Media Release. 11 March 2010. Mossel Bay Tourism

Women Run Tourism in Mossel Bay

Francina Terblanche

Marina Vermeulen

IMAGE: Back row from left: Carmen Bester (Point Village Hotel); Yolandi Lombard (Garden Route Casino Hotel & Spa); Liz Taylor (Point Hotel); Marcia Holm (Mossel Bay Tourism); Dawn Prinsloo (Riviera Hotel. Front row from left: Sonia Yeats (Garden Route Boutique Hotel) Karen Bus (Protea Hotel Mossel Bay). Absent: left – Francina Terblanche (Botlierskop); right – Marina Vermeulen (Diaz Strand Resort)

Women Make Tourism Work In Mossel Bay

Every single one of Mossel Bay’s major hotels – and also its tourism office and municipality – are managed by women.

“We’re not sure how it happened, but it’s happened,” said Mossel Bay Tourism’s chief operations officer, Marcia Holm.

“Carmen Bester manages the Point Village Hotel, Yolandi Lombard runs the Garden Route Casino Hotel and Spa, Liz Taylor runs The Point Hotel, Dawn Prinsloo runs the Riviera Hotel, Sonia Yeats runs the Garden Route Boutique Hotel, Karen Bus runs the Protea Hotel Mossel Bay, Francina Terblanche runs the Botlierskop Private Game Reserve, and Marina Vermeulen runs the Diaz Strand Hotel,” said Ms. Holm. “And the municipality is managed by the all-women team of our mayor, Alderlady Marie Ferreira, and our municipal manger, Dr. Michelle Gratz.

“Previously women where restricted to the kitchen and therefore didn’t have the opportunity to prove themselves as leaders in a male dominated industry.” said the Diaz Strand’s Marina Vermeulen.

“As we know, there were very few women in top business positions until quite recently – but I think we’re seeing a trend now, and women are at last beginning to get the jobs they deserve in the tourism industry.

“I think women are stronger than men in admin – although I know that’s a generalisation – and I think our femininity is an important asset in the hospitality industry.

“Also, in general, women pay more attention to the finer details,” she said.

“I think we women have a sensitivity that adds a different dimension to the tourism industry,” said Ms. Holm. “Logically speaking, half of all tourists are women, so having women in management positions makes sense.”

The Point Hotel’s Liz Taylor went even further.

“For many years, women weren’t allowed to have these positions,” she said. “But now that we have them, we’re proud of them, and I think this makes us generally work harder to prove that we’re the right ‘wo-man’ for the job.

“We’ve got perseverance, staying power, and endurance; we take the initiative; and we’re good at detailed planning and delegating – which is an important aspect of management.

“I also think the motherly instinct is ingrained in our systems, and that this ability to nurture and mentor others makes us more compassionate and caring of our staff and our guests.

“We’re passionate beings, too, and passionate about what we do – and we generally and genuinely want to please.

“We’re more open to talk to, and less intimidating than men. And we’re generally more organised because we have to deal with so many things on so many levels in our lives – both in our private lives and in our professional capacities,” she said.

Neels Zietsman, chairman of the board of Mossel Bay Tourism, said, “We’re proud that such an important part of our tourism industry is managed by women – partly because gender equality is an ideal set forth in our country’s constitution, and partly because it’s just right that those women who have the skills and the experience should advance to the top.

“But in the end, it’s not only about gender: it’s also about ability and a genuine love for what you do – and Mossel Bay’s women in tourism have shown again and again that they have those things in abundance.”

ENDS 612 WORDS