Petra, June 18 (Petra) -- Al-Hussein Bin Talal University and Italian non-profit organization ELIS on Thursday signed a cooperation agreement aimed at enhancing vocational training, building capacities, and expanding employment opportunities in the tourism and hospitality sectors.
The agreement was signed under the RE-BUILD international program, hosted by the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority (PDTRA), in the presence of the PDTRA Chairperson Adnan Sawair and Italian Ambassador to Jordan Luciano Pezzotti, alongside representatives of Jordanian and Italian partner institutions.
The two-year program is supported by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) and involves several academic and development institutions from Jordan and Italy.
The agreement forms part of the PDTRA's efforts to expand local and international partnerships aimed at developing the tourism sector and investing in human capital through specialized initiatives that equip Jordanian youth with skills needed to enter the tourism labor market.
Sawair said the authority is working to strengthen links between Petra Faculty for Tourism and Archaeology and local and international institutions to support sustainable tourism development and enhance Petra's position as a regional hub for tourism and hospitality training and capacity building.
He added that the PDTRA will continue building strategic partnerships with local and international organizations to benefit local communities and expand employment opportunities for young people.
Sawair stressed that investing in human resources and developing young talent remains a key pillar of tourism and economic development in the Petra region.
The agreement aims to develop specialized training programs in tourism, hospitality and hotel services, facilitate the exchange of expertise between Jordanian and Italian partners, and support entrepreneurial initiatives that contribute to sustainable job creation and local economic development.
The RE-BUILD program represents a model of Jordanian-Italian cooperation in education and vocational training, focusing on capacity building, enhancing the skills of young professionals, and aligning training outcomes with labor market needs to support tourism sector growth and sustainable development in the Petra region.
//Petra// NQ
