Women are the Pioneers of the IndustryHospitality

By Elisa Sallaku

Referring to a report by the Secretary General of the United Nations, women constitute 50% of human resources. Women are the key to sustainable development and quality of life in the family as a wife, family income managers, and last but not least important as mothers.

Apart from it, woman plays a key role in the socioeconomic development of society.

Women are the source of power and a symbol of progress.

But how did the role of women in hospitality start?

Early Hospitality starts In 15,000 B.C. at Lascaux cave in France which was the first shelter in history that provably accommodated people of different tribes.

Women had skills such as preparing stones to grind nuts and seeds, sewing to make clothes and accessories and preparing food for all people at Lascaux’s cave.

The division of duties between men and women was a great advantage. They always accommodated people and they lived at higher population densities. The big female roles, craftsmanship, and intensive skills allowed the people of Lascaux Cave to take advantage of a variety of food sources, life, and hospitality.

Archaeologist Dean Snow analyzed hand stencils found in cave sites and by comparing the relative lengths of certain fingers, determined that three-quarters of the handprints were female. So women also made most of the oldest-known cave art paintings.

Later in Ancient Greece and Rome, spas and bathhouses often provided sleeping facilities and were popular attractions for those seeking rest and relaxation. Women were an important part of the activities and culture that took place within the spas and bathhouses. Women were responsible for spinning and weaving yarn to make clothes, the preparation of aromatic oils, and essences for relaxation in these spas. The clothes that women wore to the baths were similar to modern standards of spas today.

The ancient Romans traveled by chariot, boat, cart, and on foot. In Europe, cloisters and abbeys provided free accommodation to travelers. It was considered the duty of the Christians to offer hospitality to travelers and pilgrims. The nuns provided food for weary travelers and the best possible hospitality.

Very well-to-do families often employed more than one woman for housekeeping. The housekeeper would be at the top of the hierarchy and oversee other employees. The production of goods such as soap, candles, and other detergents was also considered their duty.

After the Industrial Revolution, women began to work also in different factories showing their ability to adapt and learn new skills.

Women today are more conscious, informed, and career-oriented. Nowadays around 60-70% of workers in the hospitality sector are women, and a part of them occupy managerial posts. The study conducted by Peterson Institute for International Economics reviewed data from 22,000 companies in 91 countries and found that companies with at least 30% women in executive roles have the potential to increase their profit margins by 15% compared to companies with no female leadership.

The hospitality industry today holds more potential for women than ever before. What makes women special is that they are meticulous and more organized, more connected with the staff, with a strong attitude, flexible, smoother, more focused on details, and team workers.

It is the women who have sustained the growth of society and it is the women that are growing this sector more and more. It is undeniable that women have excelled in the hospitality sector all over the world.

Gradually, inns and guesthouses began to open on popular trade routes to provide lodging for traveling merchants and their horses. With the ability to keep the peace, make a fine meal, and even hand spin bed sheets and their reputation, there was a huge demand for women to run the booming number of inns and guesthouses. Women played a key role in this social shift with a job as an innkeeper.