Choose to Challenge – Strong Women are Welcome in the Maldivian Tourism Industry Now More Than Ever
Monday 8th of March 2021
The tourism industry in the Maldives has grown to be the biggest contributor to the economy since the first international tourists started flying to the destination in 1972. Ever since it began, the industry has been immensely male-dominated and it wasn’t until recent times that we have actually started to see this trend being challenged.
On this International Women’s Day, Coral Glass team brings you a chat with Aminath Rausha Haadhee, a budding professional in the Maldivian Tourism industry. Recently appointed as Marketing Communications Manager for The Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands, she has a wealth of over 8 years of experience in the field.
Culture dictates that females are weak and need to be taken care of in the safety of home whereas change-makers such as Aimy are proving that times have started to change and mindsets need to evolve to keep up. Maldivian culture has evolved around the stigma of resort jobs not being ‘real jobs’ or ‘proper careers.’ Aimy challenged this notion too when she chose tourism as a profession and started work on a resort island.
Aimy was sure that this was her true calling when she joined the industry in 2010. In the years of studying Business, she had gained a solid insight to the potential for tourism in the Maldives, and this has been proven in the recent unprecedented times of a global pandemic. The nation is completely dependent on tourism for survival and managed to emerge as a success and surprise the world.
There was a time when the highest rank a local in the tourism industry could earn was that of a supervisor, irrelevant of gender. Adding to that, the global discrimination against females in the workforce made it impossible for women in the industry to break the norm. However, scenarios have evidently improved over time and more international hotel brands have begun to recognize the relentless efforts women put into their work. Stakeholders of the industry today invest in trainings, workshops, experiences and so on to improve the skill of their workforce and without bias, this opportunity is extended to all its staff.
Aimy has experienced the best of this golden opportunity. Strong and disciplined mentors have seasoned her in the past and utilizing the opportunity to work in different departments of resort operations has led to her embracing her passion for the industry. What brings her joy is seeing more girls stepping forward and not shying away from willing to start from the very bottom on their venture into the Maldivian tourism industry. They are more accepting of the challenge to grow as you go and have the experience firsthand.
The Maldivian tourism industry is welcoming a healthier environment for its staff and Aimy believes that new and better things are coming. With the introduction of dedicated women in decision-making leadership, humility and emotional intelligence is helping to build a community of caring and kind workforce empowered to bring positive change into the community. Aimy has learnt to maintain a strong work ethic towards what she is passionate about from her female mentors and colleagues, and will be passing that on as a token of choosing to challenge what is deemed ‘normal.’
The tourism industry is full of opportunity. From watersports to administration, housekeeping to engineering, culinary to guest services, a resort can offer a multitude of job opportunities to ladies who wish to leave the 9-5 desk job and go after something more fulfilling. Be bold and disciplined enough to succeed and choose to challenge.