Miral’s Mariam Al Musharrekh on factors driving demand for talent in the region

What are some key factors driving the increased demand for talent across the region’s tourism sector?

Talent acquisition, development and retention continue to be paramount as the leisure, entertainment and tourism sectors in the UAE and across the GCC region continue to grow. Fuelled by pent-up travel appetite, the region is leading international travel and tourism recovery this year to pre-pandemic levels.

Countries are capitalising on this surge in demand. Initiatives like Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Strategy 2030 aim to attract more visitors and double the tourism sector’s GDP contribution from approximately Dhs49bn in 2023 to Dhs90bn annually by 2030.

The numbers speak for themselves: international arrivals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai already surpassed pre-pandemic levels in 2023 by more than 9 per cent, and future flight bookings are soaring for Q2 of 2024 – 59 per cent ahead of last year – indicating a bright future for the industry.

A positive impact of this growth is job creation and the rise in demand for quality talent across the GCC market. To position the emirate as a leading tourism destination and as part of its Tourism Strategy 2030, Abu Dhabi also aims to create 178,000 new jobs within the travel industry.

What should organisations consider when hiring today’s skilled professionals?

The challenge is not only to attract and hire top talent but also to upskill and develop the future leaders of our industry. This requires a renewed approach to the HR function that focuses on how organisations invest in their people.

Another important segment that requires attention is the continuous learning and development of Gen Z employees, also known as Zoomers. Set to be the industry’s next leaders by 2025, Gen Z will account for 27 per cent of the total workforce, stating that career development, total compensation, and meaningful work are the top three considerations for taking a new job. The most talented of them will prefer companies that are seen to be meeting their expectations and aligning with their values.

Furthermore, an effective succession plan to transform young executives into managers and leaders requires continuous investment. Coupled with upskilling employees beyond daily responsibilities to maximise their potential, a clear roadmap for each employee’s growth trajectory is key to ensuring talent retention.

Why is the HR function becoming more vital in ensuring the sector’s success?

The importance of HR leaders in driving the growth within the leisure, entertainment and tourism sector is paramount. The demand for a skilled workforce will continue to match the robust growth of the travel industry as the talent marketplace continues to be competitive.

We need to be ahead of the curve, to attract and retain top talent who continue to develop into industry leaders, securing the long-term success of this important sector in the UAE.

How is Miral tackling these multifaceted challenges?

As a key contributor to Abu Dhabi’s Tourism Vision, Miral’s multi-pronged strategy towards talent development and retention ensures its world-class destinations and experiences are operated by top-tier industry professionals and leaders. This aligns with our commitment to attracting and upskilling top global talents while encouraging Emiratis to join the leisure, entertainment and tourism sector through several talent development programmes.

• Maharaty: Geared towards supporting Emirati graduates to secure roles within the sector, this two-year talent development programme is designed to nurture their capabilities, knowledge, and leadership. Launched in 2021, the programme has seen 12 trainees take on key roles across Miral and over 25 trainees securing jobs externally.
• Ambassador programme: This three-month programme provides hands-on training and recruitment of UAE Nationals at Miral’s world-class theme parks, such as Ferrari World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Yas Waterworld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, Warner Bros. World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, and Sea World Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Since its launch in 2017, the programme has recruited more than 700 Emiratis, of whom 150 reached managerial positions across Yas Island’s attractions.
• Summer and Winter Squad programmes: Designed to inspire the next generation of tourism leaders early on, the initiative offers meaningful work experience to school students between 16–18 years of age. Making its debut in 2023, the programme has seen 154 students across over 20 nationalities, including UAE nationals, gain work experience across various departments within Yas Island’s theme parks. Experienced department leaders from guest services, operations, retail, entertainment and zoological departments provide mentorship, guidance and support to the students throughout the programme.
• ‘SANID’ emergency response programme: Demonstrating Miral’s efforts to upskill its people beyond daily responsibilities under its commitment to CSR, the programme features a series of workshops that enable Miral’s employees to enhance their skills in crisis management, disaster preparedness, and emergency response. In partnership with Emirates Foundation and led by its experts, the robust training courses covered topics such as medical treatments, fire handling, first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, psychological reactions to disasters, search and rescue, sorting and classification, and practical exercise.

Read: How Miral is transforming Abu Dhabi with its grand vision