‘A new generation of talent’: Dubai launches college for travel content creators
- Curriculum designed to develop both creative and commercial skills
Dubai has launched a school for social media influencers who focus on travel, as it looks to position itself as a prime destination for digital media.
The Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Visit Dubai), in partnership with ad agency Beautiful Destinations, launched the ‘Beautiful Destinations Academy, Powered by Dubai.’
Its aim is to introduce formal standards tailored to digital creators working within the tourism sector, bringing structure, credibility and accountability to a previously informal field of work, according to a statement released on Thursday.
The curriculum is designed to develop both creative and commercial skills, combining technical proficiency with marketing principles.
It will offer destinations and hospitality brands access to a curated network of certified creators while building a sustainable and scalable pipeline of professionals with the digital skills required to meet the sector’s evolving demands, the statement added.
According to Jeremy Jauncey, CEO and founder of the agency, “the travel industry is experiencing a fundamental shift in how destinations attract visitors.”
He pointed out that research shows 76% of travel decisions are now influenced by social media content, yet only 24% of tourism and hospitality brands have in-house teams capable of creating the calibre of content that drives engagement.
The college, he said, will directly address this gap “by cultivating a new generation of specialised talent.”
A key priority of the programme is nurturing diverse talent from all markets, helping to ensure that tourism marketing reflects a broader spectrum of perspectives .
“We’re essentially creating a new professional category within the tourism ecosystem,” noted Jauncey. “Our ambition is that having Beautiful Destinations Academy certification will become the industry standard for content creators specialising in travel marketing, similar to how other professional designations function in hospitality and tourism management.”
Setting new benchmarks
In the statement, the academy was described as “a pioneering professional development initiative aimed at setting new, global benchmarks for travel content creation and meeting the rising demand for skilled marketing talent within the tourism sector.”
Visit Dubai CEO Issam Kazim said the academy “is a testament to our commitment to fostering creativity, innovation, and excellence in the tourism sector. By providing a dedicated space for content creators, we aim to amplify Dubai’s global appeal and further solidify our position as the best city to visit, live, and work in.”
He added that thanks to a diverse range of offerings and experiences, Dubai provides an unrivalled platform for capturing creative, engaging content. He hoped the academywill help content creators from around the world to amplify their storytelling.
Content creators’ crucial role in travel decision-making
The statement added that with digital content now central to travel decision-making, the Beautiful Destinations Academy addresses the sector’s strong demand for the specialist skills needed to create high-impact, platform-native content required to influence today’s travellers.
The partnership strengthens Dubai’s position as a global hub for the growing creator economy, which, according to Goldman Sachs could approach half-a-trillion dollars by 2027, the statement added.
Earlier, the Dubai government had said it wants to attract 10,000 influencers to the city. It has launched an initiative called ‘Creators HQ’, members of which will get help with UAE golden visa applications, relocation support, and company setup and registration.
The Creators HQ has been designed to attract and support diverse talent, including digital content creators and their enablers, podcasters, and visual artists. It also targets key players in the creative industries, such as advertising and marketing firms, media and music producers, animation studios, and fashion and lifestyle brands.
Mohammad Al Gergawi, UAE Minister of Cabinet Affairs, had said at the time that “our main aim is for global content creators to gather in the UAE, renowned for its cultural diversity, where they will find support, and connect to funding and investors so they can innovate and expand their reach.”
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