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Speaking in a session on “Women’s engagement in Africa’s Tourism”, women delegates said it was high time they were offered better opportunities of owning tourism companies instead of just being waitresses.
Namibian Minister of Tourism Netumbo Ndaitwah said there was a need to empower local women so that they were active participants in the tourism sector.
She said in her country, whites were dominating the sector at the expense of locals.
“We need to be given opportunities in this male dominated sector. We need resources to start companies and better still, we need to be educated as our male counterparts so that we are able to run companies,” she said.
Matabeleland North provincial Governor and Resident Minister Thokozile Mathuthu said there were cultural barriers affecting women participation in the tourism sector.
She said Parliament had enacted a law that propagates for 50/50 participation in all sectors of the economy between men and women.
“The major problem is access to capital and support for women. Women also need to be educated so that they are able to participate in programmes, seminars, so that they can stand on their own. We need to take such programmes to the rural areas so that every woman can learn and identify potential in them,” she said.
Mrs Adele Black, president of United States-based Affluent Hospitality group, said for women in her country, opportunities were better compared to their peers in Africa.
Dr Dawid De Viller, former deputy secretary general of UNWTO, said while there were still challenges being faced by African women, they had really made progress compared to 10 to 20 years ago.
“There are new pages to write about now in terms of women. Besides waiting for your governments, you also need to approach financial institutions for support,” he said.
Online Reporter