Issam Kazim, CEO of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing (Visit Dubai), says, "The launch of this innovative programme with Beautiful Destinations is a testament to our commitment to fostering creativity, innovation and excellence in the tourism sector. By providing a dedicated space for content creators, we aim to amplify Dubai's global appeal and further solidify our position as the best city to visit, live, and work in."

"This aligns perfectly with the goals of the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, and our vision to make Dubai a leading global city for business and leisure. Thanks to a diverse range of offerings and experiences, Dubai provides an unrivalled platform for capturing creative, engaging content, and we look forward to working with Beautiful Destinations and content creators from around the world to amplify their storytelling globally," adds Kazim. 

"Dubai is a leading innovator in tourism marketing — a like-minded partner that shares our future-focused vision," says Jeremy Jauncey, CEO and Founder of Beautiful Destinations.

"The travel industry is experiencing a fundamental shift in how destinations attract visitors. Leading research shows that 76% of travel decisions are now influenced by social media content, yet only 24% of tourism and hospitality brands have in-house teams capable of creating the calibre of content that drives engagement. The Beautiful Destinations Academy, Powered by Dubai, directly addresses this gap by cultivating a new generation of specialised talent," adds Jauncey. 

Addressing Tourism's Digital Transformation 

With digital content now central to travel decision-making, the Beautiful Destinations Academy addresses the sector's strong demand for the specialist skills needed to create high-impact, platform-native content required to influence today's travellers, says the duo. 

The partnership strengthens Dubai's position as a global hub for the growing creator economy, which, according to Goldman Sachs, could approach half-a-trillion dollars by 2027, and aligns with the Dubai Economic Agenda, D33, adds the duo. 

Establishing New Industry Standards for Digital Creator Excellence 

The Beautiful Destinations Academy in Dubai will set a new global benchmark for quality in travel content creation. By introducing formal standards tailored to digital creators working within the tourism sector, it brings structure, credibility and accountability to a previously informal field of work, say Visit Dubai and Beautiful Destinations.

The curriculum is designed to develop both creative and commercial skills, combining technical proficiency with marketing principles. Key modules include:

  • mastery of audio-visual content creation across multiple platforms
  • cinematography, shots and movement, including sequences and transitions
  • all aspects of post-production from editing and grading to narrative, music and sound design
  • emerging technologies and VFX, including AI-assisted content creation and CGI
  • strategic understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement
  • tourism industry knowledge and destination marketing principles, and
  • professional ethics and business acumen. 

The duo says students will receive hands-on mentorship from leading creative and professional experts in travel, including Jauncey. They will also receive an all-expenses-paid VIP programme including free accommodation and a competitive salary. 

Upon graduation, they will be awarded a certificate of participation from Dubai College of Tourism, a vocational institution committed to nurturing and educating human capital within the tourism, hospitality, culinary arts and events industries, say Visit Dubai and Beautiful Destinations.

Disrupting the Tourism Marketing Ecosystem 

The Academy represents innovation in the business model of tourism marketing, helping future-proof the industry by fostering a community of specialists and highly skilled digital talent. It offers destinations and hospitality brands access to a network of certified creators while building a sustainable and scalable pipeline of professionals with the digital skills required to meet the sector's evolving demands, says the duo. 

A key priority of the programme is nurturing diverse talent from all markets, helping to ensure that tourism marketing reflects a broader spectrum of perspectives and aesthetic approaches, adds the duo. 

"We're essentially creating a new professional category within the tourism ecosystem," concludes Jauncey. "Our ambition is that having Beautiful Destinations Academy certification will become the industry standard for content creators specialising in travel marketing, similar to how other professional designations function in hospitality and tourism management."

For more information, visit www.visitdubai.com. You can also follow Visit Dubai on Facebook, X, or on Instagram. 

*Image courtesy of contributor