When one talks about leisure, tourism and hospitality from the outside looking in, it’s all about being pampered and having a relaxed and enjoyable experience. Often, the rigorous and competitive business side of the coin is overlooked.

Like any other industry, the hospitality industry is competitive and it takes hard work and dedication to lead one of the biggest hospitality institutions in the country. For Ayanda Kgwathe, a DUT graduate and recently appointed Hotel Manager of the five star Boardwalk establishments in Port Elizabeth, opening doors for hard-working women in this area of business is one of her key goals.

Born and bred in KwaMashu, Durban, Kgwathe’s journey has been characterised by keeping an open mind in order to learn as much as she could in the male-dominated industry. Relaying her 13-year journey in the industry, Ngwatne says it all started when she was a hospitality management student at the Durban University of Technology where she completed her national diploma in 2001. “I joined Sun International at Sun City where I was first employed as a resort liaison officer through our Fast Track Development Programme aimed at getting graduates to make their mark in the industry. This fast-tracked my journey to a management position as a front office manager junior assistant, which was when I had my eye on the major prize, and today I head up the Boardwalk Hotel,” she says.

At 34, she is the first black hotel manager of the Boardwalk and one of the few females in the country to hold such a position. Talking about what got her interested in the hospitality industry, Kgwathe says she saw it as an opportunity to travel and meet people and game changers from diverse backgrounds and different cultures. “I knew that this industry would open doors to the world for me,” she says.

A strong career woman, mother and loving wife, balancing her life has not been easy for her. Kgwathe has been married for six years and has three children. “My family is everything to me, and always wanting the best for my family has pushed me to reach great limits. The love and support I received from them is what keeps me going,” she says.

However, the industry is not without its challenges and Kgwathe says there is definitely an under-representation of women in top leadership positions. Also in terms of ownership of hospitality establishments, women lag behind. On challenges of making it in that environment, she says for young women to be successful, they must be open-minded about hours of work. “They need to be open to learning from everyone and every experience, no matter what position. “I would advise them to set achievable goals and concentrate on the purpose. Purpose is the most powerful motivator. It’s a male-dominated industry. One always has to work harder to prove their worth and competence,” she said.

Given that the industry is forever changing, especially in the current difficult economic climate, Kgwathe points out that it is seeing a rise in commodity prices, which leads to a decrease in the leisure budget for the establishment.

– This picture and edited article were published in the Herald newspaper.

Pictured: Ayanda Kgwathe, DUT graduate and recently appointed Hotel Manager of the five star Boardwalk establishments in Port Elizabeth.