Ellie’s blog: being part of the first IWTTF

When I was asked to write this blog, there was an immediate wave of fear. What if people don’t find this interesting, what if the content isn’t right…  I quickly realised the underlying worry and panic is a common trait that is recognised in women and would actually become a topic across the Forum. 

Being nominated to represent Carnival UK at the very first Women in Travel & Tourism Forum has been an amazing and inspirational experience. I know that we’re committed to gender balance at Carnival UK and we’re doing lots to make this happen – this information leaflet produced for the Forum is a really interesting read if you want to find out more.

For me, the whole event was really informative and productive, but there are a few key things that stood out most from the experience:

Firstly, I got to meet and spend time with colleagues from across Carnival UK. We have some fabulous people that work at this business so it was a pleasure to spend extra time with them to get to know them.

Secondly, the guest speakers and topics discussed during the two day conference were extremely engaging and made me realise how hard Carnival UK is working to become a leader in belonging and inclusion.

Thirdly, the diversity of delegates was incredible. People were there from all around the globe and from such a variety of businesses, from airlines, hotel groups to the automotive industry, the list is endless.

Lastly, but by no means least, the culture of Iceland made such an impression on me. As the most gender equal country in the world, it was really interesting to learn about the 1975 female strikes (women went on strike for the day to demonstrate the indispensable work of women for Iceland’s economy and society and to protest wage discrepancy and unfair employment practices), and to meet the First Lady of Iceland, Eliza Reid, pictured above with Carnival UK colleagues. 

I know that it’s no easy task to organise an event like this and it was made even more difficult by bad weather disrupting the delegates and the agenda. Reacting to such last minute changes demonstrated the incredible determination and flexibility of the Icelandic nation.

My take away thoughts

1. Open and honest conversations as a manager are really important; It’s key to make sure the employee and manager are on the same page.
2. We need to talk to other companies more; the same issues are felt across the industry which means there’s lots of opportunity for collaboration.
3. We’re good at what we do and we should be proud of what we achieve; women need to have more confidence and to voice successes.

If you want to find out more about the Forum, please stop me, or one of the other delegates, when you see us and let’s chat! 

Colleagues who were at Forum were Jo Phillips, Hannah Leach, Rosy Sims, Susan Farrugia, Ian Strangeway, Kat Jennings, Simon Flower and Katie Peterson. Here’s some of their take away thoughts too:

“IWTTF was such a valuable experience for me. I found it really interesting to see how the gender balance agenda is playing out across our industry at a global level. Spending time with colleagues from the business and new contacts from other businesses debating big issues and learning about different points of view was really beneficial in terms of expanding how we all see the world through each other’s eyes.” Rosy Sims, Director, Trade Engagement and Onboard Sales, P&O Cruises

“The IWTTF was an invaluable opportunity to hear first-hand from inspirational panelists and speakers, what the challenges and opportunities are for women who are forging careers in tourism & travel, and what a more inclusive industry might look like. Lots to think about!” Ian Strangeway, VP Procurement & Supply Chain, Carnival UK

“Gender-balance is an inclusive challenge. Only by collaboration and engagement with male allies can we drive meaningful change.” Hannah Leach, Vice President, Employee Experience & Culture, Carnival UK

“There are couple of quotes that really resonated with me: ‘The most valuable inclusive leadership traits are not gender specific – being human, collaborative, resilient, adaptable and showing empathy are traits equally displayed by both men and women,’ and ‘Having a diverse and balanced workforce at all levels of the organisation makes business sense and should therefore be part of the business’ sustainability strategy with defined measures of quality and retention of diverse talent’.

It was wonderful and really thought provoking to see representatives from all around the world and the different sectors of the tourism and travel industry to come together and discuss their challenges and best practice. We can certainly learn from their experiences and enrich our own action plan on the back of this.” Katarina Jennings, Director, Strategic Projects, Carnival UK

“Wow, what a brilliant inaugural forum. Open and challenging dialogue with other industry leaders and aspiring talent on ways of making the travel & tourism industry more inclusive. Came away feeling super proud of what we’ve done so far in this space at Carnival UK and inspired by others’ experiences. Feels like we’ve started something in our industry!” Jo Phillips, Chief People Officer, Carnival UK.

“The conference provoked thinking about what promoting changes to both behaviours and company structures to unblock access to the full contribution that employees, regardless of their personal attributes or circumstances, can bring to the workplace. It has made me very keen to support the work that Carnival UK is undertaking, in realising that ambition.” Susan Farrugia, Business Solutions Architect, Solutions, Carnival UK

“Inspiring, eye opening, food for thought and from a personal perspective a LIFE CHANGING opportunity.” Katie Peterson, Data Governance Manager, Carnival UK