The World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), which represents the global Travel & Tourism private sector, is set to present its new ‘Women Empowerment Initiative’ for travel at its annual Global Summit, which is taking place in April of this year, in Cancun, Mexico.
The WTTC ‘Women Empowerment Initiative’ will, through the creation of a Women´s Travel & Tourism Advisory Group and broad consultation across stakeholders, identify key activities and best practices to support women in universities, in SMEs, entrepreneurs, and in the corporate world across, the entire Travel & Tourism sector.
The group will drive awareness of the current challenges and will lead strategies to work towards an increased representation of women in senior leadership positions within the sector.
The global tourism body will launch its Women Empowerment Declaratory in April at its Global Summit in Cancun, at which it hopes its 200 private sector Members will join.
Research from WTTC reports has shown that through supporting and promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace, companies can expect to see greater profitability, increased creativity and innovation, and a happier workforce where employees feel free and safe to be who they are. Promoting a diverse workforce is good for business, enables the sector to serve its clients and stakeholders better.
WTTC sees this as an opportunity to ensure a sustainable and inclusive future and believes that if companies make significant investments in building a more inclusive, equitable and diverse workplace, they can retain the employees most affected by today’s crises and nurture a culture in which women have equal opportunity to achieve their potential in the long term.
Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, WTTC said: “I’m so excited to share our plans to announce our Women’s Empowerment Initiative at the Global Summit in April. Travel & Tourism is one of the world’s most diverse sectors and is made up of 54% women, and we are excited to be encouraging women’s empowerment throughout the sector, and I’m very proud that at WTTC we have a majority of our leadership positions occupied by women.
“The social impact of Travel & Tourism cannot be understated – I think there is no denying that this sector helps to create empathy. Empathy is important to me because when there is empathy, there is a greater chance for understanding, peace, and tolerance. It is also a sector with purpose and with a positive social impact. It truly has the ability to transform lives and provides a lot of joy regardless of the generation, and we are looking forward to contributing to that positive impact through our initiative.”
Chris Nassetta, WTTC Chairman and Hilton President and CEO said, “Women have made significant contributions in travel and tourism for generations, and our industry has the opportunity and obligation to lead the way in creating a more inclusive, equitable workforce.
“I’m surrounded by talented and remarkable women at home and at work, so I’m thrilled to support WTTC’s Women Empowerment Initiative and the advancement of women leaders in the travel industry.”
Glenda McNeal, President of Strategic Partnerships, American Express said, “When we choose to empower the women in the Travel & Tourism sector, we choose to give them a seat at the table. That seat is a platform for not just the individual, but for the collective voices, insights, experiences, and knowledge we bring to the world as women in this industry.”
Carlos Joaquín González, Governor of Quintana Roo said, “In Quintana Roo, we work together so that tourism benefits everyone, including the empowerment of women.
“In the tourism sector of the Mexican Caribbean, there are greater opportunities for women’s empowerment. Indeed, two of our most important programs; Guest Assist and Guest Locator, are led by women, Directors of Tourist Care and Information Technologies.”
The Global Summit will be the first major conference in the ‘new normal’ of the COVID-19 world and will take place in Cancun, Mexico on 25-27 April. The event will take place in a hybrid format, allowing those unable to travel to benefit from the content virtually.
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