The Hospitality Industry

Primary Resource

“A Research Study on the Impact of HIV/AIDS in the Hospitality Industry in Africa.” Jennifer Herholdt-Smith. 2003.

Findings

Impact

Tourism is the world's largest industry - employing, according to the World Tourism Organization (WTO), 8% of the global workforce. It is an industry characterized by high job mobility that in itself creates increased vulnerability to HIV/AIDS infection. Tourism is also of major importance to the economy of South Africa, particularly in terms of foreign currency earnings and for job creation. South Africa is estimated to have the largest HIV-infected population in the world. The estimated prevalence rate of 25% can have a potentially devastating impact on the labour-intensive tourism industry.

Response

A study of 306 hotels found that while 75% of the hotels surveyed were aware of an HIV/AIDS impact, only 60% of these establishments had an HIV/AIDS policy. This is considerably lower than the 75% of companies nationally who do have such a policy. Hoteliers were also unable to give accurate estimates of the epidemic infection rate. However, 70% of the hoteliers surveyed have implemented HIV/AIDS prevention programs albeit with varying measures and intensity levels. Peer educator training is provided by 93% of the establishments that do have prevention programs, and 93% of establishments provide counseling and referral services to infected employees.

Less investment seems to be made into more active intervention in the form of free or contributory anti-retroviral (ARV) treatment for employees or free condom distribution. None of the respondents surveyed provided the former to employees while only 50% of employers with prevention programs, distributed free condoms to employees.

It was found that 15% of hotel employers had felt an effect on employee training with more training programs having to be implemented often for longer periods and at an increased cost. In addition, 15% of companies had to restructure company fringe benefits as a result of the epidemic with reduced pension/provident fund, medical aid cover and group life assurance coverage.

45% of hotel companies also indicated that they had to deal with many diverse human resources issues as a result of the epidemic including:

• at what stage employees become too ill to serve guests;
• the loss of skilled manpower;
• the adaptation of training programs to deal with illness progression;
• the need for additional training for inexperienced employees;
• death and work performance.

Primary Resource information

Herholdt-Smith, Jennifer. “HIV: The Culture of Silence Must be Overcome.” 2004.

Additional resources

“ The Challenge of HIV/AIDS in the Workplace: A Guide for the Hospitality Industry.” The International Hotel and Restaurant Association (IH&RA). 1999.

“The International Hotel & Restaurant Association (IH&RA) and the Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) Highlights Critical Role Of Business In Combating HIV/Aids In Southern Africa.” Hospitalitynet.org. 19 October 1999.

Rosen S, Hamazakaza P, Long L. “The impact of HIV/AIDS on the tourism sector in Zambia.” Center for International Health and Development Boston University and Farming Systems Association of Zambia. February 2006.