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Women’s Month is a time to celebrate and encourage South African women in their successes and endeavours and to inspire more people to pursue their passions. No discussion on South Africa’s tourism sector would be complete without recognising and highlighting that nearly 70% of our country’s tourism industry is composed of women.
As women are the backbone of tourism businesses, it’s essential to provide valuable insights for other young women to forge their own careers in tourism job opportunities. One such woman, who has seen success in a tourism career, is Sarah Watson, Guest Relations Manager at Kruger Gate Hotel. Sarah caught the travel bug while working at Flight Centre for more than a decade, then moved into the hospitality industry, where she has excelled in guest relations.
Sarah shines a light on how others can propel their careers forward in tourism and hospitality in the tips below.
Power lies within passion
There are a myriad of character traits and talents people working in tourism need to have, but one trait that is essential, says Watson, is to have a passion for what you are doing. “You have to be passionate about wanting to make a guest’s experience a memorable one, to do the things that will make them feel their stay with you is unlike anything they have experienced before. That lies within your power, so if you don’t wake up in the morning and feel passionate about what you’re going to be doing that day, you won’t have that effect on a guest who is staying with you,” she says.
Any experience is good experience
“If you are starting out your career in tourism, try to gain experience in a variety of jobs in the industry,” advises Watson. “Any and all customer-facing work experience will teach you something beneficial that you can take forward into your next job, whether that’s perfecting telephonic communication skills or building a rapport with customers.” If you are dreaming of a career in tourism Watson encourages the youth to start by working at restaurants, tour companies, travel agencies and any entry-level hotel jobs. “These jobs place you at the coalface of learning about hospitality and really help you to develop your confidence in customer service,” she adds.
Mastering task management
Perfecting task management is an essential part of a successful career, states Watson. Ultimately employees that have a strategy on how they will complete their tasks in an organised manner will enjoy a better work-life balance, lower stress levels and will stand out as a person who gets their work done. This is important for any job, but even more so in hospitality and tourism, where days can be unpredictable, and a variety of unforeseen tasks can come your way.
You may want to get the fun tasks out of your way first, or perhaps you’re the kind of person who wants to start with a task they are feeling nervous about, but Watson advises that you should start your day by ticking off the most important tasks first. “Look at what you need to do for the day, perhaps making a list of tasks will be useful, and highlighting the most important ones. Potentially these are tasks that have time constraints so you could allocate a timeslot in which you will have them done by. For example, if you have high-priority emails that you need to reply to then commit a designated hour at the start of your day to get it done,” Watson recommends.
Make authentic connections
The women of South Africa’s tourism industry have the magic touch of leaving a lasting impact on guests, and in turn walk away with enriching anecdotes. ”If you want people to have a positive emotional connection to your establishment and remember it for years to come then you need to connect with them in unique ways,” explains Watson. One way in which Sarah has achieved this was by going above and beyond an American guest’s expectations to deliver them a decorative woven ornament that they took interest in when they stayed in South Africa. Over a year later the guests still email Sarah with their appreciation.
Understand what guests need
Each guest, whether elderly, a family or arriving solo, will arrive with their own needs and in tourism one needs to adapt to accommodate these needs. For example solo female travel has grown in popularity over the last few years, and these travellers are very concerned about their safety. As such, Watson suggests that tourism operators should explain every way in which their company ensures safety, such as shuttle services, guides, and on-property security. It’s always great to offer your guests guidance beyond their questions and offered services, so with female solo travellers Watson suggests offering them practical tips such as sharing an itinerary with loved ones and having a portable power bank to guarantee a charged cell phone.
Tourism is a vibrant and ever-growing industry to work in. While it can be hard work, Watson says that she never gets tired of meeting new guests and hearing their feedback. “The bush is a magical and enchanting place where guests find such serenity, but especially our international visitors are blown away by the country’s friendliness and level of service,” she concludes.