On the occasion of International Women’s Day, UN Tourism announced the launch of the Women in Tourism Leadership Africa Mentorship Programme, a new initiative aimed at strengthening women’s leadership and professional growth across the continent’s tourism sector. The programme forms part of broader efforts to advance gender equality and empower women in tourism.
Women across Africa are being offered a structured pathway into tourism leadership through a six-month mentorship initiative led by the Women in Tourism Leadership Africa Committee, WITLAC, with support from UN Tourism.
The programme seeks to support women working in, studying, or aspiring to build careers within the tourism sector across the continent. It is open to women of all ages and professional backgrounds, with applications encouraged from young professionals, emerging leaders, mid-career practitioners, entrepreneurs, and women living in rural communities.
Participants will receive guidance aimed at advancing leadership development, strengthening entrepreneurial capacity in tourism businesses, and encouraging the adoption of digital tools and platforms within the sector. The programme also places emphasis on personal and professional development, while supporting greater representation of women in tourism policy and industry practice.
Announcing the initiative, UN Tourism Regional Director for Africa, Elcia Grandcourt said, “We are pleased to launch the Women in Tourism Leadership Mentorship Programme, designed to support women in tourism who are seeking to grow their businesses, strengthen leadership capacity and benefit from professional guidance.”
The initiative emerged from recommendations made during the Women in Tourism Regional Congress held in Freetown, Sierra Leone in October 2024. It is driven by African women ministers and sector leaders and facilitated through the UN Tourism Regional Department for Africa.
According to Grandcourt, “Tourism thrives when women lead, innovate and grow. This programme aims to encourage entrepreneurship and support professional development for women shaping the future of the industry.”
Eligibility is limited to applicants who can demonstrate citizenship from one of the 51 UN Tourism African Member States and who are currently engaged in tourism-related fields such as travel, hospitality, heritage management, eco-tourism, cultural tourism, and academia or event management. Applicants must also demonstrate interest in tourism as a driver of development in Africa and be willing to participate in a professional mentor-mentee relationship.
The initiative is designed to create a collaborative network connecting women across the continent through mentorship and knowledge exchange. It also aligns with the African Union’s Agenda 2063 and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 5, which focuses on achieving gender equality and empowering women and girls.
Applications for mentees will open from 1 May to 15 June 2026, following the Second UN Tourism Regional Congress on Women Empowerment in Tourism in Africa scheduled for 29 April 2026. The selection process will run from 16 June to 31 July 2026, while the mentorship phase is expected to take place from September 2026 to February 2027.
Grandcourt encouraged women across the continent to participate, noting, “Women of all ages and professional backgrounds are welcome to apply, particularly young talent, emerging leaders, entrepreneurs and women from rural communities who are seeking to expand their role within tourism.”
The mentorship programme builds on previous regional initiatives, including the First Regional Congress on Women Empowerment in the Tourism Sector held in Ghana in 2019 and the Women in Tourism Regional Congress held in Sierra Leone in 2024, which examined education, innovation and access to finance within the industry.
Further details, including the Terms of Reference and the Mentee Application Form, are expected to be released ahead of the application window.
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