The widening gap between seasoned professionals and new entrants into South Africa’s travel industry has emerged as a critical issue, especially in light of post-pandemic employment challenges. This experience gap, experts say, threatens the long-term sustainability of the industry.
During the “Modern Mavericks vs. Heritage Heroes” debate at the ABTA Conference in early October, the ‘Heritage Heroes’ – Claude Vankeirsbilck, COO of Tourvest Travel Services; Claudia Armstrong, Owner of That’s IT & Africa Partner; and Phale Naake, Director of Strategic Procurement at the National Treasury – echoed a sentiment previously shared with Travel News: practical experience holds more weight than formal qualifications.
South Africa’s formal education system has been slow to keep pace with industry demands, said ‘Modern Maverick’, Kamogelo Maerman, National Sales Leader at FCM Travel. He pointed out that the subject of tourism was only introduced to the matric syllabus in 1996. The ‘Heritage Heroes’ confirmed that due limited training with practical value, travel agencies are forced to provide specialised training for sales and travel trade systems.
The Covid hangover
In addition to educational shortcomings, the travel industry continues to grapple with the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. The pandemic had a devastating impact on the sector globally, with nearly 70 million tourism jobs lost between 2019 and 2022, according to the World Travel & Tourism Council’s (WTTC) Social Trends in Travel & Tourism Employment report. Women and young people were disproportionately affected, with 6.4 million fewer women and 3 million fewer workers under 25 employed in the travel sector during this period.
This workforce represents employees who have more likely remained in informal, part-time and low-wage roles, says WTTC President and CEO, Julia Simpson. She called for more investment in skills development to unlock the full potential of these groups.
Closing the gap
The ‘Modern Mavericks,’ represented by professionals under the age of 35, argued that closing this experience gap is vital for the future of the travel industry. They believe that young professionals, with their ability to integrate digital solutions, can provide the industry with a much-needed technological boost.
“Younger professionals, also known as digital natives, excel in blending technology with human interactions, understanding that while technology is crucial for efficiency and logistics, face-to-face connections are still vital for building trust and strong relationships,” said Christeen Tait, the Inland Account Executive of Plum Accommodation.
New ways of learning
The majority of South Africa’s population is under the age of 35, and young professionals are well-positioned to use social media and digital platforms to enhance their knowledge, Maerman said.
Tait agreed: “That’s become our new platform for gaining knowledge. In the past, agents would rely on familiarisation trips to learn about products and destinations, but those have become rare. Now, we turn to Google and social media to research and truly understand these destinations.”
Maerman concluded by urging the industry to invest in the next generation: “There was a time when you were the modern mavericks, and a time will come when we will become the heritage heroes. Please, reimagine yourselves through us.”