Flexibility, more funding and female role models, key to increase the number of women leaders in the travel tech industry
Only 15.6% of the leaders in the B2B travel technology space are female
As people around the world celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, with the campaign theme “For ALL Women and Girls: Rights. Equality. Empowerment.”, the B2B travel tech communications and public relations agency Belvera Partners requested the opinion of female leaders in the travel tech industry about what is needed to promote women leadership in the travel and tourism sectors.
According to research carried out by Belvera Partners, only 15.6 percent of the leaders in the B2B travel technology space are female, while women make up 54 percent of the tourism workforce as stated by UN Tourism.
The UN agency promoting responsible, sustainable and universally accessible tourism says that women are concentrated in lower-skilled, lower-paid and often informal employment. At the same time, they have less opportunities for career progression, face more difficulties when opening a business and higher barriers to education and training.
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“Female founders only get two percent of all funding in a general and then a fraction of that in the travel sector. Most of that investment is allocated to big companies at Series A and up”, says Sally Bunnell, founder and CEO at NaviSavi, the B2B platform dedicated to vertical, travel-only User Generated Content (UGC) short videos.
“So, it is very difficult for a female founder within travel to get money pre-substantial revenue, where we could use this investment the most. It might be worth it to set up a hospitality fund for female entrepreneurs with young startups.”
Brianna MacNeil is the AI Product Manager at TravelAI, an applied AI company operating in the field of travel. For her “creating a genuine, kind, fun and performance driven environment” where diversity thrives is important to attract entrepreneurial talent.
“Travel AI’s remote-first and flexible work policies support the diverse needs of our team – accommodating aspects like pregnancy, motherhood and even unexpected elements of life. I am optimistic that this will continue to inspire more women and men to join us”.
Forty percent of the work force are female at Stay22, a travel affiliate marketing platform based in Montreal (Canada). All the members of the executive committee are male, though women make up 55 percent of the heads of departments, the second layer in its organisational chart.
“Attracting more female leaders in any industry starts with visibility, having strong role models share their experiences to inspire others” – explains Laura Di Costanzo, head of Product at the Canadian travel tech startup.
“Companies must also commit to balanced leadership and recognize that diversity is not just about representation, it brings invaluable perspectives to the table. Women and men bring different strengths, and embracing that diversity leads to better decision-making.”
Stay22 has different policies and initiatives for Gender Equality and Work-Life Balance in place including unlimited sick and personal days, a flexible and hybrid work model, office closures for summer and winter holidays, and engagement with communities and organisations that support women in tech such as Women Who Code, Lesbians Who Tech and Girls in Tech.
Civitatis, a B2B2C marketplace for guided tours and excursions with more than 90,000 activities in 4,000 destinations across 160 countries, is committed to promote a work environment where talent is equally valued, explains Verónica de Íscar, the company’s Chief B2B Sales Officer.
“Every interview or space that highlights the role of women in the travel tech sector is a step forward in building a more equitable future. In our industry, human connection is key and diversity in leadership is an asset that drives innovation, competitiveness, and growth.”
Sixty percent of Civitatis’ staff are women and leadership team roles is split between men and women in the company, which also implements a Plan for Equal Opportunity for Women and Men. Íscar says that “we believe that talent has no gender, but opportunities must be available for everybody.”
“Empowered women in continuous evolution are essential for adaptation to the changing environment we live in currently.” – adds Luisa Oyarzabal, VP Business Strategy & Operation Transformation at GoNexus Group, dedicated to delivering travel experiences through technological travel innovation and personalised services. 40 percent of its workforce is female, while women hold more than 41 percent of the management positions in the company.
“As a leader, I believe true progress lies in creating equal opportunities for future generations, in driving meaningful change and building a legacy that uplifts and inspires others.”
For Judith Eyck, Chief Operating Officer at HolidayPirates Group, women run the travel industry, though their impact at the leadership tables is small. “Fair representation in leadership is what makes companies smarter, stronger and more connected to the people they serve”- says Eyck.
Sixty-two percent of the employees at this travel search platform present in ten countries are women. In its executive team, men and women are equally represented. Vivien Schwarz-Elbelzai, Chief People Officer at HolidayPirates Group, reveals the secret behind the company’s success in attracting and retaining female talent: actively supporting working mothers.
“At our company, we believe that flexibility is key. Every role in every department is set up to be adaptable. This approach has enabled us to build a strong track record of retaining female leaders.”
Increasing the number of female leaders in the travel tech industry is not only a matter of equality, but also of economics, as women are behind 70 percent of all travel-buying decisions.
“Particularly in the family setting, the key decision maker and person planning the whole trip is a woman.” – says Ayşe Yaşar, VP of Sales at the B2B accommodation booking platform Bedsopia. “So, if you’ve no or few females in your top team in your company, how can you claim to understand that market?”
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