Tourism Training in Africa: Meeting the Growing Demand for Skilled Workers

Skills gaps and growing demand for qualified workers are creating challenges for Africa’s tourism sector. Education and vocational training can open up career opportunities for young people and women, as examples from Rwanda, Kenya and Tanzania show.

September marks Tourism Month in many African countries, putting the spotlight on a sector that is becoming increasingly important for economic activity, employment and local value creation.

According to the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), tourism contributed around US$228 billion to Africa’s economy in 2025 and supported 30.2 million jobs. Employment is expected to reach 31.5 million jobs in 2026, with a further 9.4 million jobs potentially being created by 2036.

As the sector grows, so does the need for qualified workers. A recent assessment by the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Kenya shows that many young people are looking for employment while businesses face difficulties finding workers with the skills they need. In tourism, companies identified particular gaps in customer service, foreign languages and digital skills. Around half of the 47 tourism businesses surveyed reported challenges related to service quality. A similar proportion said that digital marketing skills were difficult to find.

“Africa’s travel industry needs not only more visitors, but above all people who can shape tourism professionally on the ground. Qualified workers are essential if the economic opportunities created by tourism are to benefit destinations and local communities in the long term,” says Hanna Kleber, Chairwoman of Voice4Africa.

From Training to a Career in Tourism

The challenge is not simply to create more jobs. It is equally important to equip young people with the skills that are actually needed in the tourism industry. The ILO points out that in many countries in East and West Africa, more than 70 percent of workers in the travel industry have only basic schooling or less. At the same time, digital, communication, management and sustainability skills are becoming increasingly important alongside traditional service skills.

The education and financing models of Chancen International show how qualified training can create concrete career pathways. Through an income-based financing model, the organisation enables young people in Africa to access job-relevant vocational training and higher education.

Since its foundation in Rwanda in 2018, more than 11,000 young people across Africa have been financed through the model. Around 60 percent are women, while 85 percent come from structurally disadvantaged backgrounds, including rural areas and informal settlements. According to the organisation, 70 percent have subsequently found employment and earn an income significantly above the minimum wage.

The figures from Rwanda show that these educational pathways can also lead directly into tourism. More than 1,300 young people have been supported through Chancen International’s education financing programme in the country, with 80 percent subsequently finding employment in the travel sector.

 Success Stories from Kenya

In Kenya, the example of Marcus Babu illustrates how practical training can open up concrete career opportunities in tourism. After completing vocational training in Food & Beverage Service at the TASK Training Institute in Nairobi, he found a position at the Majlis Resort in Lamu, where he is now continuing to build his career.

“Talent is everywhere. But the opportunities to develop that talent are not,” explains Batya Blankers, CEO of Chancen International, who was recently recognised by Germany’s Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) for her long-standing commitment. “We do not simply want to finance education. We want young people to be able to earn their own income, support their families and shape their own future.”

Abigael Shahenza is another example of how the programme can create new professional opportunities. Higher education was initially financially out of reach for the Kenyan. Through Chancen International, she qualified in hospitality at a recognised training institute and also learned German. After completing her training, she secured a position with a German cruise company. Her income now enables her to support the future of her two daughters.

These examples show that targeted investment in education can create individual career opportunities while also helping address the skilled labour needs of a dynamic industry and strengthen incomes within families and local communities.

Women Are Central to Africa’s Tourism Sector – But Still Underrepresented in Leadership Positions

Women play a particularly important role in Africa’s tourism industry. According to UN Tourism, women account for up to 78 percent of the workforce in Africa’s hospitality sector. At the same time, they remain disproportionately represented in informal employment and underrepresented in leadership positions.

This leaves significant potential untapped – both for women’s professional advancement and for addressing the growing demand for skilled workers in tourism.

“The high proportion of women in African tourism shows that women already play a central role in the industry. The key question is therefore not whether women are needed in the travel industry, but how they can gain access to qualified training, better jobs and leadership positions,” says Hanna Kleber.

Tourism Training Starts at Secondary School

An example from Tanzania shows how vocational preparation, school education and sustainability can be combined at an early stage.

The Africa Amini Secondary School in Sustainable Tourism (AASSIST) in Momella, on the edge of Arusha National Park, provides young people with practical skills for the tourism sector alongside their regular secondary education. Subjects include Food & Beverage, Front Office, Wellness, Permaculture and Sustainability. Students also gain practical experience in the organisation’s lodges.

Around 160 young people from structurally disadvantaged communities are currently being prepared for a professional future through the programme.

Introducing young people to tourism careers while they are still at school and providing practical skills at an early stage can help create pathways into the labour market, particularly in regions outside major urban centres.

Young People at the Heart of Sustainable Tourism

For Voice4Africa, providing young people with relevant skills is therefore an important part of sustainable tourism in Africa. The sector creates income and employment, but its long-term impact also depends on the extent to which people in destinations can participate in this value creation and build sustainable careers.

“For us, sustainable tourism also means investing in the people who carry tourism forward locally. When young people receive qualified training and subsequently find opportunities in the travel industry, the value created extends far beyond a single job. For women in particular, education can be a decisive step towards turning employment into professional development and long-term economic independence,” says Hanna Kleber.

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