The SADC Business Council Tourism Alliance has launched a crucial survey designed to pinpoint and address severe skills shortages within the region's tourism sector.
As the industry grapples with a significant skills gap, particularly following the COVID-19 pandemic, the Tourism Alliance is making a concerted call to tourism stakeholders across Southern Africa to participate in the study.
"This survey is an essential step towards identifying areas that need immediate attention and outlining programmes designed to bridge the skills gap within our tourism sector," said Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, Interim Chair of the Tourism Alliance.
"It’s the first step in identifying the skills required and missing within the tourism industry across the region in areas such as communication, customer service, sales and marketing, digital skills, cultural awareness, and management and leadership."
Given the significance of the tourism industry to the region's economy and its potential for future growth, having a highly skilled workforce is more critical than ever. The data gathered through this survey will be instrumental in shaping initiatives aimed at upskilling our workforce and building a more competitive, resilient, and inclusive tourism sector.
The Tourism Alliance urges all relevant stakeholders to take part in this survey and share with their Human Resource Teams, contributing their valuable insights for the collective benefit of the sector.
By participating in the study, tourism businesses and workers can directly influence the strategies and initiatives to address the skills gap.
Responses will be completely confidential and used strictly for research purposes.
To participate in the survey, click here.
About the Tourism Alliance
The SADC Business Council Tourism Alliance was born out of a consultative process spanning over a year, involving representatives from all 16 SADC Member States, the Tourism Alliance signifies an era of shared vision and collaboration.
At the helm of the newly established platform is Tshifhiwa Tshivhengwa, the CEO of the Tourism Business Council of South Africa, serving as Interim Chair. Assisting him in driving the platform's agenda forward are Paul Matamisa, CEO of the Tourism Business Council of Zimbabwe, and Kenneth Kapitako, Vice-President of the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations, both serving as Vice-Chairs.
Appointed as the new initiative’s Project Lead is Natalia Rosa, an experienced tourism communications and marketing expert who has worked in the Southern African tourism industry for two decades.
The primary objective of the Tourism Alliance is to address prevailing barriers to tourism and promote the sustainable development of the regional industry. Through fostering a collective and co-ordinated approach, the platform aims to influence regional tourism policy direction, reinforce policy integration and regional collaboration, and enhance regional marketing and investment.
The Tourism Alliance will focus on critical issues such as accelerating the implementation of the SADC Univisa system, harmonising air access policies, removing travel barriers, and promoting the region as a single tourism destination.
The formation of the Tourism Alliance stands as a strategic objective of the SADC Tourism Programme 2020-2030. This collaborative endeavour is supported by key stakeholders including the SADC Business Council, the SADC Secretariat, and the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development through GIZ.
