What is Allyship?
Allyship refers to the active and intentional practice of supporting and advocating for members of marginalized groups.
- Using one’s privilege and power to challenge and dismantle systemic oppression and promote equity and inclusion.
- Creating a culture of support and respect for all employees, regardless of their gender, age, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, or other identity factors.
In the tourism and hospitality industries, Allyship is particularly important because women, people of colour, and members of the LGBTQ+ community are often underrepresented in leadership positions and face significant barriers to advancement.
Why Does The Allyship Matter?
- Allyship fosters a culture of inclusivity, equality, and support.
- It creates a welcoming environment for employees, customers, and local communities.
- Allyship promotes diversity and representation, ultimately leading to enhanced innovation, creativity, and customer experiences.
- It helps address systemic barriers and biases, creating opportunities for growth and advancement for individuals from marginalized backgrounds.
- It also aligns with the evolving values and expectations of travellers who seek socially responsible and inclusive destinations.
Women in Travel CIC has long recognised the need to engage all men in the conversation about allyship and inclusion. In 2021 it launched the first ever cross industry Male Allyship Network, backed by 30 industry leaders and some of the highest-profile male professionals in travel and tourism. Since inception it has provided in-depth support to over 100 women worldwide.
In 2026 our Allyship programme was expanded to include all women and men allies and to offer the opportunities to turn individual and corporate commitment directly into action and social impact with an elevated package and set of benefits covering all important areas of the work we do. As Women in Travel approaches its 10-year milestone, we’re looking ahead to an exciting new phase of impact and growth. As part of this evolution, Allyship will sit more closely alongside our Tour Guiding Academy and Employability Programme supporting women directly as they gain training, confidence, and access to economic opportunity. Please read on for more information and to get involved!
Our Values
“I am a better woman entrepreneur since I joined the M.A.N mentoring programme. My business has grown and we got clear goals for the business.” Founder & CEO, Steri Tours “Having a mentor in the industry has been so fantastic and has really helped me grow in confidence, which has in turn meant I have been able to grow the business beyond all expectations in such a short time. I was so well matched with my mentor that I now also have a friend for life!” Founder & Director, Take Me to Africa “This programme is absolutely brilliant. To be paired with someone who has so much knowledge and experience to share has given me so many practical skills and professional confidence to take my business to the next level.” Retreat designer and business owner, Reclaim Your Self Retreats “I am very pleased to have joined the programme and I am grateful to have met my mentor. I feel lucky that we were matched as we are very aligned in our thinking and outlook, and having a male ally and mentor has really helped me to think differently and to approach certain situations with a fresh perspective. I hope that Finn will continue to be my unofficial mentor in future and I am pleased to have gained a new friend and supporter.” Director Flight Partner Services EMEA at Booking Holdings “Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to have a mentor. My mentor was patient and supportive and helped me build some very useful skills as well as introduced me to some key people. We met regularly and always came out with homework and very useful feedback.” Founder and Director of The RegenLab for Travel “The programme has helped me recognise how to identify ways to support others and offer a safe space for them to share their real challenges. Active listening is a key skill which will ensure that you can really make progress.” CEO, Geotourist “It's been a great experience and it's so rewarding to have hopefully helped my mentee in her career, alongside making a new acquaintance and developing my own skills.” CEO, The BTA (Business Travel Association) “Inspiring! Would recommend it to anyone - a fantastic source of inspiration and occasionally even an invaluable chance to glimpse the world from someone else's perspective.” Co-founder & MD at Experience Travel Group “This was my first official mentor programme and from start to finish it has been an excellent programme. My connection to my mentee was ideal and we both have learnt a lot from the experience and will continue to work together.” General Manager, Hurtigruten Group “I think sharing your experience with people at all levels is crucial, however, working with women is a brilliant way to see the challenges that both sexes have in business. It has been really good and I have learnt a lot too.” Owner & Chairman, Not in the guide books, NED and Consultant
Phoebe Maina
Samantha Sellers
Jools Sampson
Louella Fisher
Sonia Teruel
Shaon Talukder
Clive Wratten
Sam Clark
Anthony Daniels
Tony Seaman
Individual Allies
An Ally is a senior leader committed to gender inclusion and equity in the workplace who understands they have an important role to play in achieving that, who wants to be a visible role model and is open to having an enriching learning experience, building relationships, and discovering the challenges faced by women+ in the workplace. All professional Allies are critical to women’s progress in the workplace, they provide opportunities, and visibility, and increase confidence and self-belief. Allies benefit from Gender Intelligence, DEI, allyship and mentorship skills, and external and internal visibility.
Membership includes:
- Funds 1 x online access to Tour Guiding Academy for an underserved woman
- 1 x Mentor place mentoring women on TGA programme or other women mentee
- Mentor training resources
- 20% discount on IWTTF ticket
For the full layout of the programme please download the presentation below.
Individual Mentees
A Mentee is a woman or non-binary individual who is in a mid-to-senior level role looking for the next career step, to grow their business or change their strategy and seek an enriching learning experience, based on relationship building, constructive feedback and open conversations about challenges and opportunities in the workplace.
Membership to the end of 2026 is £500 and include:
- Funds 1 x online access to Tour Guiding Academy
- Up to 6 mentoring conversations with an ally / allies
- Mentee training resources
- 20% discount on IWTTF ticket
If you have any further questions please reach out to [email protected]
For the full layout of the programme please download the presentation below.
Annual Membership Fee £500 (till the end of 2026)
If you have any further questions please reach out to [email protected]
Annual Membership Fee £500 (till the end of 2026)
If you have any further questions please reach out to [email protected]
Once we receive your response, we will be in touch and provide you with further steps!
Once we receive your response, we will be in touch and provide you with further steps!
Corporate Allyship
Corporate Allyship is an actionable way for companies to show their DEI commitment, promote allyship & support culture within their organisations and publicly show by example how to empower everyone in the industry. All individuals can become visible allies and engage in a variety of activities from mentoring to women -led tours. With our corporate allyship companies leverage inclusion to strengthen their ESG commitments by:
- Collaborating to grow programmes & international reach
- Stepping into mentoring roles and support women’s professional growth
- Aligning corporate values with measurable social impact
Corporate Allyship offers a flexible approach to turn commitment into action and social impact depending on your size and needs. Our tiered benefits ensure our partners benefit fully from our work fostering inclusion in the travel industry. Your investment in allyship is directly serving our underserved and underrepresented community, enabling us to deliver training, mentoring, confidence, and economic opportunities.
Please contact [email protected] for more information or to book a call
Download Presentation “Google have been partnering with the Women in Travel network for the past few years and been involved with the Maly Allyship program in the past. This year, we're very excited to join as Corporate Allies so we can continue to support the amazing work being done by Women in Travel, through mentorship and development, helping empower people in the Travel industry.” “Having been part of the Women in Travel Male Allyship programme for the past two years I have found it a hugely rewarding experience and something that aligns perfectly with our own goals to help make travel a force for good. I'm thrilled to be able to further cement our partnership by becoming a Corporate Allyship Member and take this important next step on Atkin Jones' EDI journey. We look forward to working with Women in Travel to support Alessandra and the WIT network in providing help and empowerment to more people in our industry.” “It is so important to dedicate our resources to the mission of changing travel for the better, and empowering women in the industry is key for going about that mission. With our teammates being so knowledgeable (and passionate) about the ever-important intersection of technology and travel, WeTravel is thrilled to support the incredible Women in Travel mentees as they unlock their potential and leave their mark on this industry.”
Google
Atkin Jones MD David Atkin
WeTravel