08/03/2022
Three years ago I was in Chintheche during a 10 day tour meeting lodge owners to talk about harnessing social media to promote their destinations. We travelled from Blantyre all the way up to Nkhata Bay, and I marveled at the changing landscape, and reveled in meeting new people in these destinations. I knew then how much I wanted to continue working in this industry, by designing bespoke tours for pleasure seekers, and working with policy makers and businesses in the tourism value chain.
Since then, I've organized tours for groups of women, couples and families who wanted a sand, safari or summit adventure in the Warm Heart of Africa. I've also had the honor of delivering workshops for 500 MSMEs in tourism, conducted research on the impact of Covid 19 on the handicraft industry and participated in stakeholder dialogue with policy makers.
To say it's been a challenging start is an understatement - I get started and almost immediately the world shuts down all travel! In addition to concerns about lost income, we all worried about the health of our loved ones, peers and ourselves.
I am honored to still be here, with an optimistic outlook (top ten for travel in 2022! Thanks Lonely Planet!) for the years ahead. If I can keep going through this, I can keep going.
The pandemic tested us all, and I am proud to stand among the women in tourism in Malawi. Happy International Women's Day!
Lastly - don't forget to sign up to the Forbes Africa Leading Women Summit! It's on today and tomorrow, 8-9th March and you can register here
https://hopin.com/events/forbes-woman-africa-leading-women-summit-2022
Did I mention I'll be on a panel??? Panel 7, "Necessity As The Mother Of Invention: The Rise Of The Accidental Entrepreneur"