‘Kudos to women in travel’

Rupinder Brar, Additional Director General, Ministry of Tourism, shares how women are not only making their presence felt in the travel industry, but are also taking up leadership roles.

Nisha Verma

Rupinder Brar says that while statistics point to only 12 per cent of women in the travel and tourism industry being appointed directly, the good thing is that the government is aware that it can leverage on the strengths of women and create the right environment for them. “Clearly, there is a lot of work to be done in empowering them and creating employment for them in a sector that one would intuitively think is one where women would do very well. It’s a sector that needs a lot of soft skills and women, naturally, would fit into so many roles,” she adds.

It’s a sector that needs a lot of soft skills and women, naturally, would fit into so many roles

The ministry has taken up several steps to empower women in the industry, she claims, such as including women candidates in the ‘Hunar Se Rozgar Tak’ programme and in other skill-building schemes. “A recent initiative is the Incredible India Tourist Facilitator Certification (IITFC) programme. For many of the workshops, we have been asking our regional directors to focus on women participation, because this programme has huge potential in creating an environment for women to join the workforce and offer equitable development,” explains Brar.

Heartened by the varied fields women are working in these days, she shares, “They are guides in the oddest of terrains, they run homestays all by themselves, and are also forest guides and adventure specialists. In the hotel industry, there are many women in leadership positions, not only in housekeeping, F&B and front office, but in all fields.”

Working towards the creation of the right perception about India as a safe destination for women, Brar feels that looking at statistics, India cannot be called ‘more unsafe’ than other countries. While certain areas are still perceived as unsafe, MOT, through its campaigns and pro- motions, aims to subtly send across the message that “India is a safe country where women can travel anywhere.”