Inside Dubai's 40-Hour Course Training Creators on Tourism and the Economy

Dubai's creator training series now includes a phase focused on the emirate's tourism and economic sectors. The Dubai Press Club (DPC) launched it with the Dubai Department of Economy and Tourism (DET) on 12 October 2026.

This is a structured, skills-based course, not a general media event.

What the Programme Covers

The new phase sits under the wider Dubai Content Creators Programme, which DPC first launched in November 2024. From the start, the programme was planned in phases, each covering a field such as economy, culture, sports or society. The first was the Economic Content Creators Programme, run with the UAE Ministry of Economy.

This latest phase runs for two weeks, with 40 hours of training in total. According to DPC, it is delivered with regional and international digital platforms, media organisations and academic institutions.

The curriculum covers the full production process:

• Storytelling and creative writing
• Filming, lighting, editing and graphic design
• The use of AI to enhance digital content
• Publishing strategy, audience engagement and data analytics

Its stated aim is to give participants a better understanding of Dubai's tourism and economic sectors, so they can produce content that reflects the emirate's position as a destination for business and tourism.

Who Is Taking Part

According to Al Bayan, which cited DPC Director Maryam Al Mulla, the English-language edition includes 40 creators of different nationalities, selected from more than 150 applicants.

Al Bayan also reports that this phase is being delivered in English, allowing creators from different nationalities to participate.

The selected participants are taking part in an intensive two-week course designed to develop their ability to produce specialised tourism and economic content.

The programme also includes a workshop delivered by Dubai College of Tourism on tourism promotion standards, ethics and responsibility. It covers professional conduct, cultural awareness and disclosure requirements for tourism-related partnerships and sponsorships.

What This Means for Readers

For creators, freelancers and small businesses, the programme shows Dubai institutions treating digital content creation as a professional skill. Production skills sit alongside analytics and AI use in the curriculum, so there is more to it than filming and editing.

Some things to keep in perspective:

• This phase involves selected participants. The reports do not describe it as an open certification course or a licence to publish.
• The announcements do not establish that participation leads to jobs, commissions or paid work.
• Earlier DPC phases had their own eligibility rules. The 2024 economic phase, for example, required applicants to be aged 20 to 45, proficient in Arabic and English, and able to attend in person. Detailed eligibility requirements for this latest phase have not been confirmed in the reviewed announcements and may differ. Anyone interested in future intakes should check DPC's official announcements.

This is not the only creator-training scheme running in the UAE. The National Media Authority has opened applications for its Blue Content Creators Programme, which aims to train 50 creators on water sustainability. It is a separate programme with its own application dates (12 to 30 October 2026) and age requirements (18 to 35).

Creators who cover Dubai's economy or tourism can take a practical lesson from the curriculum. Storytelling and data-informed publishing are part of the training, while the organisers also stress accuracy.

For economic topics in particular, it helps to check factual claims against official statements and reliable data before publishing. Tourism-related content also requires attention to cultural context, professional conduct and transparency around commercial partnerships.

Dubai is expanding structured creator training around specific subjects. Whether the latest phase makes a lasting difference for participants and the wider content sector will become clearer over time.

Key Takeaways

DPC and DET launched a tourism and economy phase of the Dubai Content Creators Programme on 12 October 2026.

The course runs for two weeks and includes 40 hours of training in storytelling, production, AI tools, publishing strategy and analytics.

Al Bayan reports that 40 creators were selected from more than 150 applicants. Detailed eligibility requirements for this phase have not been confirmed in the reviewed announcements, so interested creators should check DPC for future opportunities.

Sources: Emirates News Agency (WAM), Emirates 24|7, Al Bayan, Dubai Press Club, Gulf Today.

Disclaimer: This content is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not legal, financial, investment, cybersecurity, medical, business, career, or other professional advice. Verify important information with official sources or qualified professionals before acting.