Women in Travel CIC , a social enterprise that seeks to empower women, has partnered with Google to support disadvantaged women in the U.K. travel and tourism workforce.
The program, funded via Women in Travel CIC’s Employability Programme, will sponsor 10 women and give them access to upskilling, mentoring and development tools, as well as introduce them to potential employers.
Through the partnership, Google will also have active involvement in Women in Travel CIC’s male allyship program. The search giant will also provide the venue and hospitality for the annual International Women in Travel and Tourism Forum.
“We are lucky to have had a fantastic, collaborative relationship with Google since 2021 and are hugely grateful for their support and enthusiastic participation in our programs,” says Alessandra Alonso, founder and managing director of Women in Travel CIC.
“With the ongoing staffing crisis in the travel and tourism industry in the U.K., this refreshed partnership could not come at a better time. We will be able to invest in the skills training, mentoring and confidence building that will help our incredibly resilient and talented women become work-ready and provide a critical solution to a number of businesses that are struggling to recruit.”
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Adds Finnbar Cornwall, travel industry leader at Google: “We are proud to partner with Women in Travel across a number of meaningful avenues to champion marginalized and vulnerable women, empowering them to fulfill their economic and individual potential. Not just because it’s the right thing to do but because we know it is a proven model and pipeline to bring underrepresented talent to the fore, which is vital as the industry rebuilds.”
According to an October 2021 survey from the American Hotel and Lodging Association – cited in the Phocuswright Research report Help Wanted: How Travel Survives the People Shortage - 94% of hotels were understaffed and 47% were "severely understaffed" from the lingering crisis.
Also cited in the research, an analysis for AHLA by Oxford Economics found that hotels are projected to be down by 166,000 workers at year-end, a 7% decline from 2019.
Since its inception five years ago, Women in Travel CIC has helped 154 women with more than 1,200 hours of guided support through its Employability Programme.