Sommet Education, one of the world’s leading networks of hospitality education institutes, signed an agreement with the Tourism Development Fund (TDF) in Saudi Arabia to support the development of the kingdom’s tourism sector.

Through the partnership, Sommet Education will work with TDF to develop the Fund’s employees and clients’ knowledge, skills and competencies in tourism, hospitality and entrepreneurship through dedicated programs and training courses, as well as workshops, training sessions, conferences and consulting.

In line with the objectives of the Human Capability Development Program of Saudi Vision 2030, the new partnership opens a world of opportunities for TDF’s employees and clients to study hospitality with globally accredited institutes.

Under this partnership, Sommet Education is committed to developing future talent for the service industry. Sommet Education will provide TDF’s employees and clients with the opportunity to enroll in training courses for various professions, including investment, hospitality, and tourism. Programs will be available at a variety of educational levels, making this inclusive for one and all. The services will be available for individuals, entities, and companies working across the Saudi services sector under the supervision of TDF.

“The positioning of Sommet Education and its institutions combining prestige, excellence and an international outlook, paired with the vision of the Kingdom for quality education, offers strong potential to build and grow the overall performance of the tourism sector in Saudi Arabia,” said Benoît-Etienne Domenget, chief executive officer of Sommet Education.

Qusai Al-Fakhri, chief executive officer of TDF, said: “The tourism sector is a key driver of Vision 2030. In order to facilitate its rapid growth, it is essential to have the right talent leading the way. Through our partnership with Sommet Education, one of the leading educational centers worldwide, we look forward to enabling TDF’s valued clients and employees by providing them with the best-in-class training they need to realize their tourism ambitions during this exciting phase in the kingdom’s history.”

Sommet Education is a unique education group specialized in hospitality management and culinary arts encompassing Glion Institute of Higher Education, one of the world’s finest Swiss hospitality management schools, Les Roches Global Hospitality Education, ranked third worldwide in employer reputation, and École Ducasse, culinary and pastry arts school founded by world-renowned chef.

With capital of USD 4 billion, TDF aims to be the key enabler of tourism development in Saudi Arabia. By providing financing solutions for investors, TDF will drive the development of distinguished tourism projects in various regions of the kingdom, thereby accelerating the National Tourism Strategy’s goal of raising the tourism sector’s contribution to GDP from 3% to 10% and creating one million new jobs by 2030.