Despite the large number of tourism hotels in Arous Al Masayef, Taif Governorate, which amounts to 17 five-star hotels and dozens of four-star hotels, it is devoid of employing women in a number of its fields, despite the large number of job opportunities there.
Although the hotels of the tourist shelters are devoid of women, Okaz revealed – during its tours to a number of hotels – that there are 10 female employees in the reservations department of only one hotel.
At a time when a number of girls are calling for employment in hotels in all fields, a number of officials in the hotel sector in Taif stressed that the employment of women in all hotel departments is difficult now, but the employment of girls will be done gradually in the departments in which the field is available. It is available for this, according to the Ministry of Labor's regulations. It is not currently possible – as those hotel officials said – to work in the kitchen or any mixed sections because of the presence of workers around the clock.
Sarhan Al-Zahrani, director of human resources in one of the hotels, said that the work of Saudi women in hotels did not include the front offices, as the system only allows them to work in private offices in accordance with the controls and conditions of the Ministry of Labor, stressing the availability of jobs in the sector for a while, which are jobs receiving calls, requests and accounting. And marketing, sales and reservations, indicating that there is no employment under the name of hotels and tourism, and university women who are proficient in the English language are often benefited from and are trained by hotels on various tasks. In the work entrusted to her more than young people.
Gap between training and work
For her part, Amal, an employee in a hotel, explained that there is a gap between training and work, and there are no training programs for the female component in the hotel field, although there are employment practices in the field, noting that Saudi women have succeeded in the experience because there is no direct contact with men or work pressure and salaries. Distinguished, and the experience has been successful in some large hotels, indicating that there are supposed to be training programs for the female element in women’s offices in hotel accounting, reservations, receiving requests, organizing exhibitions, events and marriage ceremonies, and Saudi women can be creative in all these fields.
Aisha, who works in the reservation department in a hotel, said that the work environment in the hotel sector opens up many horizons, and it is a fertile social environment, and although Saudi girls did not learn hospitality and never studied it, they are trying to benefit from the available experiences..and she added: We lack the understanding of society. And intensive training on work programs that have nothing to do with facing the public.
Aisha added that women face many challenges in this field, despite the availability of a suitable environment, and the provision of the necessary support to female workers through training and granting the necessary incentives. The negative and insufficient view of some members of society towards women working in the tourism and hotel sectors.
Suha Alorabi (Taif) @suhaAlorabi