During a panel session on diversity and inclusion, the conference heard from vice president and managing director EMEA of Celebrity Cruises Jo Rzymowska, vice president of international sales for Virgin Voyages Shane Riley and owner of Mundy Cruising Edwina Lonsdale. 

Rzymowska said despite the industry talking more about D&I in recent years, the sector "still has a long way to go" in becoming fully inclusive. 

"Everything we do as an industry, when it comes to diversity and inclusion should be about positive action and setting goals – and then working to reach those goals," she said. 

"We are starting to have those conversations, but the worst thing you can do is not have those conversations. It’s better to get something wrong that to not discuss D&I whatsoever."

Riley echoed her comments, and said: "We generally shy away from those conversations – but we need to be comfortable in being uncomfortable. There also needs to be a diverse range of opinions when it comes to decision making.

"I wouldn’t know what life is like for someone who is disabled, or of a different race or religion, but it’s down to us to open those conversations and be honest and say: ’I don’t know what the right thing to say is’. That’s how we will learn."

Meanwhile, Lonsdale discussed a new initiative from Mundy Cruising, which sees staff attend a school in Battersea to discuss the benefits of working in the travel industry directly with students. 

"This is such a huge opportunity for us," she said. "Our project is to start small, work with a local school to bring people into the industry from the very start of their careers. 

"If we can create something that works, we can transfer it over to other schools, or into another area, or even into other regions of the UK."