Doha: Qatar Tourism’s Service Excellence Academy marked the achievements of 147 participants across its tour guide training and youth development programmes throughout 2026, at the “Legacy of Guides: Generation to Generation” ceremony, held on 5 September 2026 at Oasis Stage, Mall of Qatar.
During the ceremony, participants from four training programmes were recognised: the Junior Tour Guide Summer Camp 2026, which welcomed 110 children; the “Guiding the Next Generation” Train-the-Trainer Programme, which trained eight already licensed Qatari tour guides to mentor the next generation; the Youth Tour Guide Training Programme, with 19 participants; and the Tour Guide Licensing Programme, which certified 11 guides.
Speaking at the ceremony, Omar Abdulrahman Al Jaber, Director of Operations Affairs at Qatar Tourism, said: “Tour guides are an important part of the visitor experience, bringing Qatar’s culture, heritage and stories to life. Through the Service Excellence Academy, we are investing in local talent, engaging young people and building the skills needed to deliver high-quality visitor experiences and support the continued growth of Qatar’s tourism sector.”
The ceremony also recognised the partners and trainers who contributed to the programmes, including those who hosted educational and training visits for participants throughout the year.
The Tour Guide Training Programme, launched in 2016 in partnership with Qatar Youth Hostels, is now in its fourth edition, while the Junior Tour Guide Summer Camp completed its second edition in 2026. This year also marked the introduction of the Youth Tour Guide Training Programme for the first time, enabling participants to train and prepare future generations, further expanding opportunities for young people to gain early exposure to the tourism sector.
Programme partners included Qatar Youth Hostels, Teen Hub by Qatar Museums, KidzMondo, Qatar Rail, Kahramaa Awareness Park, Sheikh Faisal Museum, Msheireb Museums, 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, the Museum of Islamic Art and the National Museum of Qatar.
Through its tour guide development programmes, Qatar Tourism continues to build local capabilities and strengthen the talent pipeline supporting the sustainable growth of Qatar’s tourism sector.
