With the travel industry poised to reopen internationally, speakers at May’s International Women in Travel & Tourism Forum are urging the travel sector to have a radical rethink. The five-day event, organised by social enterprise Women in Travel CIC (Community Interest Company), will focus on myriad ways corporates and individuals can avoid old business norms and create greater equality and opportunity across travel and hospitality.

The 2021 International Women in Travel & Tourism Forum (IWTTF) will take place Monday 10 May – Friday 15 May (Daily, 13.00-17.00 BST, UTC +1), the week before the UK and the month that some US states are expected to resume international travel. The agenda will address and reflect the numerous diversity and inclusion challenges travel and hospitality faces as business restarts. Topics across the event programme include:

  • Taking stock of where we are and getting ready for recovery: What can be retained in 2021 and what must be ditched forever?
  • Women changing Travel and Tourism in 2020 through greater collaboration and wider innovation: How can the industry continue to build on this?
  • Careers, AI, Technology and Travel: How do we ensure that women enjoy the available opportunities?
  • Driving results through leadership and diversity: Tangible steps to apply to your organisation.
  • How can travel brands and destinations connect and engage with diverse audiences, building authentic brand partnerships?
  • How can we create inclusive destinations that are safe and enjoyable for every traveller?

Forum attendees can sign up for a day or week pass, with an early bird offer available at www.womenintravelcic.com until Monday 12 April 2021. Ticket prices range from £10 – £60 (approx. $14 – $83) when booking early, or from £15 – £100 (approx. $21 – $140) after this time.

Alessandra Alonso, Founder of Women in Travel (CIC) explains: “The 2021 International Women in Travel & Tourism Forum will take place 10-15 May, the week before international travel is hoping to resume in the UK, as well as in areas of the United States and Europe. After an appalling year, travel and hospitality is really going to have to dig deep and harness all of its talent, irrespective of race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, or culture. And as we get out of the restarting blocks, our industry urgently needs help to do this inclusively.

“Our Forum organisers and speakers live and work across the world yet are collectively passionate about our sector getting to grips with these challenges. By sharing experiences, and also case studies and tangible take-aways at IWTTF 2021 in May, we intend to drive radical change. If not now, when?“

For further information and to book your place at the
International Women in Travel & Tourism Forum visit: ww.iwttf.com

For interviews or to explore event sponsorship opportunities, please email [email protected]

For further information about Women in Travel, visit www.womenintravelcic.com

NOTE TO EDITORS
Image Captions:
Image 1: Alessandra Alonso, Founder of Women in Travel CIC.
Image 2: Cecelia Adjei, Global Brand Partnerships Manager, Visit Britain, Visit England, is a panellist at IWTTF 2021, and will discuss how travel brands can connect and engage with diverse audiences.
Image 3: Casey Hanisko, President, Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA), will be speaking about travel building back better through collaboration and innovation at IWTTF 2021.

About Women in Travel
Women in Travel (CIC) started life as a gender-focused platform at World Travel Market 2014 in London. Growing successfully from then onwards, in 2017 it was incorporated as a social enterprise dedicated to empowering women through employability and entrepreneurship in Travel Tourism and Hospitality. Its vision is to become a catalyst for sustainability by placing women at the heart of an industry which is inherently attractive to females and growing at a fast pace. It is the brainchild of Alessandra Alonso, who has been recognised as a trailblazer when it comes to gender diversity in the industry and who has supported women in maximising their opportunity in the travel, tourism, and hospitality (TTH) industry for well over a decade. Women in Travel partners with employers and charities to provide the first Women Returners service through which the industry can access a pool of marginalised but often highly skilled women who are eager to get back to work. Women in Travel also runs entrepreneurship-focused events, mentoring and networking supporting start-up and early-stage female entrepreneurs and those wanting to start a business, particularly of BAME background. In January 2020, Women in Travel hosted the first International Women in Travel & Tourism Forum in Iceland, where Iceland’s First Lady was the keynote speaker.

For further media information, images or interview opportunities please contact:
GEC PR | [email protected]