Working with UNWTO and Kenya to build up skills in the travel & tourism sectors

We have had an ongoing relationship with the UNWTO for some time now focussed on promoting the sustainability of the travel and tourism industry around the world. Most recently, Amadeus and the UNWTO joined forces with the Ministry of Tourism, Kenya, to pilot a programme that helps young people gain the skills needed to work in travel and tourism.

Through this collaboration, Amadeus, UNWTO and the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism will help young women and men develop new skills to access new employment and entrepreneurship opportunities. As a result, more members of the local communities will be able to benefit from tourism and travel.

To achieve this, we will be encouraging multiple stakeholders in the travel and tourism sector in Kenya – including hotels, travel agencies, tour operators, and airlines - to support the project’s development and implementation. This industry-wide collaboration is necessary to ensure that these young people gain experience with businesses throughout the travel and tourism sector during training, and develop the practical skills needed to enter the job market or the supply chain.

Driving Sustainable Development

Considering that more than 1 billion international tourists travelled the world in 2015, there is much opportunity to drive sustainable development through travel and tourism. These numbers will grow each year. For the impact of this growth to be positive, it is critical that local communities participate in tourism to see its benefits. This is also particularly relevant in the context of efforts to achieve the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals target for tourism, by 2030.

At Amadeus, we are committed to supporting the development, education, and welfare of the communities in the markets we serve. All around the world our employees drive or support projects that foster social advancement using our technology, travel industry knowledge and networks. We believe partnerships like this, with multiple stakeholders are catalysts for social innovation and inclusive development worldwide.

We encourage other travel industry partners and governmental institutions to join us in continuing to shape a better and more sustainable future for all, through travel and tourism.