Hoteliers might be tempted to cut back on training when times are tough, but as Lee Jamieson explains, the time is ripe to get your workforce in shape. As the Middle East’s hospitality industry evolves, so too does its training needs. In fact, many of the everyday terms used by hoteliers to describe their fast-changing industry are reflected in the work of the training providers: the need for exclusivity and diversification has translated into more bespoke training programmes; the talent war has sparked career management programmes; and concerns surrounding return on investment in the current economic climate has resulted in careful cost analyses of programme delivery.