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Management skills 'falling short in travel industry'

Submitted by Adrian Gaskell MCMI on Mon, 18/05/2009 - 11:47

There is a shortage of people with management skills in the travel sector, People 1st has said.

Brian Wisdom, chief executive of the sector skills council for the industry, noted that there was low representation of women at senior management levels.

He added that recruitment and retention of talented workers was a continuing challenge for the travel sector and that people in the industry need to be supported in order for them to continue their career development.

"Management and leadership skills are among the top three skill shortage areas employers are complaining about and yet there is this fantastic talent base that doesn't make it to the top," Mr Wisdom said.

"We have to take much more proactive action to help women progress their careers and get through some of the barriers and perceived barriers that are around."

Recent research from People 1st found that although 59 per cent of workers in the travel and leisure industry is female, women are underrepresented at senior management levels.

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Comments

Submitted by on Wed, 15/07/2009 - 11:23

I think one of the reasons for this dip is that the travel sector doesn't actively maintain a campus presence and therefore doesn't get that class of graduates that are ambitious and seeking management positions.

Submitted by on Thu, 16/07/2009 - 11:46

There has been a lot of change in the travel industry over recent years with so much moving to the internet and much hotter pricing competition.

It would be interesting to know if this relates more to big firms - there can't be that many of them left are there? - or the smaller independant firms or both?

If the smaller firms, how much of this is down to owner manager situtations? If the bigger firms, how much is due to the lack of mobility of staff and maybe an unwillingness to promote within a branch?

Submitted by on Tue, 21/07/2009 - 15:45

Yes, I can't exactly see that promotion prospects could be high at a locally owned travel agent branch - there isn't much room for expansion right now at all. Things can't look good for the manager hopeful.