Tourism

Advice for Young Women in Tourism

The Best Advice for Young Women in Tourism

The very nature of tourism is built on creating memorable experiences for travellers. Tourism offers diverse career choices including guiding, travel planning, hotel management, event co-ordination, cheffing and so much more. These roles all require skills such as creativity, dedication and passion and offer a fulfilling and exciting career. As a young woman, tourism needs your unique contribution, you are capable of extraordinary things – here’s how to get started.

  • Embrace your unique qualities and talents, be confident in who you are.
  • Break stereotypes by chasing your dreams regardless of traditional gender roles.
  • Education is your superpower. Knowledge will empower you and open doors. If possible consider pursuing formal education this will give you a strong foundation but remember that practical, hands-on experience is equally important. Seek out internships, apprenticeships and volunteering.
  • Have a passion for travel – be enthusiastic about experiencing new cultures and destinations.
  • You must have or develop strong communication skills. Both verbal and written communication are essential in tourism. You will be interacting with guests, colleagues and service providers every day.
  • Be adaptable, this industry is dynamic and you can be assured that unpredictable situations will arise. It is also a 24/7 occupation, you will be faced with challenges like seasonality and irregular working hours, women generally have an innate ability to adapt, sharpen your flexibility skills.
  • In our tourism youth workshops we talk about the importance of creating solid networks, part of your adaptability should include the agility to call on your network to step in with a helping hand. Your networks also offer opportunities to collaborate, share resources and add value to one another. Grow your networks by joining associations and attending conferences, events and workshops.
  • Problem solving is vital to being successful in our sector, consider these your best learning opportunities. Learn and move forward.
  • Sustainability is on the front burner for tourism globally. You should be aware and actively seek out ways to be more sustainable. The United Nations has defined goals in place, click here for more information : https://www.unwto.org/sustainable-development

In summary, have a healthy dose of kindness and compassion. Take care of your physical and mental health, surround yourself with supportive women and endorse other women in business and in life. Dream big and work hard, your voice matters.

Lindsey Gibaud
Big Tree Marketing
August 2023

The Best Advice for Young Women in Tourism Read More »

The Gathering Earth Edition Climate Change

Unearthing the emerging effects of the Climate Crisis on the tourist industry

Every year, esteemed news platform, the Daily Maverick, hosts a conference to encourage and facilitate discourse around pressing local issues. This year, the theme The Gathering: Earth Edition, which was a climate-focused conference that brought together scientists, economists, business leaders, policymakers and activists to discuss practical solutions to the environmental, energy and economic crises South Africa faces.


Daily Maverick organised numerous panel discussions featuring distinguished panellists and provided a platform for several esteemed speakers, including Andre de Ruyter, former CEO of Eskom, Kumi Naidoo, former secretary general of Amnesty International and executive director of Greenpeace, and Dr Imtiaz Sooliman, the founder of The Gift of The Givers.

What we have realised at Big Tree Marketing is that climate change isn’t an isolated issue that will only affect a small percentage of industries. Rather, it will affect all industries, in a unique way. Tourism is one of the industries that will be hit hard by climate change. Changing weather patterns and an increase in natural disasters will disrupt travel plans, damage tourist destinations and limit the availability of activities such as skiing or beach tourism. Additionally, biodiversity loss due to climate change will reduce the appeal of natural tourism such as touring national parks. Finally, efforts to mitigate climate change, such as carbon pricing and sustainable practices, may lead to increased costs for travel and accommodation, potentially impacting the affordability and accessibility of tourism.

Understanding just how deeply affected our industry is by climate change led us to attend this conference. The opening of the event was marked by a captivating protest song, modified to incorporate lyrics addressing the dangers of climate change, which was delivered by Anneli. Following this, Andre de Ruyter presented the first keynote address, centred around the 5 E’s: Energy, Economy, Employment, Exports, and Equity. During his speech, de Ruyter emphasised the importance of adopting renewable energy, fostering economic growth, and facilitating a fair energy transition that prioritises job creation. He appealed to The Gathering audience to not overlook the individuals adversely affected by this energy transition.

Throughout the day, interesting panel discussions took place, covering a range of critical topics. These included “South Africa’s Burning Energy Problem,” “Expectations of Youth,” “Artificial Intelligence: Addressing Threats and Solutions to the Climate Crisis,” “Corruption and Ecosystem Collapse,” “The Business of Climate,” and “The Sixth Extinction.”

In the final panel on the sixth extinction, Professor Roger Smith emphasised that while long-term climate change is a natural process, the rapid climate change we currently face is far from ordinary. Pavitray Pillar, an Environmental Behavior Change Practitioner at the World Wildlife Fund, encouraged attendees to make positive changes in their lifestyles, recognizing the role consumers play in mitigating climate change.

This is an important note I will leave with you. While individuals aren’t the cause of climate change, we still have a large role to play in stopping it. It is important that we take action within ourselves, and within our businesses. We will share more on how to do this, so stay tuned.


