“An industry milestone”: Jordanian Duty Free Shops launches travel retail training diploma

JORDAN. Jordanian Duty Free Shops (JDFS), in partnership with Ammon Applied University College (AAUC), has launched a training diploma programme in ‘Trade & Travel Retail Management’.

The diploma will focus on a range of topics that together will enable graduates to operate “efficiently and effectively” in the fields of industry, trade and retailing and in particular the duty free and travel retail business, JDFS said.

Milestone moment: Officials and guests celebrated the launch of the travel retail diploma.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between the parties on 26 July. JDFS CEO Haitham Al-Majali, who is also President of the Middle East and Africa Duty Free Association (MEADFA), represented the retailer. Nadim Al-Mu’asher, Chairman of the Jordanian Hospitality and Tourism Education Company, signed on behalf of the AAUC.

The launch of the diploma was conducted under the patronage of his Excellency, the Minister of Labor of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, Samir Murad, and in the presence of two guests of honour. These were Tax Free World Association (TFWA) President Erik Juul-Mortensen and Duty Free World Council (DFWC) President Frank O’Connell.

Majali first announced the diploma in an interview with The Moodie Davitt Report in the MEADFA Guide earlier this year, the official publication accompanying the Middle East & Africa Duty Free Conference held in Dubai.

Speaking after the signing of the MoU, he commented: “We are 100% positive that with our combined efforts, the diploma will grow nationally and internationally, affecting thousands of industry colleagues from the retail sector, trade and travel retail. [The diploma is] all set to enhance and improve their knowledge and skills, and be a huge leap in the field of trade and travel retail business.”

Partnership between business and academia: Nadim Al-Mu’asher (left) and Haitham Al-Majali sign the MoU.

Juul-Mortensen said: “I am delighted to be part of this event, and to witness the launching of this diploma. I trust [it] will enhance the knowledge, skills and capabilities of participants coming from many different retail companies and organisations from Jordan and across the region. I look forward very much to seeing, in time, the benefits of this initiative reflected throughout the industry.”

O’Connell added: “The launching of this diploma course in travel retail represents a significant milestone for our industry and demonstrates a real commitment to driving high professional retail standards and to ensuring the long-term prosperity of those working in the industry.

“This partnership between business and academia is very much in line with the DFWC’s educational objectives and I congratulate Haitham and his team in Jordan Duty Free Shops and the AAUC on their initiative and wish them every success. It was a privilege to be present at this unique event.”

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