Tenth Annual Women in Travel & Hospitality Conference March 6 & 7, Los Angeles
"Embracing Your Power" Theme Woven Through Presentations On: the Future of Travel, Mastering Tech, Creating a "We" Culture, Overcoming Barriers, Raising Capital, and Transforming the Status Quo
The Travel Industry Executive Women's Network ( TIEWN ) in collaboration with BLLA, has announced that its annual Executive Women in Travel & Hospitality Conference will be held March 6 & 7, 2024 at the Westlake Village Inn, with an evening opening reception on March 6 at the Mizel Estate Winery in nearby Hidden Valley. With a theme of "Embracing Your Power," it's no coincidence that this year's conference leads up to International Women's Day on March 8th with its United Nations-backed theme of "Invest in Women, Accelerate Progress."
The interactive two-day TIEWN Conference agenda will address the reality that while women make 80% to 85% of travel decisions and represent two-thirds of global travelers, females only comprise 54% of the workforce in the $2 trillion global travel industry. Only 20% of women in the field are in management positions and a mere 8% are in high-level roles. The lack of C-Suite positions for females in the travel and hospitality industries is also reflected in an actual widening of the pay gap - 2% and 1% respectively - according to the 2023 Gender Pay Gap Report. The TIEWN gathering will address these inequalities while celebrating the potential of women in the field since global tourism ended the year at almost 90 percent of pre-pandemic levels.
To empower women with tools to succeed in the workplace, agenda topics in the 2024 TIEWN event will cover technology, business and personal financial well-being, mentorship, raising capital, self-growth, and tools for mentoring one another along the career path.
Facilitators and presenters for the full day, interactive event will comprise a range of executives from travel, tourism and hospitality including Andrea Nicholas Perdue, CEO - Wagonhound Holdings, Ariela Kiradjian, COO & Co-Founder - BLLA, Claudia Vecchio, President/CEO - Sonoma County Tourism, Erin Levzow, CMO - Museum of Ice Cream, Grace McBride, Founder & CEO - LUCIA, Greg DeShields, Executive Director - Tourism Diversity Matters, Heidi Miersemann, General Manager - Alila Napa Valley, Kristen Moore, CEO - Destinations of Distinction, Mandy Murry, Hospitality Consultant - Hospitality Concierge, Marina MacDonald, Chief Marketing Officer - Red Roof Inn, Marissa Ballan, Head of Development - Radisson Blu, Mary Rogers, Managing Director - Montage Laguna Beach, Montage Healdsburg and Pendry San Diego, Megan Zoback, Chief Business Officer - Aero, Melissa Cherry, SVP / Chief Diversity and Inclusion Officer - Miles Partnership, Melyssa Reeves, President & CEO - Destination Marketing Association of the West, Nicole Swartz, Founder - Sprout Law, Robin Kennedy, EVP / Chief Development Officer - Montage International, Rydhima Shah Brar, Founder & Principal - Rterior Studio, Sarah Dandashy , Travel Expert & Author - Ask A Concierge, Tia Graham, Founder - Arrive At Happy, Tina Burnett, Chief Development Officer - G6 Hospitality.
"As trailblazers, creators, and leaders, we understand that our journey involves not just adapting to change, but actively reclaiming our roles, narratives, and contributions in the travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors, and truly embracing our power," explains TIEWN Co-Founder Ariela Kiradjian.
The link to register is open. Sponsorships are still available including special pricing to sponsor multiple registrants. Current Headline Sponsors include Choice Hotels, Nestle Premium Waters, Miles Partnership, Destinations of Distinction, and Greenberg Traurig. More information here.
Founded in 2008 by Frances Kiradjian, Founder & CEO of BLLA (The Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association), the Travel Industry Executive Women's Network (TIEWN) was created to facilitate global connections between female hospitality, travel, and tourism executives. TIEWN's more than 13,000 global members work in hotel & lodging, airlines, cruise lines, car rental, travel agencies, corporate travel management, tour operation, rail, and travel technology. With a goal of collaboration and mutual support, TIEWN is in sync with other travel and hospitality organizations, working to improve the industry through the dynamic participation of professional women. TIEWN.com
About The Boutique Lifestyle Lodging Association
Established in 2009, the Boutique Lifestyle Lodging Association (BLLA) is the world's most innovative and influential association for independent boutique lifestyle hotels, brands, and suppliers. Dedicated to championing the unique essence of boutique hospitality, BLLA offers unparalleled networking opportunities, industry insights, and advocacy initiatives to its global membership base. With a mission to elevate and empower independent hotel owners and operators, BLLA continues to shape the future of hospitality through innovation, collaboration, and excellence. The organization is a pioneer in forecasting the boutique movement. The corporate manifesto showcases BLLA as a catalyst for trends and the future of the boutique lifestyle with the main focus on hospitality. BLLA.org / Stay-Boutique.com. BLLA is also a capital/partner matchmaker via its Boutique Money Group division. The corporate manifesto. Experience the intention behind the brand.
