By Ifham Nizam

More women reported that they were not aware of job opportunities in the tourism sector, a study conducted by Australia’s Market Development Facility (MDF) in collaboration with the Sri Lanka Tourism Alliance (SLTA) reveals.

According to the study, 44% of the 453 respondents said a male member of the family, father or spouse, has a primary influence on employment choices. However, 31% stated that significant external influence didn’t affect their ability to make independent employment decisions.The SLTA, together with MDF, hosted a forum titled, ‘Women in Tourism: Advocate, Engage, Achieve’, recently at the Blue, Hilton Colombo, with tourism industry leaders on co-creating solutions to increase women’s participation in the tourism industry.

Speaking at the occasion, Tourism Alliance, Chair Malik J Fernando stressed: ‘We believe that by harnessing the insights from this research, we can drive meaningful progress towards achieving gender parity while embracing diversity and inclusion within the tourism sector.’

Fernando added; ‘Through collaborations and collective action, we aim to create a more equitable industry that benefits businesses, employees and society at large.

‘The global ratio in women’s participation in the tourism sector is around 40% and in Europe even more. In Sri Lanka it’s less than 9 per cent.’

MDF’s Research’s, Impact Measurement and Inclusion Coordinator, Isuri Munasinghe told The Island Financial Review that Sri Lanka’s tourism sector faces a significant labour shortage due to migration and shifts to other industries for job security. Recognizing that women make up only 10% of total employment within the sector, MDF sought to delve deeper into uncovering not only the causes but also the missed opportunities within the labour force.

Munasinghe added: ‘Our aim was to present these findings to the broader industry and collaborate with them to develop scalable solutions.

‘While factors, such as, stigma, long working hours and poor work-life balance are commonly cited as deterrents for women entering the tourism workforce, through the conduct of scientific research we could confirm if these were indeed the primary causes.

‘We engaged with women both within and outside the industry to gain insight into the real issues that either attract or discourage them from pursuing careers in tourism.

‘Our study revealed that while stigma surrounding women in the industry is widespread, it is the lack of awareness about available job opportunities and career paths that truly dissuades women from considering tourism as a viable employment option. Additionally, we found regional variations in the perceived level of stigma associated with women working in tourism, with women from certain regions, such as, Uva, North Western, and Central Provinces, showing more interest in joining the industry compared to those from the Western and Southern Provinces.

‘Furthermore, our research highlighted the enduring preference for word-of-mouth as the primary method for women to seek job opportunities. This underscores the importance of enhancing employee satisfaction and retention to attract greater women participation in tourism.

‘MDF is pleased that our findings have resonated positively with the industry and we eagerly anticipate collaborating with businesses to invest in scalable solutions.

‘In terms of the next steps, MDF is looking forward to collaborating with the private sector to increase women’s participation in Sri Lanka to address the underlying issues.’

Chief People Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC Chandi Dharmaratne, said that in the ICT sector the ratio is better and one could even see nearly 49% of the females working in the BPO sector and around 35% in the ICT sector. “However we need to see more middle level female employees in the ICT sector, she said.

Managing Director, Jetwing Travels, Shiromal Cooray, said that there are hardly any female tour guides in Sri Lanka, mainly because they cannot move away and come back home when there is a long tour that stretches for around 7 to 14 days. She also said that there was a cultural stigma but thankfully this is now reducing.

Dr. Paul Zeccola, First Secretary (Political and Economic) of the Australian High Commission in Sri Lanka, was the Guest of Honour. Delivering the keynote address, he highlighted that Australia is proud to be a part of the recovery of the tourism sector that holds much potential for investment and the growth of Sri Lanka. He added that the longstanding partnership between Australia and Sri Lanka is to build inclusive business models that strengthen women’s economic participation.

The event also featured a panel discussion which examined challenges and solutions for integrating more women into the industry, followed by an interactive question and answer session. The panel comprised Shiromal Cooray, Managing Director, Jetwing Travels, Manesh Fernando, General Manager, Hilton Colombo, Chandi Dharmaratne, Chief People Officer, Dialog Axiata PLC and Mathi Thayanan, Tourism Country Team Coordinator, MDF Sri Lanka. The forum was facilitated by Dinushka Chandrasena.

The industry-leading panel shed light on some of the most pressing issues faced by the industry, followed by suggested strategies for fostering an inclusive workplace that unlocks the full potential of the diverse talent available in Sri Lanka.

MDF Sri Lanka Country Director Maryam Piracha further added that, “MDF is committed to strengthening partnerships that champion women’s engagement in the tourism sector. We aim to work with the private sector to encourage inclusive practices that combat negative perceptions and provide new opportunities for women. MDF is confident that this initiative will encourage the industry to embrace inclusive business strategies, enhancing business competitiveness while creating new avenues for women’s advancement.”