MUSCAT: The inaugural Diraya Specialised Tourism Forum commenced on Monday at Oman Tourism College in Muscat, marking a significant step toward bridging the gap between higher education and the demands of Oman’s growing tourism sector.
This forum aims to elevate human capital, address sector-specific challenges, and enhance Omani leadership within tourism, aligning educational programmes with market needs for sustainable development.
Held under the auspices of Dr Rahma bint Ibrahim al Mahrouqiyah, Minister of Higher Education, Research and Innovation, and organised in partnership with Oman Tourism College and the Oman Society for Human Resource Management, the forum is the first in a series intended to align academia with industry requirements. Dr Hamad bin Mohammed al Mahrouqi, Dean of Oman Tourism College, emphasised that this initiative is a pioneering effort by the ministry to reduce the gap between educational outcomes and market demands. Through Diraya, Oman Tourism College aims to foster collaborative solutions, address challenges, and spread sector-specific knowledge under the slogan 'Let Us Be Informed in Various Fields Related to the Tourism Sector.'
The forum featured four discussion sessions covering vital topics such as human resource challenges, developing advanced leadership capacities, and aligning academic and vocational programmes with the tourism sector’s needs. A concluding session shared research findings on tourism in Oman, stressing the importance of educational output in supporting sustainable tourism development and boosting competitiveness.
On the forum’s sidelines, a job fair organised by the Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in collaboration with Oman Tourism College, connected employers with job-seekers to support national talent and align career opportunities with specialisations within the sector.
The Diraya forum is a pioneering platform for exchanging best practices between academia and industry, fostering collaborations, and creating a knowledge base to support tourism’s growth in Oman. Organisers envision this forum as an annual gathering, drawing both national and international expertise to discuss, innovate, and offer solutions that contribute to Oman Vision 2040’s goals, reinforcing tourism as a vital economic driver and a cornerstone of sustainable development.
By providing a platform for knowledge-sharing and dialogue between academic and industry experts, the Diraya forum aims to promote best practices and foster sustainable development within Oman’s tourism sector. The organisers envision this as an annual event that will strengthen Oman’s commitment to Oman Vision 2040 goals, promoting tourism as a key driver of economic diversification and resilience.
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