PICTURE: Women should consider if raw materials are readily available in their environs. INSERTS: Some of the craft products that rural women can market to tourists
HOW rural women can contribute meaningfully to tourism is the main focus on this year’s edition of the Great Limpopo Cultural Trade that shall take place at Mhlanguleni Business Centre in Chiredzi south from 28-31 July this year under the theme: “Promoting women through culture, conservation and value addition.”
Why is it important that women are the focal point of the fair?
Women are pillars of rural development. In the twentieth century, rural-to-urban migration has seen many men heading for towns, mines and farms in search of greener pasture. Women were left behind in the communal areas. Although not fully empowered, the women who stayed behind would participate in community development projects that came their way.
For years, the African society hasn’t been empowering rural women. Married women were expected to take jobs like teaching, nursing and secretarial. Participating in income generating projects as managers was a role reserved for men regardless of how some of the men were reckless on financial management.
From the mid 1990s, some sections of society started to smell the coffee and adopted women empowerment in business circles. It is now important that the empowered women know exactly how they can run profitable businesses. Let’s discuss some the key factors that will help rural women make profitable tourism businesses.
Reasons for starting the business
A lot of women might enter into a tourism business just because someone has encouraged them to do so or they have observed that some people are making huge profits from the type of business.
It is important that one analyses herself if she is capable of running such a business. Is it her hobby that has been turned into moneymaking business or it that she is going to hire some people to do the business for her? How involving is the business that she ends up finding no time for her family? She should always remember that even if she becomes a businesswoman, her family comes first.
Raw products and overheads
A woman should be able to see if raw products are readily available in her environs. If not, what does it take for her to acquire the raw products so that she doesn’t have production breaks? Is she able to cost the value of the raw products she uses in the making of her arts and craft artifacts? If some of the raw products are seasonal, does she have the capacity to store reasonable quantities that will enable her produce artifacts throughout the year?
Is the business going to operate from her backyard or from rented premises? Are overheads like rentals and labour not going to chew much of her profit?
Management skills
Does the woman have the required experience on running a business? If she doesn’t, is there a capacity building opportunity available for her so that she can require the business management and financial management skills which will make her a good manager? If she employs some artists to make the artifacts for her, is her business making a break-even or it is making profit?
The type of business
A woman needs to decide what type of business she is going to undertake. Is it a sole proprietor, a partnership or a company business? She needs to know the advantages and disadvantages of the type of business she has decided to undertake. If she takes the partnership or company, does she know the kind of agreements she is going to enter with her partners?
The consumer
The tourism industry is not viable without constant consumers. Are there ready consumers of her arts and crafts products? Are the consumers coming to her environment or she is the one who has to travel to where the consumers are found? Is the business supplying what the consumer really requires? Is the business not focusing too much where there are no constant consumers?
Competition
Before undertaking the tourism business, a woman should check on the competition. It is wise for the woman to plan for a certain market share by analysing her market segmentation. What percentage of local and outside tourists shall consume her products? What percentage of local and outside competitors sells similar products? Are her products of standard or better quality than that of the competitors?
Equipped with such factors, a woman can make decision whether to start the tourism business or not. The forthcoming article shall discuss how women can profitably manage their tourism businesses.