Unearthing the emerging effects of the Climate Crisis on the tourist industry Read More »

Homeward Bound

Homeward Bound

Yes, I’m homeward bound after being one of the first South Africans to travel to the USA after President Biden lifted travel restrictions on 31 December 2021.

My visit was a trip to see my son in Texas.  I won’t go into the drama filled detail leading to my departure suffice to say we changed my flight seven times and in the end, I missed Christmas and New Year with him but I got there and for that I am very thankful.

My trip to Texas included a week in New York and Washington DC.  I have travelled widely but this was my first visit to America and the chance to visit the Big Apple and DC was top of my bucket-list.   Being winter, the weather was a shocker resulting in a 9-hour delay in Houston to LaGuardia.  We arrived in NY around 1am to discover that this indeed is the city that never sleeps.  Not wasting any time, we headed to Times Square at 3am finding New Year’s Eve confetti still in the streets.  At this late hour people were milling around, a few pot-selling merchants were hustling for another sale and a few stores still trading.

Lady Liberty

Our boat tour to the Statue of Liberty on a very cold afternoon resulted in a very special photograph with a crucifix cloud positioned directly above Lady Liberty.   We spent a number of hours at the 9/11 Memorial, this tragic day deeply affected me and was a priority on my to-see list.

Travel during a Pandemic

America is in their Omicron peak which was evident by the many free Covid testing stations located on New York street corners and mall parking lots in Washington.  Mask wearing was mandatory in New York and Washington and we were asked to produce vaccination certificates and proof of ID at all restaurants, museums, airports and Federal buildings.  Texas is a Republican state giving individuals the right to make their own choice regarding mask wearing and far fewer people wear them.

Regrettably we were only able to visit the Natural History Museum in Washington as all other Smithsonian museums were closed due to Covid.  At least we have new experiences for our next visit.  We spent a couple of hours in the Arlington National Cemetery where over 400 000 souls have been laid to rest.  On this cold morning I was moved to discover that each resting place had a Christmas wreath placed at its headstone.  This considerable undertaking is done yearly by volunteers who honour those who have given their lives to America.   Our tour guide told us that on Memorial Day an American flag is placed at each grave.  Our visit to Arlington National Cemetery was a quiet and humbling experience.

Time was limited and unfortunately, I missed the chance to visit two tourism friends who live in New York.  In Washington however I was able to spend an evening cooking dinner and drinking local wines with a school friend.  What a wonderful catch up, I am hoping to see her in SA for our 30th reunion later this year.

Appetite for Travel

The appetite for travel remains strong.  Mine was influenced by the desire to see my son.  It is obvious that challenges to global travel remain but the inconvenience is small compared to the memories created, new friends made and value of experiencing new cultures.

South Africa has so much to offer visitors.  Our country will inspire you; it will leave you speechless at its vast beauty, big blue skies, scenic vista’s and people with heart.   South Africa has an energy that will touch your soul, its charm and vibrancy is colourful and sincere.  We are open and ready for international tourists, our outdoor lifestyle, social distancing, a vaccinated population and mandatory mask wearing we cover all the bases in terms of safety protocols.  We have some of the best medical care in the world and it is affordable.

Travel restrictions and safety protocols have made travel a lot more challenging but for those with adventure in their heart it is worth jumping the hoops.

South Africa is ready

Nelson Mandela said it best: ‘As we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give permission to others to do the same’.  South Africa is a beacon to the continent, we have a thriving tourism industry.  Some of the best lodges, hotels, restaurants and attractions reside on the tip of Africa.  Our wines win awards across the world.  Breath-taking safaris stays are accessible in Southern Africa.

South Africa is tourism ready.  What are you waiting for?

Homeward Bound Read More »

Blouberg Beach

What do you need from us?

Hello from sunny Cape Town.

We are enjoying an incredible 31C today in MAY which is why I am heading to Blouberg Beach after work to swim with a bunch of friends. Wish you could join us. 😊

Yesterday I spent the day exploring some of our favourite tourist spots and noted a few foreigners doing the same thing, which leads us to hope that business is starting to move albeit very slowly but it is moving in the right direction.

Our portfolio partners are geared up and ready to receive your guests, we would like to make their visit as enjoyable as possible after these dark lockdown days. Head over to the CLIENTS section of the website to view our portfolio.

During the past year, as we celebrate 10 years since we opened Big Tree Marketing, we have been giving back to our industry by sharing and helping wherever we have had an opportunity. Take a look at the awesome event we put together ‘Tourism through our eyes’ a few weeks ago.

As the ‘fam-trip’ experts we have also managed and hosted a number of very successful educationals with trade and media, below are the articles published:

Big Tree Marketing | Oudtshoorn and De Rust Tourism VIEW ARTICLE

Big Tree Marketing | Swartland Tourism VIEW ARTICLE

In the meanwhile, while we hang on just a little longer, what do you need from us to be ready to hit the ground running the moment enquiries arrive in your inbox?

Looking forward to hearing from you soon. We have the weather, beaches and of course awesome wines. Visit us soon.

What do you need from us? Read More »