Press Release

As part of its ongoing endeavours to empower national competencies and enhance their skills and experiences in the tourism sector, Oman Tourism Development Company (OMRAN Group) proudly announce the launch of the first of a kind “Leadership Development Academy” and introduced its programmes (SHIFT & LIFT).

The academy launch ceremony was held under the patronage of Al Mutasim Said Al Sariri, OMRAN Group’s Vice Chairman, and witnessed the presence of a number of members of the Board of Directors, CEO and officials from OMRAN Group, subsidiaries, and owned hospitality assets at the Oman Convention and Exhibition Centre (OCEC).

The Leadership Development Academy serves as a platform to enhance the leadership skills of the local competencies and foster a motivating professional environment. In addition to providing the tourism sector with qualified leaders who actively contribute to achieving this promising sector’s growth and development.

Commenting on this occasion, Dr.Hashil bin Obaid Al Mahrouqi, CEO of OMRAN Group, said: “OMRAN Group is devoted to providing various programmes and initiatives that aim to harness national competencies, equip them with the knowledge, insights, and strategies needed to drive the growth and sustainability of our nation’s tourism sector.” He further added, “We affirm our commitment to investing in our human capital and their development in alignment with the national tourism strategy and our corporate objectives.”

The ‘SHIFT’ programme will provide training courses in different management and leadership roles within the sector. Its first phase includes 40 participants from management levels at OMRAN Group and its subsidiaries. On the other hand, the ‘LIFT’ programme involves 20 candidates from hospitality assets, concentrating on developing leadership skills specifically for the hospitality industry.

To ensure the high quality of the training programs provided at the academy, OMRAN Group partnered with several experienced and renowned local and regional institutions in the field of leadership development for the tourism and hospitality sectors. These include HR Competence, Bahwan Cybertek, and The Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management.

Hilal Masoud Al Jadidi, Chief of Human Capital Officer, said: “We are thrilled with the success of the initiatives falling under #IAmTourism strategy, which serve as an umbrella for all training and development initiatives. The ‘Leadership Development Academy’ stands as a prominent flagship initiative within the programme that primarily focuses on nurturing leadership capabilities in the tourism sector and bolstering competencies in the hospitality field.” He further emphasized, “The ‘Leadership Development Academy’ will go beyond conventional training approaches by offering training programmes tailored for tourism professionals and leaders. We will actively collaborate with our partners to ensure the delivery of comprehensive training programmes and impactful professional development initiatives that align with the latest leadership practices and knowledge.” Al Jadidi further said that another leadership programme designed to empower female leaders in the tourism sector will be unveiled soon.

The #IAmTourism strategy is built on four core pillars: ‘inform’ and spread awareness, ‘Attract’ the national talents from various industries to the tourism sector, ‘Retain’ national competencies within the tourism sector and ‘partner’ with different stakeholders to come up with such valuable initiatives. The ‘Leadership Development Academy’ launched at the event firmly falls under the ‘Retain’ pillar to develop and retain national talents in the tourism sector in order to enhance its competitiveness.