The popular initiative for women in the industry is now a registered social enterprise [Community Interest Company CIC].
To celebrate International Women’s Day (8 March 2017), the Women in Travel initiative officially announces 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 in a big social aim: to provide communities in key travel and tourism destinations (such as the UK, Middle East, Africa and Latin America) 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, innovation and competitiveness while supporting their female employees or women who want to enter the industry. This will be done by:
- Working in partnership with industry, governments and other interested parties, 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 (such as access to funding) and acquiring practical skills
- Supporting women and diversity initiatives within travel and tourism businesses through networks, workshop, mentoring and related activities
- Providing women internationally with a platform to meet, learn from each other and feel inspired to progress their career
- Continuing to expand its presence at the world’s premier B2B travel fair, World Travel Market (WTM), in Dubai (April) and London (November)
- Aiming to expand its presence in future to include WTM Africa (Cape Town) and Latin America (Sao Paulo)
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
- 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.”
The Women in Travel initiative, which was launched by Alessandra Alonso in 2014, aims to engage with, reach out to travel and tourism businesses that believe they have a responsibility to women in the industry.
For more information, please visit http://womenintravelcic.com/ or joined Women in Travel’s LinkedIn group or watch this video with Alessandra Alonso and Natalia Cohen discussing how women can be bold for change.
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For further media information, images or interview opportunities please contact:
Natalie Garland/Melissa Hobson
Rooster PR
T: +44 (0)20 3440 8924
E: [email protected]
About The Women in Travel Meetup
Launched by Alessandra Alonso in 2014 at WTM London, the Women in Travel Meetup is the international event for women in travel by women in travel.
The Women in Travel Meetup aims to become the premier, international travel event platform encouraging women in the travel industry to come together and support each other. The event will have a particular focus on enabling potential entrepreneurs to tap into a support network they would not otherwise have access to when trying to set up their own enterprise.
Now in its third year, the Women in Travel Meetup aims to engage with, reach out to and create a community of thousands of female professionals, current and future entrepreneurs and suppliers working in and around the travel industry who wouldn’t otherwise be able to access this type of support. Following the success of its launch, the Women in Travel Meetup programme grew from two sessions (on entrepreneurship and human rights) in 2014 to a half-day event in 2015 with more than 100 attendees.
Taking place on Tuesday 8th November 2016 from 13.30 to 18.00, the Women in Travel meetup will be hosting two panel debates with leading travel professionals and entrepreneurs, group mentoring sessions and a networking session. A panel of renowned industry figures will take part in the Women in Travel debates (chaired by Alessandra Alonso and Sojern’s Sylvia Weiler): Sarah Haggarty (Commercial Sales Director, Celebrity Cruises); Rachel O’Reilly (Head of Communications, Kuoni); Giles Hawkes (Chief Executive, Cosmos Tours & Cruises, Archers Holidays and Avalon Waterways UK); Natalia Komis (Founder, Iamadventures); Sarah Ismail (Founder, Tripsforwellness); Carolyn Pearson (Founder, Maiden Voyage).
Alessandra Alonso, Founder of the Women in Travel Meetup, is also Chief Mentor and Strategic Consultant at Everyday Mentor, an advisory business aimed at supporting individuals – especially women – and organisations in achieving their potential through customised, outcome driven interventions. As an independent consultant, coach-mentor and trainer, Alessandra Alonso has long-standing expertise and research in the field of women in work in the travel and tourism industry.
For more information or to book a mentoring session, please visit http://www.wtmlondon.com/events/Women-in-Travel/.
