Building inclusive journeys: The impact of DEIB on global tourism sector
The Travel & Tourism sector has long been a bridge between cultures, peoples, and experiences. With this global reach, it bears a special responsibility to ensure that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) are woven into its fabric. In recent years, the sector has been increasingly intentional about fostering an inclusive environment, recognising that such efforts are not just morally right but also strategically beneficial.
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The Travel & Tourism sector has long been a bridge between cultures, peoples, and experiences. With this global reach, it bears a special responsibility to ensure that diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) are woven into its fabric. In recent years, the sector has been increasingly intentional about fostering an inclusive environment, recognising that such efforts are not just morally right but also strategically beneficial.
Defining DEIB
- Diversity refers to the variety of identities, backgrounds, and perspectives present within the workforce or consumer base. It ensures representation across race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and ability, among other characteristics.
- Equity goes beyond diversity by ensuring fair access to opportunities and resources, recognising that different individuals may need different levels of support to thrive. It’s about creating a level playing field.
- Inclusion is the practice of fostering an environment where all individuals, regardless of their identity, feel valued and respected. It's about ensuring that diverse individuals feel welcomed and can participate fully.
- Belonging represents the culmination of these efforts. It’s the sense of connection and support that employees and customers feel within an organisation, leading to engagement and loyalty.
Importance of DEIB in Travel & Tourism
The global nature of the Travel & Tourism sector means it interacts with people from every corner of the world. As a result, embedding DEIB into the sector has several critical benefits like employee engagement and retention as diverse and inclusive work environment encourages employees to feel valued and supported, leading to higher retention and satisfaction.
In fact, in terms of youth employment, the sector has always been considered a key employer for those aged under 25 years. Research has revealed that 26% of youth workers were employed in the U.S. Travel & Tourism sector, more than double the national average across all industries (12%). Australia (26%) and Rwanda (24%) followed closely behind.
A recent study also found that in the UK last year, Travel & Tourism employed a larger proportion of LGBTQIA+ individuals (5.2%) compared to the overall economy (4%), showing an increase of nearly 2.7 percentage points since 2011. Workers with disabilities made up almost 17% of the UK’s Travel & Tourism workforce, while in the U.S., they accounted for nearly 5%, both slightly exceeding the national averages (16.6% and 4.4%, respectively).
Industry efforts to promote DEIB
To tackle the challenges of underrepresentation, the sector has embraced several DEIB initiatives, focusing on hiring, workplace policies, and customer engagement. Many organisations are reevaluating their recruitment strategies to ensure they are attracting a more diverse pool of candidates.
By making workplaces more accommodating to underrepresented groups, companies are signaling that these spaces are welcoming and inclusive. This not only attracts more diverse talent but also helps retain it by providing an environment that supports their unique needs. Moreover, ensuring pay equity is a key aspect of creating a more equitable environment.
Training focused on unconscious bias, privilege, and microaggressions is becoming more prevalent across the sector. This type of education ensures that employees understand the nuances of inclusion and how to support historically underrepresented groups. Companies like Airbnb have gone a step further by creating educational resources for their hosts, aimed at helping them provide inclusive experiences for all guests, especially those with disabilities.
Challenges and opportunities
Despite progress, the sector faces several challenges in fully realising its DEIB goals. One challenge is the availability of data. Many companies struggle to track diversity metrics due to privacy concerns or lack of infrastructure. Political resistance to DEIB efforts in some regions has also led to tensions, making it difficult to implement wide-reaching changes.
However, there are opportunities to overcome these hurdles. By investing in better data collection tools and engaging in open dialogues about the benefits of DEIB, the sector can continue to move forward. DEIB is not just a trend in the Travel & Tourism sector—it’s a critical component of its future success. By embracing diversity, ensuring equity, fostering inclusion, and creating belonging, the sector can continue to thrive in an increasingly globalised world. As companies across the sector implement these strategies, they can enhance their organisational cultures and contribute to a more just and inclusive society, making travel an even more enriching and accessible experience for all.
