Women urged to take up leadership careers in tourism |22 May 2018

Some 50 second-year female students from the School of Advanced Level Studies (Sals) and the University of Seychelles (UniSey) were recently invited to take part in a breakfast forum to discuss ‘Women in Leadership’.

The event was organised by the Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa on Silhouette in a bid to encourage and attract more women to aspire for leadership roles in the Hilton hotels and resorts in Seychelles.

The students learned and discussed what it takes to be a leader in the hospitality industry, from the challenges to the rise to success.

They had at their disposal the service of an experienced panel of successful women leaders in the hospitality industry who advised them on how to go about to becoming a leader. They were Sherin Francis (chief executive of the Seychelles Tourism Board), Nicole Saint Ange  (group branding communications manager of Mason’s Travel), Marja Gedosev (the sales distribution and corporate affairs general manager of Air Seychelles) and Julita Jeremie (the cluster director of human resources) and Britta Krug (the cluster director for business development) both from  Hilton Labriz Silhouette Resort & Spa.

There were also some in-house presentations by successful ladies in leadership roles in the three Hilton properties in Seychelles -- Hilton Northolme Resort & Spa, the Allamanda Double Tree Resort & Spa and the Hilton Labriz Resort & Spa -- who shared their working experience and career path.

The most common word attributed to being a good leader in the tourism field mentioned by all the mentors was “passion”.

The forum was part of activities to celebrate Hilton careers week held from May 15-16 where students visiting the various Hilton hotels, discussed the brand milestones, training opportunities, and career growth available through the renowned Hilton brand.  The career week also gave an opportunity for the students to take part in the various workshops, visit the establishments and to learn from professionals in the industry thus hoping to walk away with knowledge of vast lifelong skills and experiences.

The students from both institutions were welcomed at the jetty by Hilton Seychelles Labriz Resort & Spa general manager Andre Borg who guided them to the Portobello Restaurant where the forum took place.

In launching the forum, the principal secretary for tourism, Anne Lafortune, gave the students some good reasons as to why they should choose a career in tourism and hospitality. As tourism is the number one pillar of the economy, Mrs Lafortune said that it will be an honour for them to be working in a sector that is generating revenue that the whole of Seychelles is relying on.

“Tourism is the fastest growing area of employment not only in Seychelles but in the world. So the chance to join a rapidly growing industry is a sure way to secure permanent employment in the Seychelles which is on the increase,” she said, adding that one needs to have passion for good service delivery to join the tourism industry.  

PS Lafortune also mentioned the possibility of meeting and serving celebrities and important persons that in turn help them make friends and learn other cultures.

“You will not get bored, I assure you,” she said, noting the job provides a wide range of skills needed worldwide thus creating the opportunity to travel the world.

PS Lafortune explained that benefit comes with hard work as the tourism industry also has challenges in terms of long hours but can be overcome with sheer determination and motivation.  

Most of the students said they were inspired by the mentor ladies to join tourism. Sals student Emilie Savy said the forum inspired her to join the hospitality industry but would think about it “because the subjects I am doing at A-Levels do not relate to tourism but more to the medical field. I will see how things come out at the end of the year and if I join, maybe it will be in hotel management,” she said. 

Fabianna Savy from UniSey said the ladies really inspired her to join the tourism industry and she hopes to join the industry as she has an A-Level in travel and tourism.

“But what I am not too sure about is if I can incorporate law in the tourism field,” she said.

Mr Borg said he was really happy with the outcome of the forum and reaction from the students as it’s a part of the strategic education to get young people to engage with hotels and potential employers.

He hoped the students have been inspired by something during the forum and hope to see some of them joining the Hilton Hotels in Seychelles.

Last Tuesday as part of the career week also, three students from Beau Vallon secondary school spent the day learning and shadowing the general manager, the front offices manager and the chief engineer at Hilton Northolme where they received first-hand experience of a typical day in the life of the three professionals.