Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) is an area of intense focus and scrutiny across the travel and hospitality industry. Gender diversity, especially, is capturing attention because women represent a significant share of industry employees. A key industry theme is the challenges women face in obtaining promotions, earning the same salaries as men, and ascending into corporate leadership positions.

Recent industry research finds:

  • Travel organizations are falling behind on diversity and leadership initiatives.
  • Women face a progressive reduction in leadership opportunities as they climb the corporate ladder.
  • The travel and hospitality industry is making slow progress toward placing more women in leadership positions.

While these studies identify DEI gaps, additional research capturing a broader base of the industry’s voice on gender equality and diversity in the workplace is needed to advance future progress. As such, Women Leading Travel & Hospitality, NAPCO Research, and the Cornell Peter and Stephanie Nolan School of Hotel Administration’s Center for Hospitality Research teamed up to conduct a workplace gender diversity study based on a wide sample of industry participants, across job levels.

The survey-based study focused on the status of DEI efforts in the travel and hospitality industry to uncover the ways organizations are addressing gender equality, while providing a reference point to measure for future progress. This report offers said research as well as potential solutions to the travel and hospitality industry’s gender equality and diversity challenges.

Here are some of the key takeaways from the survey: 

  • The travel and hospitality industry is making progress on DEI efforts, however, there’s more work to be done.
  • Respondents’ perceptions and experiences on issues of equality vary greatly by gender. Female respondents were more likely than male respondents to report that gender reduced their career advancement opportunities and that their organizations can do more to improve gender diversity and equality.
  • Respondents voiced concern in open-ended comments about industry organizations talking about gender diversity but doing little to actually address it.
  • Training was the most common action respondents reported taking to support workforce diversity. Other actions, such as mentoring programs, unconscious bias training, pay equity, and neutral resume review practices, were less prevalent.
  • Organizations’ top plans to improve gender diversity and inclusion are to increase the number of females in management positions, launch diversity training programs, and provide unconscious bias training.

Download the full report for additional data that supports these findings as well as actions leaders can take to achieve positive DEI change within their organizations and across the industry.