The East African Communtiy has today launched an Online Tourism Capacity Development Programme that aims to elevate professional standards and skill sets across the region’s tourism industry.
The programme was officially launched during a virtual session led by Andrea Aguer Ariik Malueth the EAC Deputy Secretary General, Infrastructure, Productive, Social and Political Sectors.
“This initiative builds on our efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic to support the resumption of tourism services. Together, we can redefine tourism for the benefit of all EAC citizens and future generations,” said the EAC Deputy Secretary General Andrea Ariik Malueth.
Speaking during the session, EAC Deputy Secretary General reaffirmed EAC’s commitment to upscale the skills across the tourism sector in the region, targeting MSMEs, youth, women and local communities.
“EAC Online Tourism Capacity Development Programme is part of the LIFTED programme, co-funded by the European Union and Germany Cooperation, and implemented jointly by GIZ and the EAC Secretariat,” said the EAC Deputy Secretary General.
On his part, Mr. Marius Weist, the GIZ Tourism Component Lead, reflected on Germany’s long-time partnership and collaboration with the EAC in the tourism sector, including the recent development and launch of the Visit East Africa – Feel the Vibe Brand.
“Now, under this brand, we are excited to support EAC in a state-of-the-art e-learning initiative to foster capacity development in the tourism sector. Thus, it just fits in perfectly that the first topic that this programme covers focuses on tourism marketing,” said Mr. Weist.
The event was attended by various tourism stakeholders from both the public and private sectors, including tourism boards, tour operators, tour guides, SMEs, and the East African Tourism Platform, among other tourism stakeholders across the region.
The programme stands out for its accessibility, offering learners the opportunity to engage with high-quality training materials completely free of charge.
Participants can expect a dynamic learning experience that combines self-paced modules, live webinars, expert talks, and moderated forums.
Covering a wide array of topics essential to the tourism sector, each course within the programme spans four months, allowing ample time for deep engagement and understanding.
Upon completion, learners will receive a downloadable EAC certificate, digitally signed by the EAC leadership. The courses are also available in English and French language versions.
The course schedule fir Tourism Marketing is slated from June – October 2024, Sustainable Tourism and Hospitality Management (November – February 2025), Tour Guiding (November – February 2025) and Implementation of Sustainable Tourism Practices (March – June 2025).
