Dubai, the go-to destination for influencers, is now doubling down on its biggest market with the launch of its very own “influencer academy.”
Jointly funded by the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism and a travel content creation agency, the “Beautiful Destinations Academy” offers three months of social media “training” for “students,” aimed at bolstering Dubai’s tourism industry. The academy is still accepting applications for four budding influencers, who will be paid to travel and live in the city starting next month.
A promotional video by Beautiful Destinations describes the program as “an elite training environment where we invest in you to support Dubai’s unparalleled vision for the future of tourism.” Successful applicants will typically train five days a week, with modules covering photography and cinematography, editing and color grading, sound effects, AI tools, industry regulations, and professional development as a travel content creator. At the end of the course, students will receive a certificate from Dubai College of Tourism, with “the really special ones” offered a full-time job at Beautiful Destinations.
All expenses, including flights and accommodation in a luxury serviced apartment, are covered, along with a livable income for the three-month program. Students will also have access to shoot at some of Dubai’s “most stunning and exclusive locations, normally reserved for celebrities and royalty.”
Jeremy Jauncey, CEO and founder of Beautiful Destinations, told The Independent: “I want to share what I’ve learned with the next generation and give others the chance to experience the coolest career in the world. And there’s no better city than Dubai—which has inspired Beautiful Destinations’ creators since our earliest days—to do this in. You don’t need to be an expert to apply—we’re looking for raw, hidden talent.”
He added: “We want to equip young people with the skills to build a solid future in travel content creation, to take advantage of this fast-growing sector. You don’t need expensive equipment or formal training – just a desire to turn your social media hobby into a dream career.”
Issam Kazim, chief executive of Visit Dubai, told The Times UK that the academy’s launch is “a testament to our commitment to fostering creativity, innovation and excellence in the tourism sector.” Dubai welcomed a record 18.72 million international visitors last year and recently introduced the “golden visa” (a new visa that allows influencers to live in the UAE sponsorship-free), along with a Dhs 150 million (about $40 million in USD) government support fund to aid influencers.
Given that over half of Gen Zers aspire to be influencers, where better to make that happen than the influencer hotspot of the world? Applicants must upload a 60-second video on “travel culture or adventure” on Instagram, tag @BeautifulDestinations @VisitDubai #BDacademy, and complete an online form before April 24 to be considered for the first cohort.
Accedi per aggiungere un commento
Altri post in questo gruppo

Every now and then, you run into a tool that truly wows you.
It’s rare—especially nowadays, when everyone and their cousin is coming out with overhyped AI-centric codswallop tha

Tesla released its quarterly earnings report on Tuesday, its first since the company’s chief executive, Elon Musk, took up residence in the Trump White House and immediately began trying to fire f

There’s never a dull day in the world of weight-loss medication. This week brought new restrictions on compounded GLP-1 medication, the cheaper, copycat versions of brand-name drugs that tel

In December 2023, I wrote an article exploring Apple CEO Tim Cook’s most likely successors, because t

“Meta profits, kids pay the price,” was the message delivered by dozens of grieving families at the doors of Meta’s Manhattan office on Thursday.
Forty-five families traveled from

The world’s auto industry is getting a shake-up from Chinese automakers that

There’s Blue Sky and then there’s Bluesky.
Blue Sky, a paper goods company