The tourism sector is poised to have a significant impact on empowering women in Latin America, as highlighted by Women in Travel CIC founder, Alessandra Alonso, at Lata Expo 2024.
- Women form a majority of the workforce yet occupy primarily lower-level roles, prompting discussions on enhancing their involvement in decision-making processes.
- Focus on supporting female entrepreneurs is crucial, with an emphasis on allyship, particularly from male leaders, to foster gender equality in the industry.
- Key stakeholders stress the importance of acknowledging women’s influence in travel decisions and addressing unconscious biases in leadership positions.
- There is a call for collaborative efforts to ensure diverse and inclusive representation in tourism, benefiting communities and families.
Alessandra Alonso at Lata Expo 2024 emphasised the massive opportunity for the tourism industry to empower women in Latin America, where women make up 57% of the workforce yet hold predominantly low-level positions. She advocated for women to be integral to business decision-making processes and urged support for female entrepreneurs, stating, “You don’t need to have incredible qualifications. You can start and then progress fast up the career ladder.”
Discussing allyship, Alonso remarked on the need for active participation from men, particularly those in senior roles, to promote gender equality. “Allyship is one of the things we’ve been promoting for the past three years,” she said, highlighting the pivotal role of male leaders in modelling inclusive behaviour.
Zina Bencheikh from Intrepid Travel highlighted women’s substantial role in travel purchasing decisions, noting that they account for 80% of such decisions. Despite this influence, she pointed out the underrepresentation of women in leadership within the industry, implicating unconscious bias in the design of many travel experiences.
Ivonne Zumarraga recounted experiences of gender bias at B2B events, where interactions were often directed towards male colleagues, underscoring the need for viewing each other as equals beyond gender distinctions. This sentiment resonated with Sarah Bradley from Journey Latin America, who urged discussions to focus on diversity rather than gender, fostering inclusive partnerships that promote gender equality.
Journey Latin America’s initiative ensures that their travellers engage with more marginalised communities, thus creating opportunities for women, a strategy Alonso supports: “When a woman earns, 10 people eat,” she noted, reinforcing the broader community benefits of empowering women. Alonso also alluded to research linking female education to climate change mitigation, further advocating for comprehensive education and employment opportunities for women.
Concerted efforts in the tourism industry can drive significant progress towards gender equality, benefitting societies at large.
