Oman Air's work to improve educational opportunities for Omani students has received a further boost over recent weeks. The national airline of the Sultanate of Oman offered two groups of students the chance to visit Arabian Travel Market (ATM), which was held at the Dubai World Trade Centre at the end of April. The students - one group from Oman Tourism College and one group from the tourism studies course at the German University of Technology in Muscat – were able to make the most of the event's many seminars and conferences. In addition to hearing thought-provoking debates and listening to research, market data, trends and case studies presented by leading industry figures, the students were able to and broaden their knowledge of the many global and regional suppliers who exhibited at ATM. The aim of Oman Air's support for the students was to accelerate their educational development, enabling them to make an enhanced contribution to the nation's expanding tourism infrastructure and economic growth. Oman Air recognizes the vital importance of high quality education and this initiative was the latest in a series that the airline has launched, or to which it has contributed. Dr Khalid Abdulwahab Al Balushi, Senior Manager Government Affairs and head of corporate social responsibility (CSR) at Oman Air commented: "Oman Air recognizes that education is one of the fundamental building blocks of our nation's future prosperity. Education is therefore a priority area within Oman Air's comprehensive CSR program and this latest initiative has provided opportunities for students who would otherwise not have been able to participate at ATM. "The students attendance, with their lecturers, at ATM was directly relevant to their studies and provided experience that will help them develop rewarding careers. This type of trip is designed to stimulate and develop knowledge on key issues facing the tourism industry, which the students are studying at the moment. We were therefore delighted to provide travel and other support on this occasion and we look forward to seeing each participating student become influential figures within the industry over years to come." Salma Bint Abdullah Abdul Rahman, who studies at Oman Tourism College, added: "We are grateful to Oman Air for giving us the chance to travel to Dubai and attend ATM. Without the airline's help, we would not have been able to participate and what we have learned at this major event will help us with both our current studies and our future careers." Safa Al Dhahli, of the German University of Technology, said: "ATM is a major global event within the tourism industry and attending the event gave us insights that we could never otherwise have gained. We really appreciate Oman Air's support and we would like to thank Dr Khalid and all his colleagues." Previous support for educational CSR initiatives has seen Oman Air partner with aircraft manufacturer Airbus to jointly host two school workshops conducted in Muscat by The Little Engineer (TLE), an organization dedicated to instilling an appreciation of science and technology among today's youth. Oman Air has also joined with Boeing to run a training and recruitment skills program for graduates of the High Technical College in Muscat. Additional educational support has included the donation of a large number of Arabic and English language books to Oman's Maktabati project, which encourages children of all ages to improve their reading skills, develop a love of reading and undertake beneficial hobbies during their leisure time. — SG
