PhocusWire’s Post

How can we inspire inclusion for women in travel, not just during #WomensMonth but all year long? The first step begins with changing the way we talk about travel -- what it looks like, who can do it, and what stories are being told. I was thrilled to be asked by the amazing MMGY Global to give a keynote the day before #InternationalWomensDay to talk about what true inclusion looks like for women in travel. For those of you who don't know, MMGY focuses specifically on travel and tourism marketing, which means I had the unique chance to address some of THE people that design the way our society looks at and talks about travel. Everything about travel is curated. It's not just the marketing. It's operations, too. It's deciding what infrastructure to build in a city, or what city to send your cruise ship to. It's the perspective of your tour guide and their knowledge, experience, even bias. It's the way history has saved some stories and discarded others. As marketers, we have a responsibility to not just scratch the surface, but to dig deep. Here are some ideas on how to make sure a diversity of women are included moving forward: -Seek out diverse voices. Take a second look at that next creator campaign. Is a rich diversity of voices represented here? If not, change it. Leverage your creator collaborations not just for photos and posts, but for real feedback -- creators have their ears close to the ground and can help you identify what their audiences are looking for. -Take the extra step. Inclusion isn't just about extending an invite. It's about removing barriers. It's about expanding your own personal network when your existing one falls short. It's about putting in the extra work to make sure voices different from yours are represented. -Speaking of different voices, DIVERSIFY YOUR OWN FEED! Social media encourages us to follow and interact with people that are similar to us. Actively fight against the algorithm and seek out voices that are different from yours. Check out Wanderful's creator lists for a kickstart here: https://lnkd.in/exRvd539 -Consider your impact. Whose economies am I supporting by writing about this place? Who is being left out? What businesses should I be supporting and amplifying that might have been left out of the mainstream? -Tell real stories. What is the true history of this place? What stories are being prioritized and whose stories have been left out of that history? Who paid for that monument? There is so much more to do, but this is a start! #WomenInTravel #WomenWhoTravel #InspireInclusion #Inclusion #DEI #TravelMarketing #TravelMedia

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗙𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝗅 But we all knew that already… Though progress may feel slow, we’re seeing inspiring strides toward gender equality in leadership within the travel technology industry. From Ariane Gorin at Expedia Group to Vanessa Hudson at Qantas, women are stepping into more CEO roles, showcasing our collective potential. But there’s more work to do to further close the gap. We need: - More female role models to inspire emerging leaders. - Increased funding for female founders to fuel growth. - Diverse voices at conferences to reshape industry perspectives. - Mentorship programs to support women at all career levels. - Recruitment efforts at the university level to attract new talent early. A huge thank you to Nina Kleaveland, Luisa Oyarzábal Gómez-Reino, Ayse YASAR, and Roman Townsend for their valuable insights and contributions to this important conversation. The gap is closing, and with continuous support, mentoring, and diverse visibility, we are paving the way for future leaders! Read more in this article in today's PhocusWire https://lnkd.in/dY366nSX that inspired this post Together, let’s push for a more inclusive and balanced future in travel tech leadership! Watch this space for some exciting new program being launched soon to help with exactly these opportunities! #WomenInLeadership #TravelTech #DiversityAndInclusion #EmpowerWomen #Mentorship #GenderEquality

