With Tourism Month in full swing, Deputy Minister of Tourism Maggie Sotyu has urged South Africans to “explore their own country”.
Tourism Month is being held this month under the theme: “Growing South Africa's Tourism Sector in the Digital Era.”
Sotyu was speaking during the Women in Tourism North West Provincial Chapter Business Breakfast.
“It is a time when we…showcase our destinations and recognise the contribution tourism makes to our economy. But I want us to add another dimension. Tourism Month must…become a business month for tourism entrepreneurs.
“When we encourage South Africans to travel, we must also encourage them to buy from local tourism businesses. When we showcase destinations, we must showcase women-owned products and experiences,” she said.
She emphasised that as provinces host their Tourism Month activations, “local entrepreneurs should be part of those opportunities.”
“And when visitors arrive, our communities must share in the value created. Let us therefore use Tourism Month to encourage South Africans to explore more of the North West Province, because every tourism Rand that circulates through a local business strengthens a community,” Sotyu said.
Women in Tourism
Turning to the role of women in the sector, Sotyu reaffirmed government’s commitment to driving structural economic reform by empowering female entrepreneurs across the tourism sector’s full travel and hospitality value chain.
“We must continue removing the barriers that prevent women from participating fully in the economy. We must create opportunities for women to build sustainable businesses. We must create pathways into ownership and leadership. And we must ensure that women can participate across the entire tourism value chain. Because empowered women empower families, communities, economies, and ultimately the nation.
"Access to finance remains one of the biggest challenges facing emerging tourism businesses. This is why the department, working with the National Empowerment Fund, established the Tourism Transformation Fund to assist black, youth and women-owned tourism enterprises,” she affirmed.
The Deputy Minister noted that women represent some 70% of the tourism workforce, yet they “remain disproportionately represented in service and entry-level positions, while women’s ownership of larger tourism businesses grows slowly”.
“For many years, through our Women in Tourism Programme, we have spoken about ensuring that women in this sector are: Respected, Recognised, Represented and Rewarded. Those principles remain important.
“But the next phase must increasingly be about economic power. Women must not only participate in tourism. Women must own tourism businesses, grow tourism businesses, supply tourism businesses and lead tourism businesses.
“I therefore want to acknowledge the North West Women in Tourism Chapter and its leadership, and I urge them to keep strengthening it as a platform through which women connect with opportunity, share knowledge, build partnerships, and grow stronger enterprises,” Sotyu said. – SAnews.gov.za
