Career Pathways
Q: Can you tell us about the pathway to your current career?
Jane: “I feel like I was pretty much born into the hospitality and tourism world. I lived in a household where we were host to a lot of foreign students. Then I studied French, Italian, and Scottish tourism. I think a lot of people fall into this world of working for a DMO or in travel and tourism, but that’s been my route from the beginning.”
Alison: “I started my career in hotel and restaurant management ... this led to me taking a head office role as director of marketing for Copthorne Hotels. When I saw a gap in the industry for independent integrated marketing services, I created Representation Plus, which I am still running today. As a past chair member of the Tourism Society and former board member of Antor, I am keen to ensure both associations grow and survive the challenges the industry has been and continues to face.”
Taylor: “I always tell people that I stumbled into tourism. I had no idea this industry that is so intricately woven into the fabric of our community existed before I showed up to my first interview at Visit Lake Charles. I started as a sales manager, focusing on the association and corporate markets. I’m an introvert, so sales wasn’t the most natural fit. However, I was successful because I could genuinely build relationships with clients through trust and dependability. My title changed a few times until, eventually, I was promoted to vice president of sales.”
Kylie: “I attended the University of Arizona to study communication and business administration with the intention of going into social events. Like many people, I assumed tourism was purely leisure-focused but was thrilled to learn about the meetings and conventions sector. When I started as a sales coordinator, I developed a passion for destination stewardship in addition to event planning, which led me to convention services. I now work with our citywide conventions at Phoenix Convention Center to connect them with the destination for venues, vendors, intellectual capital, and more.”
Challenges for Women Pursuing leadership in Tourism
Q: What do you think are the biggest challenges women face when pursuing leadership roles in travel and tourism, and how can these be overcome?
Taylor: “I think that, internally, women deal with a lot more self-doubt or what some refer to as ‘imposter syndrome.’ They may not fully believe in themselves or feel confident enough to speak up in rooms where they are more than qualified to be. To ‘move up,’ one must be seen as a contributor and not be afraid to take risks or make decisions. If you have self-doubt, those things can sometimes be challenging.”
Kylie: “I think that one of the biggest challenges is the assumption that all women have the same ambitions in life. Many people assume all women are seeking the same family dynamic that we are accustomed to and therefore can be overlooked for certain travel assignments or opportunities that ‘take away from family.’ In today’s age, we should always include women in the conversation about their futures and opportunities before making unconscious assumptions.”
Jane: "Reflecting on my career, there have been moments when I didn't feel bold enough to pursue opportunities, questioning whether I could truly succeed in certain roles. However, I believe there has been significant progress in workforce development and in addressing educational needs. It's crucial to understand your skills, passions, and where your natural strengths align. By doing so, you can recognize your true capabilities and identify how to leverage them in ways that bridge gaps and create value within any environment."
Advice for Aspiring Female Leaders
Q: What advice would you give to other women who aspire to lead in the travel industry?
Alison: “Seek out good mentors, find the role that you really aspire to, and work out a clear pathway of how to get there. Network with people across the industry who will help you to achieve your ambition.”
Kylie: “Find a niche in our industry that you are passionate about and makes you excited each day. If there is another department in your DMO that you are interested in, ask to learn more or sit in at meetings. You never know where it might lead. The goal should always be to keep bright, talented women in the industry even if it is in another capacity.”
Mentorship & Role Models
Q: How important is mentorship and how have mentors or role models influenced your journey?
Jane: “We have a mentor program at Destinations International and I would love to work on how we can connect the wonderful women leaders in North America and in Europe; I know everyone would gain. I’ve had a lot of people that have been my mentors, or people that I’ve called upon when I’ve had questions. I was a mentor through CityDNA and it was great because you can both learn — somebody who has been in the industry longer can certainly learn from someone who’s coming up, with fresh ideas, new thoughts, and vice versa.”
Taylor: “Mentorship is extremely important. We are all limited in knowledge by our own experiences. The benefit of having a mentor is that it expands that experience base. They have different perspectives on situations and life because they have experienced more, both good and bad. I have had role models throughout college and the early days of my career — women I still greatly admire. However, I am also very blessed to have a mentor in my life who provides a wealth of knowledge and life experiences that they are willing to share with me. Their advice and feedback have guided decisions I’ve made in both my professional and personal life. They are certainly helping shape me into the leader I strive to be.”
Looking to the Future
Q: Looking ahead, what do you believe the future of women in leadership within travel and tourism will look like, and how can we make that vision a reality?
Kylie: “Success for women in leadership looks different for each individual woman. The key to success is understanding that some women are seeking to move up the ladder while others are determined to elevate their current roles while maintain the work-life balance we all enjoy in tourism. DMOs can elevate women by allowing them to forge their own paths and allow women to express their professional goals for the future. Seeing organizations like Simpleview and Destinations International highlighting women thought leaders and industry experts in panels at conferences/webinars shows young women the opportunities that lie ahead and potential career paths.”
Alison: “More and more women are taking leadership roles in the industry, and we should be working toward 50% of all leadership roles being filled by women. To make this happen, we need to ensure that there are enough leadership and mentoring programs available to women of all ages and stages in their careers in order to equip them with the skills required.”
Taylor: “We have a lot of strong, driven women in leadership across the industry. Even recently, I’ve seen numerous announcements of new CEOs who are women. I think we still have work to do to make sure there is equal representation of all people, not just at the top of organizations but with staffing choices and board appointments. We know through scientific data that organizations and industries benefit from having diverse perspectives at the table.”
Jane: “I’m confident that we’ll continue to drive forward in a more balanced world. I don’t think we’re there yet, but I think because of the shifting nature of DMOs and their role in society, we are moving KPIs away from just measuring how many people are coming in the very financial metrics to how we’re really supporting and creating places that thrive because of tourism.”