Why is there a gender imbalance in hospitality technology jobs? A recent article on PhocusWire discussed the “woeful gender imbalance” existing in the travel technology space, which is “holding back the whole technology sector.” I believe the main reason for gender inequality in hospitality technology is the unsatisfactorily role both parents and educators play to foster female interest in STEM sciences and in the technology sectors in hospitality and the economy as a whole. I am a firm believer that today’s gender inequality in technology has nothing to do with machism or gender discrimination and has everything to do with family upbringing, school education and mass media. Technology recruiters are not some evil, macho-friendly zealots: there are simply not enough female candidates! A recent U.S. national analysis covering 1.6 million elementary, high school and university students clearly shows that female students get better grades in math and science than male students do at all ages. In the U.S., women earn 57% of all bachelor's degrees, 59% of all master's degrees, and 53% of doctoral degrees conferred. Yet: * Only 12.4% of electrical engineering students are female. * Women only earn 18% of computer science bachelor's degrees. * Only 21.8% of undergraduate engineering students are women. * Women are only 39% of MBA students in the country. The result: Women make up only 28% of the workforce in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). This percentage is far worse in travel and hospitality. It all begins at home. How many parents have shared with their daughters that the national average salary for recent college graduates in the U.S. is $59,500, while for software engineers it is $147,500? This is more than twice as much! How many educators and high school college counselors have steered their female students toward STEM college degrees and technology careers? The role of the family is paramount in shaping the future interests and careers of girls. Most interests in culture, literature and science start early on and are part of any girl’s upbringing. Believe me, as the father of two beautiful, very accomplished daughters, I know.

🌍✨ It's #NationalInclusionWeek! ✨🌍 This year’s theme is ‘Impact Matters’ – a powerful call-to-action for everyone, from leaders to teams, to make a difference. At Women In Travel CIC, we’re celebrating by shining a spotlight on our ElevateHer programme! 🚀 ElevateHer is our Employability Programme, designed to empower underserved women through mentoring, upskilling, networking, and access to work opportunities. Whether they’re refugees, survivors of gender-based violence, or long-term unemployed, we’re helping them break barriers and thrive in the job market. 💪 We asked our partners what motivated them to get involved in the ElevateHer programme, the impact they’ve seen and why inclusion matters. Here’s what Amelie Matuschka, Industry Manager for Travel at Google, had to say: “When it comes to inclusivity in the travel industry, I think inclusivity is a no brainer for every industry, but particularly for the travel industry. Travel thrives on diverse perspectives, experiences and talents. And when we create an inclusive environment, we create one where everyone feels valued and respected. And it also challenges the industry to kind of like break the norms of things that they're doing, which ultimately creates incredible potential and innovation as well. I really encourage everyone to learn more about Women in Travel and the ElevateHer network so that we can continue to build a more inclusive and equitable travel industry”. - Amelie Matuschka Join us in making a difference! Together, we can empower women and create a thriving, inclusive travel sector. 💪✨ Learn more about ElevateHer her: https://lnkd.in/eh2X7ivr #ElevateHer #WomenInTravel #InclusionMatters #Empowerment #womenempowerment #inclusion #makingimpact #impactmatters

Happy International Women's Day! Some fun facts about women in travel... 💖 64% of travelers worldwide are female, while only 36% are male 💖 Women are more likely to travel solo than men 💖 Between 2011 and 2024, Google searches for "solo female travel" have grown by more than 11x 💖 Female travelers make 80% of all travel decisions 💖 3 in 4 travelers taking cultural, natural, and adventure trips are women 💖 Majority of women travelers are between the ages of 25 and 39 Just a reminder that when you use my travel planning services, you're supporting a woman-owned small business 👩🏻💼 #InternationalWomensDay #WomenInTravel #WomanOwnedBusiness #SmallBusiness #TravelAdvisor #Travelgram #LimitlessTravel #LimitlessTravelWithEmily #UseATravelAdvisor #TravelPlanning

Check out this article I co-wrote with Bahanur Nasya on mobility, gender and equal access, featured in REVOLVE magazine: https://lnkd.in/d-2jtCde

This is a great article, and well timed for International Women's Day. Jo makes many excellent points in this piece and ones that are often overlooked, not considered and therefore missed! but collectively, and with leaders similar to Jo, we can make positive change. Take a read - i'm sure you will agree. #inspireinclusion https://lnkd.in/ehCrxhZ6

