On Friday, October 3, Women Leading Travel hosted a timely and powerful virtual roundtable in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month: Latina Leadership, Cultural Relevance, and Unlocking Market Growth in Travel & Hospitality.

Moderated by Mariana Gianaris, HR Manager at Skift, the conversation featured three exceptional leaders:

  • Diana Plazas-Trowbridge, Chief Lodging Product & Services Officer, Marriott International
  • Isis Ruiz, Vice President, Media Strategy & Activation, Disney Experiences
  • Katty Byrd, SVP, Guest Services, Norwegian Cruise Line

Together, they shared insights on leading with cultural perspective, building inclusive guest experiences and driving real business results by tapping into the fast-growing Latino market, now contributing over $4.1 trillion to the U.S. economy.

From developing multi-generational travel offerings to measuring authentic engagement beyond surface-level representation, the discussion offered both strategic and deeply personal takeaways.

Thank you to our panelists for their candor and leadership, and to our community for showing up with curiosity and intention.

Let’s keep this conversation going, and continue building a future of travel that’s inclusive, innovative and led by women.

Members, watch the full panel session here.