Skift Take
The first full-time, diversity-focused organization for U.S. travel launched this week as destination marketers, trade groups and publicists are also collaborating on solutions to equity, diversity and inclusion barriers in tourism. It’s long and shamefully overdue — but promising, since change begins from the C-suites down.
The conversation around diversity, race and inclusion in the U.S. travel industry and the lack thereof, has been a recurring one for years — or as Skift described it back in 2013, “stuck in neutral.”
But even as scrutiny intensified during last year's global pause, skepticism remained as to whether travel brands and destination marketing organizations would commit to real change beyond mission statements, Zoom panels and social media posts.
Months later, however, collective goals and actions are finally emerging from some of the industry’s most influential segments. Unprecedented in the influence of those backing it and in its sheer scope, the effort promises to turn the heightened conversation around diversity in travel into real demonstrable actions.
From a new round-the-clock organization dedicated to equity, diversity and inclusion in tourism to destination marketing organization CEO training and newly formed collaborations among travel media and publicists, efforts are doubling in crafting concrete solutions and building avenues for the industry to do better — and it’s coming mostly from the top.
Tourism Diversity Matters: A One Stop Diversity Organization for The Industry
Black History Month kicked off this week with the launch of Tourism Diversity Matters, founded by Mike Gamble, CEO of SearchWide Global, and chaired by Elliott Ferguson, CEO of Destination DC.
[caption id="attachment_405829" align="alignright" width="300"] Elliott Ferguson, President and CEO, Destination DC[/caption]
The organization’s mission is to serve as “a diversity resource that will educate, advocate, engage and empower the tourism and events industry,” as well as inspire inclusive leadership.
“This has been important to our business, SearchWide Global, for a long time, to me personally,” Gamble said. “But I often thought, wouldn't it be amazing to have an organization in our industry that's focused on diversity, equity and inclusion rea
