IN FOCUS


From left: Hollie-Rae Brader, Aspire; Henny Frazer, Àni


Private Resorts; Ian Callan, Go Beyond Holidays; and


DIVERSITY, EQUITY, ACCESSIBILITY AND INCLUSION Richard Thompson, Inclu Travel Travel ‘must do better on diversity’


OutThere’s inaugural Icons of Inclusion conference highlighted the DTCPF CPF DWUKPGUU DGPGƂVU QH DQQUVKPI &'#+ Erica Rich reports


Brand leaders have been encouraged to make diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion (DEAI) “part of their cultural DNA” amid appeals for the travel industry to “do better”. The clarion call for action was made at the inaugural Icons of Inclusion conference in London in March, with leaders in the travel industry urged to become “standard bearers” for inclusivity. The event, hosted by consumer travel


magazine OutThere and supported by Aspire, focused on a range of DEAI themes and topics, including race, ageism, intersectionality, the gender pay gap, and travel for transgender, non-binary, LGBTQ+ and disabled consumers. Alongside a general consensus summed up


by OutThere experientialist-in-chief Uwern Jong that investing in DEAI is both “good for brand and good for business”, experts agreed senior leaders must embed DEAI into their company culture in an authentic and genuine way if the industry is to enact long-lasting change. “This is very much a leadership issue,” said Alessandra Alonso, founder of Women In Travel


Empower senior leaders and give them the


right language and tools to be part of the conversation


CIC. “You need to encourage those at the top to start these conversations, to see themselves as accountable for it, because this is not a bottom-up approach with diversity and inclusion.”


Leading from the front Jane Grammar, diversity, belonging and employee


wellbeing manager at The Dorchester, agreed: “I believe this all starts with workplace culture. If inclusion isn’t part of your cultural DNA, it’s very challenging for inclusion to authentically transfer and influence the decisions that we make and the ways in which we operate our business.” DEAI consultant Roshina Budhani said it was about having “the right kind of education and the right buy-in from senior leaders”. She said: “A way to do that is by empowering the senior leaders and giving them the right language and tools so they can also be part of the conversation – because they are part of diversity.” Laura Dove, chief operating officer at female members’ club AllBright, agreed that those “at the top” should be “working towards opportunities


ª aspiretravelclub.co.uk MAY 2024 ASPIRE 29


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