To celebrate International Women’s Day, the Women in Travel initiative officially announced its status as a social enterprise to support women in the sector internationally.
As a social enterprise, Women in Travel is now a limited company that reinvests its profit with a social aim: to provide communities in key travel and tourism destinations with a sustainable livelihood by enabling women to become economically independent through entrepreneurship and a thriving career in this industry.
By engaging with Women in Travel, businesses in the sector will be able to address current issues including diversity and talent, employee engagement and innovation, while supporting their female employees or women looking to enter the industry. This will be achieved by working in partnership with the industry, governments and other interested parties, to empower women to set up and grow their own travel and tourism business or prepare for work in the industry by undertaking projects aimed at reducing common barriers and acquiring practical skills. Another key factor in the initiative is providing women internationally with a platform to meet, learn from each other and feel inspired to progress their career. Women in Travel is also looking to continue to expand its presence at the World Travel Market, in Dubai and London and aims to expand its presence in future to include WTM Africa and Latin America.
Five industry figures have committed to sit on the Women in Travel Board; Alessandra Alonso, Founder of Women in Travel, James Brooke, Managing Director of Rooster PR, Natalia Cohen, Speaker and Travel Expert, Christina Lawford, Managing Director at DiamondAir International and Carol Hay, Director of Marketing (UK and Europe) at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation.
Alessandra Alonso, Founder of Women in Travel CIC said: “Over the last decade and a half, I have worked tirelessly to support women in travel, tourism and hospitality – it’s the sector I started my career in many years ago and one I’m still heavily involved in today. This great industry provides the perfect arena to address the specific challenge of women’s economic empowerment and, in return, provide businesses with a way to give back AND address current issues including talent management, innovation and employee engagement.”
James Brooke, Managing Director at Rooster, said: “Having supported Women in Travel in 2016, I’m proud to be named as a member of the Board. The travel sector is made up of a high percentage of women so the work of this initiative – helping them meet their full potential by learning from entrepreneurship, mentoring and upskilling – is so important.”
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