École des métiers du tourisme, de l’hôtellerie et de la restauration

Context

Since 2016, the Beninese government has made tourism a strategic lever for its economic and social development. This vision has been reflected in substantial investments dedicated to modernising tourism infrastructure, creating new museums, and enhancing historical, cultural, and natural sites.

In this context, and with the support of Luxembourg, the government of Benin has committed to opening the École des métiers du tourisme, de l'hôtellerie et de la restauration (EMTHR) to provide young Beninese people with high-quality vocational training, enabling them to enter the job market quickly.

The EMTHR is part of a programme launched by the Beninese government to build eight benchmark trade schools throughout the country in order to bridge the gap between training and the job market in Benin, in line with the new National Strategy for Technical and Vocational Education and Training adopted in 2019.

Objectives

The overall objective of the programme is to contribute to Benin’s economic growth by enhancing the tourism offer through the development of vocational skills.

Its specific objective is to improve the employability and professional integration of all — particularly women and people with disabilities — in the tourism, hospitality and catering sector through decent jobs, while developing specialities and outlets relating to ecological and cultural tourism.

Beneficiaries

The direct beneficiaries of the programme are primarily young students, job seekers, professionals in the tourism, hospitality and catering sector, the government of Benin — through the various relevant ministries and institutions — and the EMTHR and its staff.

Indirect beneficiaries also include various stakeholders and individuals belonging to vulnerable groups within the tourism industry, particularly in the sub-sectors of hospitality, catering or travel agencies, who benefit directly from a skilled workforce capable of serving a demanding clientele.

Target geographical area

This programme has national coverage. Its areas of intervention correspond to the location of the future EMTHR, situated approximately twelve kilometres from Cotonou and other training centres that will be supported by the vocational school, as well as the Mono Delta region, where a pilot model for the integration and training of 525 young people and women supports the development of eco-tourism.

Stakeholders

Several Beninese state institutions are contributing to the implementation of the programme: the General Directorate for Development Financing of the Ministry of Economy and Finance – which has entrusted project management to the Agence de développement de l’enseignement technique, the Agence pour la construction des infrastructures du secteur de l'éducation, the Ministry of Secondary, Technical and Vocational Education, the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts, the Agence des systèmes d’information et du numérique, Sèmè City, and Benin Tourism.

Within the tourism, hospitality and catering sector, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Fédération des organisations patronales du tourisme et de l’hôtellerie, the Touristes par millions consortium, and a panel of private companies are also partners in the programme.

The entities responsible for implementing the programme activities, alongside the aforementioned partners, include the École d’hôtellerie et de tourisme du Luxembourg (EHTL), the École hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL), Helvetas and LuxDev.