As we mark International Women’s Day, we cast the spotlight on how women have been among the prime movers of change for the fields of travel, tourism, aviation, and especially hospitality.
To go by a report that the Asian Development Bank released in March of last year, women make up the majority of the tourism workforce throughout Asia and the Pacific.
In terms of global hospitality, women already make up 52 percent of the industry’s total human resources component, taking on a diverse range of roles from the front desk, to facilities management, to food and leisure services.
However, what is notable at this point is the fact that only 30 percent of personnel in leadership roles throughout the industry are female.
In the United States, for example, only seven percent of chief executives and board chairs are women, while female board members only account for 27 percent overall.
As it is highly unlikely that women do not have the acumen and stamina for industrial leadership, why are their numbers so low in hospitality’s boardrooms?
Ghosh: Women do not lack talent or ambition
According to learning facilitator Kritty Ghosh of Torrens University Australia, this gap is not due to a lack of talent or ambition.
As Ghosh explains: “Hospitality is known for long hours, shift-based work and operational demands that can be difficult to balance with family and personal responsibilities. Without flexible leadership pathways, some talented professionals may step away from the industry before reaching senior positions. Career progression can also depend on access to mentorship, sponsorship and professional networks. Historically, many leadership networks have developed within male-dominated environments, which may unintentionally limit opportunities for women seeking advancement.”
Nevertheless, Ghosh points out that research consistently demonstrates that organisations with diverse leadership teams often achieve stronger performance outcomes.
At the same time, diversity - especially gender diversity - brings a broader range of perspectives, experiences, and approaches to decision-making, leading to better outcomes in the long run for organisations.
In which case, the way forward is for industry leaders to acknowledge these challenges and find ways by which to deal with them.
Clarity and structure, in particular, are vital in hospitality leadership, especially as the sector’s working environments are evolving at a rapid clip and are becoming more complex. Industry leaders are increasingly acknowledging the need to address these challenges.
Salter Brothers Hospitality chief executive Tash Tobias emphasised the need for clarity, stating: “Strength comes from clarity. Clear standards, clear expectations and clear decisions create momentum and trust. In a fast-moving environment, people want to know where they stand and what ‘good’ looks like.”
A tougher climb to the top
While balancing one’s ambition against needs is one thing, and the lack of clarity or forward-moving structure another, the biggest hurdle to women succeeding in the hospitality industry is still, even in these days of more widespread gender diversity, sexual harassment in the workplace.
A study conducted jointly by UN Women and the International Labour Organisation points out how women in the industry continue to face the risk of harassment, as well as psychological intimidation and physical violence on a daily basis.
However, many of those victimised at work, especially much younger individuals, are cowed from making reports with the authorities.
To quote the report:
“Women… do not make complaints for fear of losing their jobs. Factors such as wage-based tipping, alcohol consumption and the notion that the customer is always right contribute to a heightened risk of sexual harassment by third parties. In addition, long working hours, often during the night, make travel to and from work dangerous.”
Interestingly, the ADB report we cited at the beginning of this feature recommends that the way forward is to actively address issues related to workplace safety, harassment, and discrimination.
The involvement of both the public (relevant government authorities or agencies) and private sectors in coming up with relevant solutions will help women feel secure and supported.
This will also have the benefit of making female travellers feel safe and secure when they check into properties; after all, an organisation that looks out for its employees will certainly take care of its guests.
Women as a driving force in hospitality
Issues notwithstanding, women are driving change in global hospitality.
In Asia, female travellers are driving the demand for shorter and more frequent trips; with regard to hospitality, they are the ones calling on hotels to provide more immersive and personalised onsite experiences.
Leadership in the Asian hospitality sector is also shifting, with countries like Sri Lanka boasting of all-female teams in hospitality operations as in the case of the Amba Yalu Hotel, or the Philippines where companies like Araneta Hotels Inc, an Accor partner firm, take pride in executive boards where women are the clear majority.
Women have also taken the lead in terms of sustainable hospitality, managing net-zero hotels throughout the region whilst introducing immersive experiences geared towards making guests more aware of their role in safeguarding the environment.
While many of the issues affecting women in the hospitality sector such as the wage gap still need to be dealt with, women are leading the charge towards improved service quality, streamlined operations, and technological advancement throughout the Asia Pacific.
Mentorship programmes led by women are developing the next generation of industrial leaders, while, at the university level, girls are gearing up for a future in a highly dynamic industry where their voices and abilities matter.
