A recent study revealed that the representation of women in senior managerial positions in hotels is still weak. According to statistics, women only account for 27 percent of positions as director general and 13 percent in positions such as director of operations, even though the number of female graduates is more than their male counterparts.

The study, which was conducted by Accor, one of the world’s leading hotel operators, aims to launch an empowerment initiative that will lead to a 50 percent increase in the number of female employees in upper management and leadership positions in hotels around the world. Moreover, the initiative seeks to raise the employment rate of women to 35 percent by 2015.

“Saudi women have proven to be successful in their quest to work in a variety of positions across various sectors, in particular the tourism sector,” Christophe Landis, general director of Accor Middle East, told a local newspaper.

Landis predicted that Saudi women would hold more managerial positions in hotels during the upcoming period, especially after they have proved themselves more than capable in the hospitality industry.

Commenting on the recent royal decree issued by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, which resulted in the appointment of 30 women in the Shoura Council, Landis viewed it as a source of inspiration and encouragement for women to launch their own businesses and assume leadership positions in all sectors.

“The empowerment initiative aims to expand the scope of women’s work in general, and in particular for Saudi women seeking to work in the services sector, especially since we are striving to have women represented in 10 percent of upper-management by 2013,” said the general director of Accor Middle East. He elaborated further that Accor does not only aim to provide employment opportunities, but also plans to develop the leadership skills of women.”

In the same vein, Khaled Al-Harthi, the head of the hospitality committee at the Jeddah Chamber of Commerce and Industry, told a local newspaper: “Female representation in the tourism and hotel sectors in Saudi Arabia is still small and shy, due to a lack of institutional support and collective initiative.”

Al-Harthi asserted that Saudi women should occupy 15 percent of the jobs in the services sector.

“There are a few women working in the tourism and hotel industry and that is because they made a conscious attempt to break into the sector,” said Al-Harthi.

“Despite the novelty of female employment in this sector, women have performed very well and sometimes they have outshone their male counterparts, particularly in events management and public relations. If we observe the figures in the hotel sectors globally, we will find that women hold most of the jobs, while Saudi Arabia is still the exception,” Al-Harthi added.

“Women are still being marginalized in the private sector, especially in tourism. Even though they have proven their success in the environmental sector and public relations,” he said.

Al-Harthi said that women are not encouraged to work in the catering sector, particularly in restaurants and therefore many of them have resorted to establishing their own home-based catering businesses, adding that “Such talents should be nurtured.”

Al-Harthi called on the Ministry of Labor to facilitate, support and provide more training opportunities to Saudi women, to encourage them to work and excel in the tourism sector.