Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai will host AHIC 2015

Officials at the Arabian Hotel Investment Conference have announced they will be hosting a first of its kind student outreach programme – entitled ‘Hospitality Careers for GCC Nationals Symposium’ – during this year’s event.

Hosted in collaboration with Roya International, the event will take place on May 7th from 14:30-15:30 at Madinat Jumeirah in Dubai.

The Symposium will offer a unique platform for students to learn first-hand from world-renowned experts about the hospitality industry; where to start from, what career opportunities the industry provides and how they can find them. 

Ahmed Ramdan, Roya International founder, will head the Symposium with key regional decision makers.

Also present will be Mustapha Al Hashimi, chief executive, hospitality and leisure at Wasl Hospitality; Saad A Al-Qahtani, manager of accommodation at the Saudi Commission for Tourism & Antiquities; and Farida Al Raisi director of human resources at Shangri-La Hotel Qaryat Al Beri in Abu Dhabi.

Commenting on hosting the symposium, Ramdan said: “We are all very grateful to AHIC and Benchmark for supporting this important and unique GCC outreach program.

“All of us will gain from direct talks with promising young students to see how they see us and what they want.”

He added: “We have to introduce the benefits of the hospitality industry directly to the students as most of them are unaware that you don’t have to go to hotel school to have a great career in hospitality.

“All good opportunities need investment, time and energy to make it happen. 

“This is a critical issue for the future of the hospitality industry in the GCC and we want to really open the discussion.”