The Women Economic Assembly (WECONA) – established by President Cyril Ramaphosa last year to drive female economic empowerment –  will launch the Tourism and Hospitality Sector Stream at the inaugural Women in Tourism Southern Africa Summit and Exhibition to be held in Ekurhuleni this week in support of The Women of Value SA. 

The event will be hosted under the auspices of the Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Secretariat.

Aligning with WECONA’s mission to empower women's participation in the economy, the Women in Tourism Southern Africa Summit and Exhibition will tackle issues relating to women's empowerment in the tourism value chain sector. 

The Summit has also set the objective of supporting, empowering, and celebrating women in the SADC region who have contributed significantly toward the development of the tourism sector while crafting the future recovery of the industry. 

A WECONA spokesperson said the movement was pleased to be a part of this inaugural event, which also showcases the importance of women’s participation in all sectors, and particularly the tourism sector. 

“We see ourselves as an activator and catalyst for commitments and actions, and it is with this in mind that we will be launching the WECONA Tourism and Hospitality Sector Stream at the Summit,” she said.

According to the International Finance Corporation report, in 2019 the tourism sector contributed to 740 000 direct jobs and more than 1.5 million indirectly in South Africa. The COVID-19 lockdowns had a dire impact on the sector, and more so on small and women-owned businesses.

As the tourism sector enters recovery, WECONA aligns with the Department of Women Youth and People with Disabilities and United Nations Women goals to ensure that businesses that are owned by women, youth and people with disabilities play a significant role in the tourism value chain and can positively drive the industry's growth and recovery. 

The WECONA Tourism Sector Stream will be chaired by Dimakatso Malwela, MD of NKPI Holdings and President /Co-Founder for Women of Value Africa – an organisation focusing on regional economic transformation programmes – as well as, amongst others, Chairperson and Ambassador for the Africa Women in Leadership Committee for Africa Tourism Board (ATB).