ASPIRE CONFERENCE 2022 4HF H Ż ƑŮ 4


Experts urged travel brands to improve representation across their storytelling and within their organisations to ensure diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion (DEAI) in the industry. Documentary photographer and triple


amputee Giles Duley – who worked with Celebrity Cruises on its most recent campaign, the All-Inclusive Photo Project – said a lack of representation within the industry was deterring those with disabilities from travelling and insisted the solution “started with stories”. He said: “Most people I know who


have disabilities tend not to travel because it scares them, it’s challenging. There have been a lot of stories recently of people stuck on flights in wheelchairs and wheelchairs being damaged, so we see less people travelling – especially in luxury travel. The first step is the imagery because people say, ‘I didn’t see myself there’. If I’m not represented, I don’t feel like I’m welcome. “Personally, if I’m going to travel, I


want to hear stories from somebody with a disability and how they experienced it. That builds confidence.” Jo Rzymowska, Celebrity Cruises


vice-president and managing director for the EMEA region, said the line had worked hard to ensure its messaging reflected


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Firms urged to be more inclusive in storytelling and within organisations


In magazines, very rarely do I see pictures of people like me enjoying a luxury holiday. We need to get better at the imagery.” She cited New York City as a prime


example of a destination getting its storytelling right. The tourist board recently launched a selection of guides, including The Black Experience in NYC and Halal Travel Guide, which highlight restaurants, bars and exhibitions helmed by marginalised communities. “It’s really important for the traveller


to understand how they can enjoy this, but also for locals and [those] learning how to sell that product to identify diverse stakeholders,” she said. But Premaruban said companies must


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the diverse nature of its client base. “All of our guests are from different


cultures and backgrounds, so it was really important that we made that change because we weren’t displaying what the reality was,” she said. Mathu Premaruban, head of global communications at Brand USA, agreed that diverse messaging is “the key” to improving DEAI in the industry. She said: “Representation does matter.


strive to have diversity within their own teams for messaging to be truly authentic. “Using imagery and words is incredibly powerful, but unless you have diverse storytellers [it doesn’t matter],” she said. “It shouldn’t just be a buzzword. We’ve


now got to actually start taking action.” Duley agreed, warning against “fake authenticity”. He said: “Don’t make the assumption, ‘I’m going to decide how they should be represented’, because that’s where the problems are. That’s where anybody that comes from a marginalised community can see fake authenticity so easily and it just puts you off the brand.”


14 ASPIRE SEPTEMBER 2022


aspiretravelclub.co.uk


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