Become a Dubai expert
Dubai: Training the Trade
DTCM is committed to meeting the needs of our partners in the travel industry an so we have developed a number of initiatives to ensure the travel trade as regularly provided with updated information on the emirate to raise awareness levels of Dubai’s diversity and trained to increase bookings.
The Dubai Expert Online Training Programme
The DTCM provides online training through its comprehensive Dubai Expert programme.
Registration
You can register free of charge online now at www.dubaiexpert.co.uk
Training Online
Progression through the training material will occur at a steady pace, to allow a gradual assimilation of new and more in-depth information about Dubai as a holiday destination. The training will be provided in two levels – Level 1 and Level 2, and you will work through the modules in succession.
Training Offline
After completing a module, you can download the content in PDF format and either save it on your personal computer or print out a hard copy for future reference.
Ongoing Communication
Following feedback from our Dubai Experts we now distribute a monthly e-newsletter. DubaiUpdate is an online digest of travel, tourism, economic, industrial, commercial and other news specifically aimed at UK and Ireland based organisations.
Completion of the programme
On completion of the programme you will be provided a pdf of the Dubai Expert logo which you can include on email signatures or websites to display your status. You will also receive a silver and gold certificate after levels 1 and 2 respectively.
For travel agents it secures a clear advantage in winning sales, access to privileges from suppliers including airlines and hotels, inclusion on a referrals list for consumers, and eligibility to be considered for future familiarisation visits to Dubai.
Familiarisation Trips
Top scoring Dubai Expert graduates are eligible for consideration to experience Dubai first-hand. During 2009 some 208 Dubai Expert graduates from the UK and Ireland reinforced their learning by attending DTCM familiarisation trips to Dubai. During these visits, workshops are held with Dubai-based suppliers, including airlines, hoteliers, ground handlers. Beneficially for the suppliers involved, the agents have already gained destination knowledge and demonstrated their commitment to selling the destination by completing the comprehensive training course.
Other Training Tools
The DTCM also produces and provides a library of tools and regularly updated support materials to ensure agents are fully-briefed about all that is happening in Dubai. These range from brochures and specialist travel trade manuals, to special interest brochures, promotional DVDs, summaries of new developments, factsheets, images and, of course, Dubai Update.
Positive feedback/testimonials from partners and trainees include the following:
Lisa Whitaker, Head of Call Center Sales, Virgin Holidays
“This comprehensive and user-friendly online training programme has proven to be invaluable to many of the team within our UK Sales Center. As a result we now include this training programme (Dubai Expert) as a mandatory part of all new starters initiation into the sales center. 10 months after starting this initiative we noticed a significant increase in the confidence and capabilities of our sales agents when discussing Dubai and its environs with agents/public on the phone.”
Gavyn Andrews, Selective Travel Management
“I have completed the training course and have to admit I found it very very exciting. I think it is a fantastic and very worthwhile course and I am glad my agency asked me to complete it.”
Click here for a list of Dubai Expert Qualified agents
