USAID Visit Tunisia – with partner Fédération Tunisienne De l’Hôtellerie (FTH) – is getting closer to hitting its goal of certifying 2,000 hospitality professionals to improve the quality of hotel services and boost employability in the tourism sector in Tunisia. This is an extraordinary opportunity for the Tunisia hospitality industry that will have a positive domino effect for future generations of tourism professionals and tourists.
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Training and Certification Achievements
To date, more than 1,900 employees have received on-the-job training under the Pathways to Professionalism Levels 1, 2, 3 and 4 programs to enhance their competencies, learn how to apply them to their daily jobs, and transfer their new skills and knowledge to other participating employees. With Pathways to Professionalism Level 4 which aims to train 100 hotel operations managers, USAID Visit Tunisia will soon hit and surpass its target!
Watch the video to hear testimonials from hotel managers, executives and hospitality professionals about the positive impacts of the Pathways to Professionalism program and the expected outcomes of Pathways Level 4.
Success Stories
Read on for Fatma Nasri’s reflections on her experience as a Hotel Housekeeper at the Mövenpick Hotel du Lac Tunis who has completed her training and obtained her Pathways Level 3 Certification in housekeeping during the Certification Ceremony of September 12, 2024:
“I really enjoyed the Level 3 of Pathways training. It opened new perspectives for me to integrate more into my work, serve customers better, and be more flexible with my colleagues. Thanks to the skills I acquired and the advice of the trainer, I became more motivated, more professional, and more sociable to the point that I even changed my mentality. I think this type of training is very important, and I hope to participate in similar trainings again. I want to thank my tutor and the Visit Tunisia project for giving me such a great opportunity.”

Hear what Karima Hergli, HR Director at the Phenicia Hotel Hammamet, has to say about her experience as a “Pathways Coordinator” who plays a crucial role in the program:
“We have been participating in the Pathways program since 2023, across all levels 1, 2, and 3, and in six professional roles. Initially, it was a bit challenging for the tutors involved in the training to transfer their knowledge due to time constraints and the overlap with daily tasks. However, with the help of the distributed materials and training content, employees became more confident in their knowledge and more enthusiastic about the tourism sector. Thanks to the booklets, the tutors trained by USAID Visit Tunisia were able to train 14 employees who had no prior knowledge of the sector and who have now become highly skilled. As Head of Personnel and Program Coordinator, the program has helped me refresh my approach to recruiting and monitoring employees. I would like to thank my management for giving me the opportunity to participate in the Pathways Program, and the tutors who were deeply committed to training their teams.”

A strong level of engagement in Pathways to Professionalism is also generated through strong leadership. Read on the testimonial of Skander Mestiri, General Manager of Dar el Marsa and participant in the Pathways to Professionalism program since its beginning:
“We are a small establishment with 29 rooms and a team of around 70 people. Out of them, half committed to participating in the Pathways program—28 to be exact. The major challenge was getting them to participate! We had to follow up with them and, above all, convince them of the training's value, which lies in the fact that it's an 'on-the-job' training—a real advantage because it allows them to apply their skills directly in real working conditions. [...] The program has boosted my teams' individual pride, as well as healthy competition among them. What’s also very positive is that it fosters pride in this profession. It’s a real craft, a true skill, and they can take pride in it. Not everyone knows how to perform these hospitality jobs, and not everyone knows how to give their best to satisfy the customer.”

Launch of Pathways to Professionalism Level 4 for Operations Managers
On September 12, 2024, USAID Visit Tunisia launched Pathways Level 4, a new training designed for hotel managers, supervisors, assistant managers, and team leads. This online, self-paced, module-based e-learning program aims to upskill at least 100 hotel managers for promotions and increased responsibilities. The launch event included key hotel managers and senior leadership, who presented the program's results and awarded certificates to the final 250 certified trainees from previous Pathways trainings.
Commitment to Women and Youth Empowerment
Since the program's inception, USAID Visit Tunisia has certified 1,886 hospitality professionals across Tunisia. Notably, 40.35% of those trained are women, and 45.05% are under the age of 35, demonstrating the program's commitment to empowering young people and women in Tunisia's growing hospitality industry.
A positive domino effect for future generations of tourism professionals and tourists.
USAID Visit Tunisia's Pathways to Professionalism program is a significant step forward for Tunisia's hospitality industry. The program promises a positive domino effect for future generations of tourism professionals and tourists. By enhancing the skills and employability of hospitality workers, the program not only improves service quality but also fosters a sense of pride and professionalism within the industry.
A look back at the launch of Pathways to Professionalism - Level 4 on on September 12, 2024
A look back at the "Pathways to Professionalism" Certification Ceremony on September 12, 2024