President of the World Travel and Tourism Council, Julia Simpson, participated in the “Women Deliver” International Conference in the Rwandan capital, Kigali.
The conference highlighted the challenges women face in various aspects of business, including barriers to employment and operational hurdles, and emphasized the vital role of mentoring and counseling in empowering young women and girls in the business field.
During her speech at the women’s conference, Simpson said women’s participation in the tourism sector must be enhanced to help them overcome the challenges of success in the business world, noting that the Rwandan conference is a new platform to address the challenges facing women in the travel and tourism sector, especially in Africa.
On her part, the CEO of the Travel and Tourism Board said: It has been proven that companies with 50% women in their leadership make more money, and this makes more sense in travel and tourism, as women make decisions about where the family goes on vacation, and it also makes sense to hire women in senior positions.
According to the UNWTO, women make up approximately 54% of the workforce. The travel and tourism sector provides accessible opportunities for women but also faces disparities such as lower wages and job security. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic clearly highlighted those disparities, as the travel and tourism sector was missing around 62 million women’s jobs.
