WTM Africa Partners with Women in MICE & WIT to Tackle Gender Gaps in Travel Industry

• World Travel Market (WTM) Africa in Cape Town partners with Women in MICE and Women in Tourism (WIT)
• This Initiative is working towards ending gender imbalances in Africa's tourism sector
• 70% of workers in the industry are women but they occupy less than 40% of managerial jobs in the area

Cape Town's World Travel Market (WTM) Africa has partnered with Women in MICE and Women in Tourism (WIT) to address the gender imbalance in Africa's travel sector.  Launched during South Africa's Women's Month, the partnership targets an industry where women make up 70 percent of the workforce but occupy less than 40 percent of senior roles.

A highlight will be an iconic breakfast at WTM Africa 2026, when Women in MICE will unveil its 2026 awards—the first continental launch of its sort at one of the major African travel shows. "This partnership demolishes barriers and shines a light on excellence," said founder Antois Leigh Nepgen.

WIT will complement this with skill-building workshops led by Michelle Page, focusing on leadership confidence and personal branding. Facilitator Sherise Dreyer emphasized, “Inclusion without accessibility is meaningless. We’re shifting perceptions of who leads.”

These initiatives align with WTM’s NextGen Ready program, which blends mentorship for young professionals with executive leadership development. For WTM's parent, RX Africa, the timing mirrors MD Carol Weaving's history of proven leadership, which has witnessed event attendance increase by 24 percent during the previous year. "Real change occurs when efforts converge," Carol said.

With Africa's tourism industry bouncing back from the pandemic, leaders emphasize that women's investment is not only equity and economic approach but one of stability through inclusivity. In areas of insecurity, empowering women leaders provides an avenue for stability through inclusion.