The women behind the Inspiring Women in Travel Awards (IWTA) Asia joined female executives at a special luncheon during yesterday’s TDM Global Summit at the Amari Bangkok.
Leading the conversation were IWTA co-founder and chairperson Micaela Connor, industry advisor and mentor Marta Grutka, The Headland Phuket’s chief marketing and commercial officer Sumi Soorian, Property Solutions Thailand Natcha Charoenwai, and Amadeus Hospitality’s Boussarind Comson.
The conversation kicked off with a quick discussion on how the IWTA initiative has served to empower women in the industry, making them more visible and encouraging them to make a difference in the field.
The IWTA luncheon came at what may be construed as an interesting time for women in travel and tourism: we’ve noted recently that 52 percent of the global travel and tourism workforce is female, but less than 20 percent are in executive roles and only 25 percent make it into senior management.
In which case, it is critical to provide a framework for training and upskilling, as well as mentorship for women throughout the industry.
As Connor put it: “We have so many women across our industry that need mentorship and sponsorship. It doesn't matter who you are and which title you have: I think you can agree you can never learn enough, right? So if someone in this room can help you be a better version of yourself and [at least] one percent better than you were yesterday, then connect with that person.”
Shattering glass ceilings and overcoming glass cliffs
The discussion pointed out the continuing issue of glass ceilings for women in the industry.
Indeed, for all that women make up the bulk of the workforce, the assembly was challenged to think as to why they continue to struggle to be recognised for promotion and advancement.
Yandex Ads’ Victoria Rossi shared her insights with the group, saying: “I think hospitality is a very conservative industry where it’s hard for women to grow. It's very established; and, at hotels, you have to start from the bottom with long hours of physical work. There, I think women are definitely at a disadvantage to start with: you have to do night shifts or carry heavy things or deal with difficult guests who may physically be bigger than you sometimes. But in my experience, it's all about hotels giving support for women and girls, to make them feel empowered and fulfilled in their roles.”
But while women everywhere, even beyond the industry, are shattering glass ceilings, the world throws them another critical challenge: that of glass cliffs.
According to Grutka: “it's the idea that women are selected for higher roles and more prestigious roles and more pay, but for projects or initiatives that are almost impossible to achieve.”
Indeed, glass cliff situations put women in a position where they are almost sure to fail; yet there are numerous cases wherein female professionals worked twice as hard to get things done, and done well.
Dee’s compelling story
A highlight of the afternoon was a personal recollection shared by Suvimol “Dee” Thanasarakij, executive director of the Mekong Tourism Coordinating Office (MTCO).
Just last month, Dee was reappointed to the post which she will hold for another two years and one of the highlights from her career at the MTCO is her work on the GMS Tourism Strategy 2030, a five-year framework for regional tourism cooperation.
But for Dee, this level of success did not come without significant challenges.
As she put it: “Being a woman, I admit that we have so many disadvantages. A lot of us have families: at one stage, we got married and, when you have kids you want to spend time with them. To me, no matter how much work I have or any responsibilities, being a mum is the most important priority in my life. Even now that my daughter has graduated, I still feel that motherhood is still the most important priority. When it comes to our careers, women like us want to have career goals, but it also contrasts with our roles as partners and mums."
Dee’s story reflects a key reality for women in any industry: that they need to balance one’s ambitions with societal roles that have been in place for ages.
But one thing was certain from the IWTA event: women are the heart of the industry, the soul that drives its development, and the drivers of its future.
