Abu Dhabi’s new Visitor Experience Academy brings AI training to tourism workforce
Programme already includes learners from 260 organisations across the emirate
ABU DHABI – The UAE capital has launched a new academy aimed at strengthening the skills of tourism frontliners and creating more consistent service standards across the emirate.
The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has introduced the Visitor Experience (VX) Academy, a destination-wide initiative focused on professional development for employees who interact directly with visitors. The programme forms the next stage of the emirate’s wider Visitor Experience programme.
The academy has already onboarded 38,643 learners from 260 organisations across Abu Dhabi’s tourism ecosystem. Participating organisations include 149 hotels, 27 attractions and 18 cultural sites, giving the programme a broad reach across the visitor economy.
AI-powered learning
The VX Academy uses AI-driven e-learning modules to provide tailored training for frontline workers. The courses are designed around different roles, allowing employees to develop practical skills relevant to their responsibilities while gaining a stronger understanding of Abu Dhabi’s hospitality and culture.
According to DCT Abu Dhabi, the programme is designed to help organisations improve operational efficiency and effectiveness while supporting consistently high service standards. It also focuses on strengthening employees’ knowledge of Emirati hospitality and culture, helping frontline teams better understand the destination they represent.
Saleh Mohamed Al Geziry, Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, said the academy equips tourism frontliners with the knowledge, skills and confidence needed to deliver hospitality, service excellence and cultural understanding.
Visitor Experience programme
The VX Academy is the first major implementation of DCT Abu Dhabi’s wider Visitor Experience programme, following the launch of the Visitor Experience Guidelines earlier this year.
Those guidelines established a shared framework covering 11 visitor touchpoints, including airports, cultural sites, attractions, hotels and shopping destinations. The academy adds a workforce-focused element to the programme by giving frontline professionals training designed to support those standards in day-to-day visitor interactions.
Together, the initiatives are intended to establish a common approach to visitor experience across Abu Dhabi, with DCT Abu Dhabi linking the programme to the emirate’s Tourism Strategy 2030 ambitions.