The programme kicks off with a panel by BAME Women in Travel titled: Allyship: The driving force for diversity and inclusion in the travel industry? Taking place on Thursday (10 September) at 2pm BST.
The session will examine the concept of allyship and how this can be used to drive diversity and inclusion within travel and seeks to “get to the core” of addressing racial equality as a social, moral and business issue.
Hosted by BAME Women in Travel executive director Jamie-Lee Abtar, the panel will feature speakers from across the industry.
Joining Abtar will be content creator Eulanda Osagiede, co-founder of Hey! Dip Your Toes In, Uwern Jong, experientialist-in-chief of OutThere magazine, Bex Shapiro, senior editorial manager at Intrepid Travel, Alex Temblador, freelance travel writer and Roberto Balasco, direct sales manager, Celebrity Cruises.
The group will discuss how employers can cultivate a sense of belonging for employees and will provide practical examples form the travel industry, drawing on BAME Women in Travel’s work through customised training and mentoring.
Abtar said: “Allyship is the driving force for encouraging diversity and inclusion in the travel and tourism industry, so working closely with WTM London to promote this offers a fantastic opportunity for BAME Women in Travel to publicly foster greater inclusion for the black, Asian, and minority ethnic community in this sector.”
WTM London’s senior exhibition director, Simon Press, said: “Our partnership with Women in Travel promises to provide thought-provoking sessions and talking points, with the aim of creating greater representation to make the travel industry the most successful it can be.”
Alessandra Alonso, founder of Women in Travel (CIC) added: “Through teaming up with WTM London, a formidable travel industry ally, Women in Travel aims to empower women by educating both men and women across the industry of the importance of acting as an ally and promoting allyship in order to drive change, and to ensure that travel organisations attract, recruit, retain and develop BAME and diverse talent.”
Women in Travel will also host two virtual webinars during WTM’s first virtual event on 9-11 November.
The first session will see Women in Travel unpick the concept of risk by looking through the lens of diversity. The webinar, led by Alonso, will focus on how the perception of risk is changing.
During the webinar the expert panel of speakers will discuss the risk related to travel safety in light of Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter movement.
The second virtual webinar, hosted by BAME Women in Travel, will uncover racial risk, while the organisation will
also offer live mentoring sessions to foster support for women and help develop their entrepreneurial and employment goals and perspectives.
Its partnership with WTM London sees Women in Travel publish content about the importance of allyship as the key driver of fostering inclusion in the travel industry on WTM‘s Global Hub Blog.
