Do you find that the anticipation and planning of the perfect travel adventure is almost as good as being on the trip itself? If you’ve thought of pursuing an entrepreneurial career in the travel and tourism industry but shied away because you didn’t know where to start, then you need to be at the launch of ‘BAME Women in Travel’ in London on 11 March 2019.
Women in Travel CIC is launching this exciting new initiative to help level the travel and tourism industry playing field which sees far too few black, Asian and minority ethnic women become entrepreneurs due to lack of support and training.
The new BAME Women in Travel initiative will offer practical training and mentoring services aimed at fostering entrepreneurship and employment among this often-overlooked cohort of society. The approach will also involve reaching out to and working with forward-thinking travel and tourism businesses and organizations who wish to engage with and build knowledge of increasingly influential BAME travel communities.
Walking the talk, Women in Travel has appointed industry veteran Fiona Anderson, Director at GEC PR, as a member of their advisory board and Eulanda Shead Osagiede, Co-Founder of Hey! Dip Your Toes In, as Women in Travel’s new Executive Director of the BAME division.
Both travel experts will be speaking at the launch event, with Fiona expected to discuss her unique career experiences as a Black British female travel entrepreneur working across global markets. Other speakers will discuss issues around diversity and talent, employee engagement, nurturing innovation and diversity aiding competitiveness, during a question and answer panel session.
We caught up with Eulanda Shead Osagiede, days into her new role to ask why such a position was required. She said: “The voices of women in travel have traditionally been marginalised. The travel industry is dominated by men (often white) in executive leadership roles. However, the majority of the general workforce is filled by women. In my advocation for the voices of women of colour, I seek to provide a space for networking opportunities, coaching/mentoring, entrepreneurship workshops, conferences, summits and festivals. Additionally, I believe roles like these are also needed to amplify the achievements of women working in traditional and non-traditional travel roles.”
If a career in the travel and tourism industry is your ambition but you’re still not sure that this event is for you? Eulanda is talking to you. She continued: “The BAME Women in Travel initiative is about empowering women though employability and entrepreneurship in the travel industry. The event will provide the opportunity to meet the Women in Travel team, network with other women, and discover our initiatives for 2019. It’s also a great opportunity to be inspired by a range of panelists who are considered disruptors, innovators and experts within their niche areas.”
Attendance at the launch event is free to pre-registered guests from the BAME community and media, influencers and representatives from travel companies across the UK who are keen to champion diversity.
Date: 11 March 2019
Time: 6pm – 8pm
To register your interest in attending the event, email: wit@gecpr.co.uk
Eulanda’s Top Three Powerlist of BAME women in the industry
- There are so many women in the BAME travel industry that are making moves. Marty Lewis is one of the most passionate advocates for diversity in travel that I’ve had the pleasure to know. She recently produced a diversity in travel report card that serves as an evaluation scale for brands to weigh their current level of inclusiveness from A-Z.
- Women in Travel’s own Fiona Anderson (who sits on our advisory board) is also the co-founder of GEC PR. She has an incredible heart to widen the footprint of BAME women working in the travel and tourism industry through strategic media amplification.
- I’d be remiss not to mention Lola Akinmade-Akerstrom, who’s an award-winning travel journalist (and photojournalist). She constantly tackles issues of diversity and inclusivity in her work. She also provides powerful commentary on the current state of the industry, whilst providing advice for brands and creators working within the space.
1 comment