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In
Tanzania, it's Wide Open for Women in Tourism At the
heart of TTB headquarters, Judith Gumbo, Senior
Administrative Seccretary to the Managing Director
since 1993, brings to her position extensive field
experience from various national parks around the
country. Accomplished women can be found in all
sectors of the industry, public and private: Ms.
Maria Mmari, Senior Tourist Officer, MNRT, Ms. Mary
Lwoga, Branch Manager, TTB Arusha; Ms. Severa
Masawe, Legal Counsel, TTB; Ms. Saada Juma, British
Airways Manager, Tanzania - to name but only a few.
Fatema
Tapya, Marketing Manager, Coastal Travel
Services. Coastal Travel Services. Coastal
Aviation, based in Dar es Salaam, is truly a
company on the cutting edge of Tanzania Tourism. It
has expanded from a travel service providing
charter and schedule air carrier to the Southern
Circuit and Zanzibar to an airline that "connects
all the dots" by providing service to all of
Tanzania's National parks, in addition to coastal
and inland destinations. At the heart and pulse of
this dynamic company is the Marketing Manager
Fatema Tapya. Originally from Dar es Salaam,
Tanzania, Fatema has been with Coastal for five
years. "I have always been fascinated with nature
and travel, and joining Coastal gave me the head
start to make a career in tourism. Although
equipped with IATA accreditation, Fatema says that
most of her experience came through on the job
training. "We create our own safaris, and this
requires hands-on practical experience," said
Fatema. Initially she started out as a tour
consultant, but now Fatema can be found arranging
special interest safaris, sending out press
releases, going on safaris to Ýsee new
products and facilities, or at travel trade
exhibitions in Europe demonstrating Coastal's new
state-of-the art on-line reservation system to
travel agents. What does Fatema find the most
challenging part of her job? Understanding the
particular requirement of tourists from different
parts of the world and cultures and how to design a
safari that will match these needs. Her personal
challenge, as a woman, is to adapt her own role
coming from a more traditional culture, while at
the same time slip into the more public role of
taking care of tourists. Fatema's personal warmth
and professionalism seem to guide her through this
challenge very successfully. As I
checked in to the Mtoni Marine Center Hotel in
Zanzibar, this lovely young lady, elegantly
dressed, extended a warm welcome. She was working
at the Front Desk. She proceeded to offer me
assistance in making phone calls to set up
interviews and appointments and offered to give me
a tour of the beach front property. I had no idea
that Shabnaam Saleem, this modest, soft spoken, 25-
year-old, was the Hotelís General Manager.
Shabnaam, born on mainland Tanzania, received her
degree from Kenyaís well known Utalii
(Tourism) College. She received hotel management
experience as an intern with Serena Lodges and
Hotels, one of East Africaís well known
luxury chains. If it was just the fact that she was
a woman, or only 25, it would be enough of a
challenge to command the respect of her hotel
staff. But working in the environment of a very
traditional Zanzibari Culture, Shabnaam said she
had to learn how to be a good manager within the
context of society expectations by showing respect
for local customs. As she donned her Buibui, the
traditional black cape and head covering, to escort
me to the airport, Shabnaam, a gracious, yet
determined young lady, slipped gracefully between
her role as Hotel General Manager to her accepted
role as a woman in Swahili Society. Currently
Shabnaam has taken leave from Mtoni Marine Center
to pursue further studies in Hotel
Management. Veronica
Ufunguo,
Tourism
Officer, Ngorongoro Conservation Area
Authority In
1996, Veronica Ufunguo, at 22, was one of only two
female tour guides in the Ngorongoro
Crater.
Born
in the Crater region, with a father that worked for
the Ngorongoro Conservation Area Authority (NCAA),
Veronica was always fascinated with tourism and the
benefits that it brought to the local people.
However, she also understood early on the conflicts
that arise when balancing tourism promotion with
environmental and cultural preservation. She
started as a Cadet with NCAA. Finally, she was
selected for the coveted job of tour guide in the
Crater. The three-month training was spent learning
the Crater routes, about the animals and the flora
and fauna. As Veronica looks back on her guide
experience she said "the most rewarding part was
being able to take people to see the animals close
up and share their excitement with them." However,
she admitted the challenges were learning how to
work with tourists, and explain about some of the
rules and regulations that were necessary to
enforce in order to protect the environment, such
as not being able to get
environment,
such as not being able to get out of the vehicles
or dash after an animal off the official crater
routes. Her guide work at NCAA inspired Veronica to
study tourism at Makarere University in Uganda
where she received her Bachelor in Tourism,
majoring in marketing, ecotourism and cultural
tourism. Upon graduation she did an internship at
Kilimanjaro National Park where she helped gather
visitor statistics. Now
back at NCAA, Veronica is focusing on improving the
quality and standards of the Visitors Center. "My
vision is to help create a Visitors Center that is
technologically up-to-date and inter-active. The
facilities would have information that will appeal
to all ages, as well as be accessible for tourists
with disablilities. Most important, the guides at
the center would be trained and knowledgeable about
the history of Ngorongoro Conservation Area." She
would also like to introduce guest surveys on site
at the hotels and lodges around the Crater. It is
hard for tourists who meet Veronica, not to be
captivated by her enthusiasm and love for the
Ngorongoro Crater area. |
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It
should come as no surprise to anybody who has been
in the dynamic presence of the Honorable Mme. Zakia
Hamdani Meghji, MP,Tanzania's Minister for Natural
Resources and Tourism since 1987, that the door is
wide open with opportunities for women to excel as
professionals in the country's rapidly growing
travel industry, starting right from the top. The
private sector, recently paid tribute to Hon.
Meghji (below left) for her strong leadership and
contribution to the tremendous increase in tourism
since she became Minister, and honored her by
affectionately naming her "Mama Utalii" (Mother
Tourism). Leading the Tanzania 
Tourist
Board (TTB) as Chairperson, is another lady Hon.
Fatma Saidi Alli (MP), who has two women TTB member
colleagues Ms. Vicky Swai and Ms. Scholastica
Ponera.
Shabnaam
Saleem, Hotel General Manager