The Top-Down Diversity Push That U.S. Tourism Desperately Needs Is Here
Photo Credit: Discussions on the lack of diversity in U.S. travel are finally getting unstuck with major actions from the industry's destination leaders and trade groups, including a new tourism diversity-focused organization. Adobe / Monkey Business
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, effort
