The Government of Liberia is set to officially dedicate a new US$1.2 million National Hospitality Training Center, marking a major investment in technical and vocational education aimed at equipping young Liberians with practical skills for employment in the country’s growing hospitality and tourism industry.
The state-of-the-art facility, located at the Business and Domestic Occupational Training Center (BDOTC) within the Samuel K. Doe Sports Complex in Paynesville, will be formally handed over on August 6 during a ceremony hosted by the Ministry of Youth and Sports.
Constructed with funding from the European Union (EU) and support from the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the center was later fully equipped and furnished through the Agence Française de Développement (AFD)-funded STRIVE Project implemented by IECD.
According to the Ministry, the project includes the construction of Liberia’s first purpose-built hospitality training center at a cost of more than US$850,000 , while an additional US$412,000 was invested in upgrading key facilities across the BDOTC campus.
The National Hospitality Training Center features six international-standard hotel guest rooms, a fully equipped commercial kitchen, bakery laboratory, training restaurant, conference facility, housekeeping and laundry training rooms, classrooms, and other modern learning spaces designed to provide students with hands-on industry experience.
Government officials say the investment is intended to close the skills gap in Liberia’s hospitality and tourism sector by providing internationally aligned vocational training that meets labor market demands.
In addition to the new hospitality center, the project modernized the BDOTC administration building, classrooms, library and computer laboratory, beauty culture facility, and fashion design training building.
Established in 1975, BDOTC has trained generations of Liberians in vocational skills but had suffered years of deteriorating infrastructure before the latest intervention. The upgraded institution is expected to enroll about 100 students annually in hospitality programs, including food production, food and beverage service, front office operations, and accommodation operations.
The dedication ceremony will feature official remarks from government and development partners, the symbolic handover of the facilities, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and a guided tour of the new complex.
