Empowering Emirati entrepreneurs to shape the future of tourism
The United Arab Emirates stands among the most beautiful and safest destinations for tourism in the world. For Mitha Al Shamsi, an entrepreneur and a participant in the Maharat for Tourism programme, tourism is far more than sightseeing. It is a way to connect people, preserve heritage, and build sustainable businesses that share the Emirati experience with the world.
Celebrating the UAE’s diverse destinations
Tourism is a way to discover the world. It’s a point of human connection, the stories, and the memories that remain both in the place itself and within us as people.
Mitha takes pride in showcasing the UAE’s diverse destinations beyond Dubai, from Jebel Hafeet and Al Ain Oasis to Fujairah’s mountains overlooking the Omani coast, and Jebel Jais in Ras Al Khaimah, home to one of the world’s longest ziplines. She believes that these sites represent the authentic side of the Emirates, where nature, culture, and community meet.
Building entrepreneurial skills through Maharat for Tourism
Through the Maharat for Tourism programme, implemented by SPARK with the support of Google.org, Mitha explored how entrepreneurship and business management can transform tourism into a sustainable career path.
“What impressed me most about the programme’s content was the comprehensive tourism experience,” she explains. “It showed how tourism can be enhanced, along with our local heritage, through smart applications and innovative ideas.”
Maharat for Tourism introduced Mitha to essential business skills such as project planning, marketing, and customer engagement, tools she now uses to turn her ideas into real entrepreneurial ventures.
Turning inspiration into action
Through Maharat for Tourism, I learned that tourism is not only about travel, it’s about opportunity. It’s a chance to build businesses that preserve our heritage and share our story with the world.
Mitha’s dream is to establish a project that brings the Emirati lifestyle closer to visitors. “I would love to work on the Live in the Emirates project,” she says enthusiastically. “It would allow tourists to live with local families, experience our traditions, crafts, and cuisine, and understand the true essence of Emirati hospitality.”