Black Travel Alliance’s #PullUpForTravel drive calls on destination management organisations and travel brands to “take #BlackOutTuesday support beyond social media”.

According to a 2018 report from Mandala Research, black Americans alone spend $63 billion on travel each year, yet, there is little to no black representation in the management and staff of larger travel companies, the group said in a release today. 

“Similarly, there is a major lack in black representation on press trips and in marketing campaigns, even from cities and countries that attract or constitute a large number of black people.”

Black Travel Alliance is launching the Black Travel Scorecard to evaluate DMOs and travel brands on “not just what they say, but also what they do”.

The alliance is collecting KPIs in these five major areas:

• Employment – Current number and percentage of black people in management and on staff

• Conferences and tradeshows – Black representation (number and percentage) on speaker panels, workshops, sessions, etc. in 2019

• Paid advertising/marketing campaigns – Black representation (number and percentage) in TV, radio, print and digital channels including social media in 2019

• Press – Black representation (number and percentage) on media/press trips in 2019

• Philanthropy – Charitable contributions and support (i.e. mentorship and intern programmes, etc.) to black charities and community groups

Black Travel Alliance calls on DMOs and travel brands to communicate their metrics publicly in these five key areas by Friday, 19 June, with the hashtag #PullUpForTravel on social media. 

“The alliance believes this data will demonstrate true allyship, and that these areas are key towards ending the systemic lack of diversity in the travel industry,” the statement said. 

“Black Travel Alliance was heartened to see that many destinations and travel brands showed support during #BlackOutTuesday,” said Jeff Jenkins, a content creator and founding member of the alliance

“However, dismantling systemic racism requires more than social media activism. 

“Destination management organisations and travel brands need to truly become more inclusive in their hiring practices and marketing campaigns.”