Will today’s youth be tomorrow’s Tourism leaders?

Not so long ago, I wrote about the chaos in European airports and pointed to the lack of Air Traffic Controllers as being one of the primary causes. It appears that the kind of stress and hectic hours required of these controllers of the airways is not seen as an ideal career opportunity by Gen Z, and this, coupled with the celebration of our youth this month, got me thinking about the future of tourism and asking myself the question ‘’Will today’s youth be tomorrow’s tourism leaders?’’

I have also written extensively about the status of AI in tourism and its effect on the future need for people in Travel and Tourism, and I long maintained that this is a people-driven industry that will always need people from all walks of life to fill varied positions. So why would I be concerned about whether there will be the right kind of people to fill the necessary positions in tomorrow’s world, and, more to the point, whether they will be retained long enough to become good, effective leaders? Well, just one example is my observation that many of the Game Lodges I wrote about recently have older, long-serving staff from local communities, while young people keen to enter that facet of the industry, despite being qualified, are deterred by low salaries and limited advancement, resulting in a workforce skewed towards the older generation. So, let’s look at a few of the other negatives facing our potential candidates and consequently the industry. 

Issues facing potential candidates

Universities and colleges offer courses in tourism and hospitality, and the industry provides entry-level opportunities for youth, but vacancies are limited and often oversubscribed, making it difficult for young people to secure positions. Low pay is a problem too. In our organisation, for example, we use unemployed learnerships and entrepreneurial programs to bring graduates into the business, but unfortunately we know that 50-60% of learners eventually leave for other industries, primarily due to salary constraints. This is a major factor driving talent away,  and long hours are also a problem, with shift work and early mornings being commonplace, making the industry less attractive to young professionals seeking stable hours and more lucrative careers.

Issues facing the industry

The lack of competitive salaries leads to high attrition rates among young employees, with many moving to other industries or countries for better compensation. They may also consider alternate careers like IT, for example. IT professionals command higher salaries and are in greater demand globally, whereas hospitality skills, though important, are not as highly valued in the international marketplace. We lose skilled people to international prospectors too. An example is that of young Chefs who, despite graduating and searching for work in South Africa, only find employment opportunities overseas, underscoring the limited local prospects and the global demand for South African hospitality talent.

Potential Solutions

So, what are potential solutions? Well, I have a few ideas for the industry role players, and what, I believe, is a salient message to the young who may be considering Travel and Tourism as a career path but are still weighing their options. The industry, apart from expanding on training and recruitment programs, must address pay and placement issues. This means vigorously addressing  and trying  to improve scales of salaries and creating more desirable positions that might attract and retain our youth, as the financial realities are a key factor in talent retention. Travel and Tourism is such a big money spinner that it has the capacity to generate large-scale employment across a wide range of roles. From front desk staff, travel agents and tour operators,to a huge range of ancillary industries like landscaping, cleaning, laundry, food services, maintenance, technicians,  IT specialists and more,

My message to the young

This capacity to generate such a variety of employment and its growth and resilience as a financially solid sector, even after suffering such massive setbacks as the COVID pandemic, are just two very good reasons that a career in travel and Tourism can hold a bright and assured future for those eager to serve, travel or hold any position for that matter in a dynamic industry with a very bright future of its own. Watch this space, as in my next few articles I will be revealing many of the lesser-known gems of this country and some hot spots that are rightfully finally receiving international recognition. Take it from me, after many years in this exciting industry, with new challenges around every corner, I believe the Travel and Tourism career prospects for the South Africa of the future are glowing. If you have a passion to serve, or feel you are part of the global obsession with meeting new people, in your own backyard, or theirs, then you have the wanderlust in your blood; surrender to it! I did, and have never regretted a moment!

Lidia de Olim
CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER