CHALLENGE

The United Arab Emirates aims to increase youth participation in the tourism sector while also decreasing the negative perception youth had of the sector.

INITIATIVE

The Ministry of Economy launched the Tourism TechGen Hackathon, which worked towards a two fold goal:
(i) to generate innovative new ideas for the sector and
(ii) to develop the spirit of entrepreneurship in students encouraging them to work in the tourism sector.

IMPACT

The Hackathon generated over a hundred ideas from different student groups across the country; many of these students are now being considered for tourism internships and job opportunities while others feel more encouraged to build a career in tourism.