It is no secret that tourism creates job opportunities for the citizens of a country. One good thing about the sector is that it pays it workers well, that is. The sector also typically sources products locally, which is a major boost to the local industry. When statistics are accurately quoted, tourism is one of the main drivers of employment in many countries. You often hear of popular tourism destinations, be it hotels, religious attractions, water bodies, mountains, game parks, or any other tourist attraction; all these stops need workers to keep them running. And yes, they have them. From hotel staff to tour guides, tourism employs them all.
Tourism Goes Beyond Boundaries
One unique thing about tourism is that it goes where other sectors don’t go. Consider Maldives, for instance. In this small island country, about 40 percent of the employme
nt come from tourism. What other big industry can invest in a place like this? Cape Verde, Cambodia, Seychelles, name them- these are some of the small, poor countries in which tourism sector leads in providing employment.
Tourism Employs a High Number of Women
Typically, the number of female employees in the hotel sub-sector is higher than the number of women in any other sector. As a matter of fact, up to 60 percent of labour force in the sector is made up of women. And these women have an opportunity for advancement. In countries such as Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, and Indonesia, women run more than half of tourism businesses. Go to Latin America and you will find that the figures are very similar. But why just women?
Perhaps one of the reasons why the sub-sector employs more women than men is to capture the interest of tourists. You will notice that most hotel destinations have facilities like casinos and bars, which are frequented by men more than women. The female staff in these places seems to be more appealing and hospitable than their male counterparts. As they say, unlike poles attract each other.
There Is Room for Improvement
Yes, tourism creates numerous employment opportunities, but not at an optimal level yet. The good thing is that there is much that can be done for the sector to create even more opportunities. For instance, the sector can work in tandem with the authorities to attract even more tourists. One way to increase the influx of tourists in any country is to reduce natural calamities, such as floods and disease outbreaks. No tourist will want to visit a place where there is a cholera outbreak. Also, improving the political stability of a nation is another way of encouraging tourists. Tourists like peace. If these improvements can take place, there is no doubt that tourism as a sector will improve, leading to more job opportunities.
