched a strategic new set of training programs that have been specifically developed to help improve the skills and enhance the knowledge of local tour guides. The move falls in line with the SCTDA’s continuing efforts to play a key role in the promotion and development of Sharjah’s rapidly thriving tourism segment, which further consolidates its position as a highly preferred and visited tourist destination–locally, regionally and globally.

According to the SCTDA, the training programs are expected to keep tour guides updated on the latest developments covering Sharjah’s tourism sector and being well-versed on all things about the emirate. The offered courses include practical lessons and field visits to many cultural, tourist and recreational sites in the emirate. The training programs demonstrate SCTDA’s commitment to place key importance on the significant role that tourist guides play in the continuing development of the emirate’s tourism industry—acknowledging their presence as key pillars in promoting the growth of tourist activity in the country and increasing the attraction of tourists and visitors to learn more about the UAE heritage and culture. The SCTDA has revealed that the series of training courses will be available to its strategic partners from the tourism and cultural sector. In fact, the authority has already organized a tour for the Sharjah Museums Tour Guides to ‘Mleiha,’ which will give them the opportunity to see and learn more about the rich cultural heritage of the region.

The SCTDA has also developed a series of training courses under the umbrella of the ‘Marhabtain’ initiative, with an aim to train and award certification to tour guides under the supervision of tourism experts and professionals. The courses are primarily aimed towards throwing the spotlight on Sharjah’s many tourism landmarks, especially after the continuously growing attention and interest in the country’s archaeological, tourism and cultural sites.

The new training programs aim at helping reinforce the emirate’s tourism industry, which is now a major contributor to Sharjah’s economy in light of the increasing number of tourists visiting.

These programs and courses are expected to attract the participation of a lot of our local tour guides, which will help enhance their knowledge and improve their skills. This initiative is part of SCTDA’s continuing efforts to enhance the human resources capabilities in the tourism sector in the emirate, aiming to train and assist the guides via comprehensive courses that will also be offered in English, Russian, Chinese, Spanish, French and Italian—giving them the advantage of introducing Sharjah’s history and culture to tourists, in line with the objectives of Sharjah Tourism Vision to attract 10 million tourists by 2021.