Maggie Sotyu with some of the women who attended the breakfast meeting.
Deputy Minister of Tourism Maggie Sotyu has called for greater empowerment and inclusion of women in the tourism sector while addressing the Women in Tourism Business Breakfast held alongside the Africa’s Travel Indaba.
Speaking during Africa Month celebrations, Sotyu described tourism as a powerful tool for economic transformation, inclusion and shared prosperity across the African continent.
The breakfast was held under the theme “Leading the Change: Women Shaping a Sustainable Future.”
Sotyu praised the role women continue to play in building and sustaining the tourism industry, saying women are preserving heritage, creating jobs, driving innovation and building enterprises in villages, townships, cities and coastal communities.
“Women are not simply participating in tourism – women are building tourism,” she said.
She reflected on the Women in Tourism Programme, established by the Department of Tourism in 2013 and officially launched during Africa’s Travel Indaba in 2014.
According to Sotyu, the programme was created to ensure meaningful transformation in the sector by improving women’s access to ownership, leadership positions, markets and economic opportunities.
More than a decade later, the platform continues to connect women across the tourism value chain, including accommodation, hospitality, transport, tour operations, cultural tourism and digital innovation.
Despite progress made, Sotyu acknowledged that many women-owned tourism businesses still face serious challenges, including limited access to funding, barriers to mainstream tourism markets, digital exclusion and under representation in senior leadership structures.
She said platforms such as the Women in Tourism Business Breakfast remain important for encouraging collaboration, mentorship and practical solutions that promote inclusive growth within the tourism economy.
The deputy minister further highlighted government initiatives aimed at supporting transformation in the sector, including the Tourism Transformation Fund, enterprise development programmes, skills training and market access support.
Sotyu also stressed the importance of ensuring women are not left behind as technology and artificial intelligence continue reshaping the global tourism landscape.
“When women rise in tourism, communities rise with them,” she said.
She encouraged women across all provinces to continue building partnerships, supporting women-owned enterprises and opening doors for the next generation of leaders in tourism.
Sotyu concluded by reaffirming that a truly sustainable tourism future can only be achieved when women are fully empowered to lead, innovate, own and thrive in the sector.
