RAMALLAH, With German support, Jahzeen, a Palestinian tourism-readiness and resilience e-learning platform, launched yesterday the Tourism Training Programme for Employment and Wage Subsidy Programme in the presence of Rula Maayah, Minister of Tourism and Antiquities, Dr. Nasri Abu Jaish, Minister of Labour and Christian Clages, Head of the German Representative office in Ramallah.

The Programme represents a first-of-its-kind combination of online-based training and financial support for over 1,000 unemployed tourism workers, and guidance and financial incentives for tourism companies to re-hire unemployed workers.

The state-of-the-art online courses will ensure that Palestinian tourism employees have all the necessary skills for a modern, service-oriented, and welcoming international destination. The new Programme is funded by the German Government and implemented by two GIZ programmes (Programme for Access to the Labour Market – PALM, and the Private Sector Development Programme – PSDP) in close cooperation with the Tourism Recovery Task Force.

The COVID-19 crisis has posed a great challenge for the Palestinian tourism industry, a sector that employs more than 35.000 people. The official reopening of the tourism sector is on the horizon and it is essential that Palestine is ready to ensure the health and safety of the returning tourists. In order to prepare the tourism sector, the Palestinian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities (MoTA) has established the Palestine Tourism Recovery Taskforce which has developed new internationally recognized COVID Tourism Health Standards for Palestine (www.jahzeen.ps), all related compulsory trainings for tourism employees, and ensures compliance across the sector through their well-trained team of auditors.

Germany supports the Palestine Tourism Recovery Task Force, that consists of the MoTA and representatives from the Arab Hotel Association (AHA), Holy Land Incoming Tour Operators Association (HLITOA), the Palestine Association of Travel Agents (PSTTA), the Arab Guide Union (AGU) and Network of Palestine Experiential Tourism Associations (NEPTO).

Source: Palestinian News & Info Agency