The Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs of the Republic of Sierra Leone, in collaboration with UN Tourism, proudly publicizes the Ladies in Tourism Regional Congress, a pivotal three-day occasion geared toward reshaping the tourism panorama and alternatives for African ladies via enhanced training, technological innovation, and improved finance entry.
Ladies make up 54% of the worldwide tourism workforce and 70% in Africa, but they typically occupy lower-skilled, underpaid, and casual positions. In response to UN Ladies, ladies undertake 2.5 instances extra unpaid family and care work than males, considerably limiting their monetary independence and alternatives to thrive. Regardless of their robust presence within the tourism {industry}, solely 25% of decision-making roles are held by ladies, and the gender hole widens as one seems up the management ladder. These statistics reveal the urgent boundaries ladies face, together with restricted entry to finance, markets, know-how, training, and coaching, additional compounded by discriminatory legal guidelines and societal norms that impede their development.
To handle these challenges, and according to SDG 5 and the UN Tourism Agenda for Africa – Tourism for Inclusive Development, spearheaded by the UN Tourism Secretary-Basic, the Sierra Leone Ministry of Tourism & Cultural Affairs (MTCA) will host the inaugural Ladies in Tourism Regional Congress in Freetown, from 29 to 31 October 2024. Below the visionary management of Hon. Minister Nabeela Farida Tunis, the occasion will transcend empowerment to equip ladies with actionable insights, multi-faceted help, and equitable alternatives. Core priorities embrace advancing mentorship and training initiatives, selling technological innovation, and bettering entry to monetary assets, whereas advocating for gender-responsive insurance policies to propel ladies into management positions.
This Congress comes at a vital time, aligning with Sierra Leone’s newly launched 10-year Nationwide Strategic Tourism Plan, which emphasizes inclusivity via its “Tourism for All” marketing campaign. By harnessing the total potential of ladies, Sierra Leone seeks to bolster its rising tourism {industry} and foster a extra equitable future for all.
Driving Training and Technological Innovation
The Congress will characteristic dynamic panel discussions, showcase private journeys and profitable women-led initiatives, and spotlight greatest practices and confirmed methods to beat disparities. Specialists will focus on the ability of mentorship and training in advancing ladies’s careers, together with specialised coaching programmes that improve management and industry-specific abilities. In parallel, know-how and innovation will take middle stage as a key enabler for enterprise progress. Ladies in tourism can be inspired to embrace cutting-edge digital instruments and achieve experience in areas akin to digital advertising and information analytics, fostering a tradition of innovation and positioning women-led companies for achievement in a fast-changing market.
Technical Workshop on Finance Entry
On the sideline of the Congress, a technical workshop on finance entry will empower ladies entrepreneurs, managers and leaders of tourism companies, representatives from women-led NGOs, and authorities officers concerned in tourism and financial growth, by enhancing their monetary literacy and entry to capital. Key subjects will embrace securing microfinance and small enterprise loans, crafting profitable enterprise plans, and creating sturdy monetary methods. The workshop may even sharpen contributors’ pitching abilities and skills to construct robust investor relationships, therefore equipping women-led companies for long-term progress and sustainability.
The Ladies in Tourism Regional Congress will carry collectively ladies Ministers and key {industry} leaders, alongside ladies entrepreneurs, artisans, artists and performers, who kind integral a part of the tourism worth chain. Delegates may have the chance to immerse themselves in Freetown’s vibrant tradition and heritage, with native craft shows and a energetic open-air carnival to conclude the Congress. This celebration will emphasize the important function of cultural and inventive industries in enriching the tourism sector and empowering ladies.
