Empowering 27,000 young people through tourism: TUI Academy celebrates 10 year anniversary with international conference on vocational training

• TUI Academy programme has trained more than 27,000 young people from underserved communities since 2016
• Anniversary conference took place in the Dominican Republic, home to the longest-running TUI Academy worldwide
• New TUI Academy launched in Senegal to expand vocational training opportunities in tourism and hospitality

The TUI Care Foundation is celebrating the 10-year anniversary of its global TUI Academy programme, which – since its launch in 2016 – has created vocational training and employment opportunities for more than 27,000 young people from underserved communities around the world. Through partnerships with local organisations, tourism businesses and vocational education institutions, the programme equips young people with the practical skills, confidence and experience needed to access employment and entrepreneurship opportunities in the tourism industry.

The milestone anniversary was marked with a conference in the Dominican Republic, bringing together representatives from the tourism industry, government institutions, foreign embassies, past alumni and global partners of the TUI Care Foundation. The Dominican Republic hosts the longest-running TUI Academy globally, delivered in partnership with Plan International, and has become one of the programme’s flagship initiatives, creating pathways into formal employment and supporting inclusive economic growth in tourism communities.

Over the last ten years, the TUI Academy programme has expanded across destinations in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Europe, focusing on hospitality training, tourism services, entrepreneurship and life skills development. Many participants come from communities facing high unemployment rates and limited access to professional training opportunities. Through practical learning, internships and mentoring, graduates gain access to sustainable livelihoods whilst supporting the development of resilient tourism destinations.

As part of the anniversary, the TUI Care Foundation is also announcing the launch of a new TUI Academy in Senegal, further strengthening the programme’s global reach.

TUI Academy Senegal supports over 250 young people and women in the coastal region of Mbour through vocational hospitality and tourism training, entrepreneurship support and life skills development. The initiative is a partnership with local vocational training institute Critérium and combines classroom learning with practical training opportunities, helping participants improve their employability while supporting the sustainable development of the local tourism sector.

Alexander Panczuk, Managing Director of the TUI Care Foundation, said at the conference: “For the past ten years, the TUI Academy programme has demonstrated how tourism can create meaningful opportunities for young people and contribute to more inclusive and resilient communities. We are proud that more than 27,000 young women and men have already benefitted from training, mentoring and employment support through the programme. Celebrating this anniversary with a conference in the Dominican Republic – home to our blueprint TUI Academy – is particularly special and reflects the strong partnerships that have made this impact possible. After 10 years we can say this: we might have helped lay down the first steps, but each TUI Academy graduate has built their own path through talent, hard work and leadership.”

The TUI Academy programme forms part of the TUI Care Foundation’s wider commitment to using tourism as a force for good. Through partnerships with local organisations around the world, the Foundation supports education, environmental conservation and economic empowerment projects that help communities benefit more directly from tourism development.

About the TUI Care Foundation

Building on the potential of tourism as a force for good, the TUI Care Foundation supports and initiates projects which create new opportunities and contribute to thriving communities in tourism destinations all over the world. Connecting holidaymakers to good causes, it supports education and training opportunities for young people; drives the protection of natural habitats and the marine environment; and helps local communities to thrive sustainably and benefit from tourism. The TUI Care Foundation builds on strong partnerships with local and international organisations to create meaningful and long-lasting impact. The independent charitable organisation was founded by TUI, one of the world’s leading tourism businesses, and is based in the Netherlands.

About Critérium

Critérium THR is a vocational training school that educates students in catering and hospitality. The main activities of the school focus on training, especially in catering, a sector, which offers more employment opportunities for young graduates.

About the IEFP – Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional

The Institute for Employment and Vocational Training (IEFP – Instituto do Emprego e Formação Profissional) is a public body under the supervision of the Cape Verdean Ministry of Finance, responsible for implementing employment and vocational training policies defined and approved by the government.

The IEFP’s mission is to promote the employment and employability of citizens through the implementation of active and passive policies and measures for employment, entrepreneurship, self-employment, vocational training and professional internships, preferably through the private sector, municipalities and NGOs, in harmony with the guidelines and strategic options defined by the Cape Verdean government.