Tourism is a unique industry that provides so many opportunities and types of jobs. It’s one of the most flexible options that can lead to fulfilment and success. Perfect for countless women across the world who are balancing families, studies, and work. Unfortunately, like most industries, there isn’t equity or equality, but as that changes there’s potential for millions of women to work in jobs they love, gaining skills, independence and money to support themselves and their families. That’s why initiatives that create training, provide resources and education for women in tourism are so important. So it’s time we all consider how we can get involved to further these initiatives to create a more sustainable and fair industry for all. If you know of any or work with any of these initiatives, pop them in the comments below! #sustainabletourism #ethicaltourism #womenintourism

Women's History Month is wrapping up but the work continues... While March may be ending soon, the incredible achievements of women in history deserve to be celebrated year-round. 📆 Here are some ways you can continue to champion female leadership and create a more inclusive future: 📢 Amplify Female Voices: Promote and celebrate the accomplishments of women on your team and within the industry. Share their stories, insights, and achievements. 🙅♀️ Challenge Biases: We all have unconscious bias. Educate yourself and your team on how to identify and combat these biases during the hiring process and beyond. 👩💻 Invest in Women's Development: Provide opportunities for women to learn and grow through mentorship programs, skills training, and sponsorship opportunities. 🏗️ Build an Inclusive Culture: Foster a workplace where women feel valued, respected, and empowered to reach their full potential. Remember, small actions add up. Together, we can create a travel and tourism tech industry that reflects the diversity and talent of the world we explore! Let's keep the conversation going. Share your thoughts – what are YOU doing to champion #WomenInTravelTech? --------- RaizUp's mission is to scale diverse teams globally in the tourism and travel tech industry. We give travel companies the tools they need to embrace diversity, equity, and inclusion: • Inclusive Recruitment • Expansion Consulting • Talent Education Learn more at www.weraizup.com #RaizUp #WomensHistoryMonth #DiversityEquityInclusion #TravelTech #Tourism #March #WeRaizUp #DEI #EmpowerWomen #WomeninTech #FemaleLeadership

𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗶𝗻 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗥𝗲𝗰𝗿𝘂𝗶𝘁𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 𝘈 𝘚𝘯𝘢𝘱𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘺 The latest statistics on diversity in travel recruitment reveal both encouraging trends and areas for improvement:   𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: 76% of job seekers now consider a diverse workforce important when evaluating companies and job offers in the travel sector. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗻 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Companies with higher gender diversity in executive teams are 25% more likely to achieve above-average profitability, up from 21% in 2017. 𝗖𝘂𝗹𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗗𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 𝗦𝘂𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀: Organizations with the most ethnic and cultural diversity outperformed their less diverse counterparts by 36% in terms of profitability. 𝗜𝗻𝗻𝗼𝘃𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗗𝗶𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗶𝘁𝘆: Leaders with diverse inherent and acquired traits are running more innovative companies, being 45% more likely to report increased market share and 70% more likely to capture new markets. 𝗦𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀: The travel industry is seeing a surge in roles focusing on sustainable practices, attracting candidates with experience in eco-friendly initiatives.   𝗛𝗼𝘄𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿, 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗮𝗶𝗻: 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆: Women make up about 50% of the workforce, yet only 28% reach C-suite level positions. 𝗨𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: Black and Latin individuals continue to be underrepresented in managerial positions compared to their white counterparts.   𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗱: 𝗙𝘂𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲: By 2028, minorities are projected to constitute more than a third of the labor market, with the Hispanic demographic experiencing the most significant increase. 𝗗𝗘𝗜 𝗠𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗲𝘀: The industry is moving towards establishing clear and open DEI measures, suggesting a future where diversity is the norm and a key driver of growth.   As we navigate these trends, it's clear that embracing diversity isn't just the right thing to do—it's a strategic imperative for success in the travel industry. Companies that prioritize inclusive hiring practices and foster diverse workplaces are positioning themselves for innovation, market expansion, and improved financial performance.   Let's continue to push for progress and create a travel industry that truly reflects the global community we serve.   To discuss how you can foster a more inclusive workplace and EVP get in touch with me at: sathya.john@prontorecruitment.com   #ProntoRecruitment #DiversityInTravel #InclusiveRecruitment #TravelIndustryTrends #WorkplaceDiversity