This month saw the 2nd annual International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum; an international and inclusive platform for women and like-minded men to come together to discuss ways to accelerate diversity and inclusion in the travel and tourism sector.
Carnival UK played a central role in the inaugural event in Iceland in 2020 as headline sponsor. This year, the event looked very different as it took place remotely. Although it’s a shame not to be able to meet in person, many events have been enhanced by being able to draw a more global audience and quality speakers without the need to travel.
Four colleagues for Carnival UK attended the event and here are their key takeaways:
The International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum is a great experience and one to get to know others point of view, from across the world and different industries. The topics of conversation have no limits and it’s a safe place to express your opinions and views on diversity, inclusion, gender balance, pay, work place ethics, racism/race/ethnicity, LGBTQI+ and many more subjects.
Speak Up when you feel something isn’t right, even if it’s to someone more senior and/or about a controversial subject. More than often a ton of other people are thinking it, but won’t come forward due to feeling like they can’t. This is something that we need to change!”
Katie Peterson, Finance & Legal
“The International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum included a number of deeply interesting and though-provoking sessions. There were some really important discussions around diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), as well practical suggestions around leadership, mentorship, allyship and more.
When looking back through my notes, it’s difficult to pick only one or two takeaways to share! But one of the most important messages for me was “If it’s not uncomfortable, you’re not doing enough to push for change” . I believe this is very transferable advice across all walks of life. Certainly it’s an important point for challenging areas concerning diversity and inclusion, such as racism, sexism, homophobia, ableism, and more. Conversations around these topics, and when considering our individual privileges, shouldn’t be comfortable. But also it’s a good motto for our own career, and continuous professional and personal development.
Change is essential for growth, and new challenges that allow us to develop and grow as businesses and individuals are often uncomfortable. We need to acknowledge this, embrace it, and own it. Without change, nothing changes.”
Em North, P&O Cruises
The International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum was a great opportunity to network and hear from influential men and women from the Travel and Tech industry, through both inspiring presentations and panel led sessions.
During a time when there is a much greater need for us all to embrace technology within our personal and work lives, I thought the platform in which the conference was hosted also worked really well, bringing people together from all around the world to interact and network.
There were many great topics of discussion and I have taken away many learnings. One key area that was of specific interest and thought provoking was around how we can encourage a diverse and inclusive workforce by focusing on the positioning of the Job Specification.
Research suggests that many women will only apply for a role if they feel they have 100% of the skills outlined within the job spec, where as men are more likely to apply if they only have 50-60%.
It is important for us to ask ourselves the following questions:
Are we welcoming people or are we putting people off from the out set? Do we really need ALL the skills outlined in the job spec? Will all the skills be used and could they be taught?
With this in mind companies should consider how they can focus on entry skills within the job spec vs. the technical skills that can be taught over time; considering capabilities vs. experiences. And finally consider the language and tone we use. If we want to attract a diverse work force and be number one employer of choice, we should consider including language which welcomes people into an environment where they feel they will be cared for, that their needs can be met and that they have the ability to be themselves and grow personally and professionally. To grow a diverse workforce, there needs to always be a welcome seat at the table for everyone.
Finally I wanted to share a couple of quotes from the conference: “Everyone you meet knows something you don’t!”, “Nothing changes if nothing changes!” and “Don’t be afraid to suck at something new – everyone starts in the same place when it’s new!”
Stacey Smith, P&O Cruises
It was a real privilege to be able to take part in the International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum and connect with so many different women across the industry, and in particular hear first hand the impact the last year has had on so many parts of the tourism industry.
For me the area that really resonated was around authentic storytelling and how important it is to tell the story in a real and meaningful way. As we connect people to all these fantastic places, destinations and experiences, it’s important we use authentic story telling to really connect to those destinations on a human level. Ensuring they are hearing the right stories from the right people and working with the local community to bring that destination to life, rather than thinking of it purely as a business to a customer and potentially missing something great.
We heard inspirational stories from some incredible women tour guides and the challenges they face working in often male dominated cultures/roles, which for me really highlighted the message that as a tourism industry we should always be looking for ways to work together to support these women (and men) to share the passion that they have for their community and country.”
Caroline Mariner, Finance & Legal
If you’d like to join the conversation about diversity and inclusion in the travel industry, we have two employee-led networks at Carnival UK – Athena; promoting gender balance, and Spectrum; championing the LGBT+ community. Find out more here
