Diversity, Equity
& Inclusion

Travelers are looking for more “authentic travel” — engaging and meaningful experiences as close to the real deal as they can get. It is essential for travel industry suppliers to understand the substantial monetary value diverse customers such as LGBTQ generate to ensure their products and services are well-tailored to meet this market’s specific needs.

Learning Objectives

• Uncover your authentic experiences
• Create an authentic way to deepen travelers’ human connection
• Find your authentic voice

Representation is important because it helps people feel welcome; if people don’t see themselves, they won’t feel welcome to a destination. Engaging diverse populations within your destination can provide opportunities for immense economic growth. Travelers of all ages and resources are looking for more “authentic travel” engaging and meaningful experiences. DMOs must ensure there are built culturally inclusive environments and internal systems that allow equitable opportunities for success.

Take the time to think about why diverse perspectives should be integrated into the ethos of your tourism organization and consider these questions:

• Why does integrating diverse and inclusive perspectives matter for your destination?
• Is your destination trying to attract diverse audiences locally or externally?
• Is your destination promoting diverse and inclusive practices?

Learn how you can implement DEI strategies that embrace Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion as a Strategic Competitive Advantage.

Defining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, also understanding the Dimensions of Diversity and how they impact how we see each other.

Discover the Business Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and ways to impact organizational processes and routines to make them more inclusive and welcoming.

Leverage knowledge of Cultural Diversity and Cultural Competence, recognizing and respecting the existence and presence of diverse groups of people within a society.

Learn and apply the Language of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The Fundamentals of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion provide a groundwork for understanding DEI. This session equips participants with understanding basic concepts of DEI: definitions, terms, and behavioral modifications that foster DEI and create a strategic approach throughout the organization. Attendees leave with the confidence and skills to engage in meaningful conversations around the issues of DEI.

Learning Objectives:

• Defining Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, also understanding the Dimensions of Diversity and how they impact how we see each other.
• Discover the Business Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and ways to impact organizational processes and routines to make them more inclusive and welcoming.
• Distinguish the benefits of developing an Organizational Assessment and comprehensive DEI strategy for a modern workforce.
• Leverage knowledge of Cultural Diversity and Cultural Competence, recognizing and respecting the existence and presence of diverse groups of people within a society.
• Learn and apply the Language of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

The language of diversity is evolving and requires awareness, understanding, and skill much in the same way as other areas of diversity competencies. Language provides a means for communication among and between individuals and groups.

Diversity & Inclusion within organizations are linked to the three pillars of sustainability, and D&I initiatives can drive sustainable results. A megatrend, the concept of sustainability consists of three markers: Economic, Environmental, and Social, also referred to as Profit, Planet, and People. Understanding this concept is crucial for companies that are on a journey to create sustainable businesses.

Learning Objectives:

• Defining Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and sustainability demonstrates the connections between social justice—also sustainability and understanding the Dimensions of Diversity and how they impact how we see each other. A truly sustainable future involves the meaningful participation of all members of a community. Black, Indigenous, people of color (BIPOC), and low-socioeconomic status communities disproportionately impacted by climate change and environmental harm.
• The Business Case for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and ways to impact organizational processes and routines to make them more inclusive and welcoming. Discover how each sustainability pillar in more detail and diversity and inclusion (D&I) can be an asset for organizations to have a better ERG score.
• The benefits of developing an Organizational Assessment and comprehensive DEI strategy for a modern workforce.
• Critical components of a data-driven DEI strategy: Engagement Surveys, Focus Groups, Data for Trends and Intersectionality
• Cultural Diversity is the system that recognizes and respects the existence and presence of diverse groups of people within a society.

Prioritizing diversity in the workplace with an inclusive hiring strategy can lead to financial gains, as well as a more innovative team of employees. Gender-diverse companies are 15 percent more likely to outperform their national industry median, and ethnically diverse companies are 35 percent more likely to outperform. (McKinsey & Company 2021 Diversity Wins – Inclusion Matters)

Intentional efforts to recruit for the primary dimensions of diversity is not only the right thing to do but is necessary to reflect the changing U.S. demographics.

Diverse hiring also will lead to increased creativity and innovation. Increased organizational flexibility and ability to learn from people at all levels. Improving the quality of personnel through better recruitment and retention. Decreased vulnerability to legal challenges.

Inclusive recruitment is designed to eliminate as much bias as possible when hiring for your open positions. Everyone has unconscious biases that can affect how they interact with others, including who they choose to hire.