On invitation of the Ministry of Tourism and Handcraft of the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the UNWTO.Themis Foundation participated on 16th May on a study day on Tourism education and training, held within the framework of the 16th edition of the International Tourism and Travel Salon (SITEV).

This day on training, held in Algiers, included presentation given by the State’s participation management corporation “Tourism – Hospitality” SFGP GESTOUR, the Algeria Touring Club, the National Graduate School in Tourism (l‘École Nationale Supérieur de Tourisme, ENST), the National Institute of Tourism and Hospitality in Tizi Ouzu; the Regulations, Monitoring and Education Department of the Ministry of Education and Professional Training; and the UNWTO.Themis Foundation.

The presentations of the UNWTO.Themis Foundation, imparted by the UNWTO.Capacity Programme Manager, Sònia Figueras, were about the different approaches in tourism education and training worldwide, as well as the Foundation’s four main programmes. The presentation on the different approaches and the role of the private sector in these approaches, described the awareness and training programmes in primary schools in Argentina, Colombia and the Dominican Republic; the Mexican programme for the professionalization of Tourism professionals, “the holistic capacity building and competitiveness programme on Tourism”; The National Service of Learning (SENA) in Colombia; the Competence Center on Tourism (le Forem Tourisme) of the  Wallon office of Professional Training and Employment in Belgium; Certificate of Professionalism of the Spanish national employment service, and finally the role of the private sector in the UNWTO.Themis Foundation programmes.

During this visit, Sònia Figueras also visited the National Graduate School of Tourism (l‘École Nationale Supérieur de Tourisme), which is under the joint guardianship of the Ministry of Higher Education and the Ministry of Tourism. This School (ENST) has the mission to train graduates in Hospitality and Tourism Management, and improve and capacitate towards staff profit in hospitality and hotel activities within this sector.

The UNWTO.Themis Foundation, situated in the Principality of Andorra, is responsible for the implementation of the working programme on education and training of the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO).