Breaking paradigms: The future of the hotel sector led by women
Taking advantage of the fact that Women’s Day has recently been celebrated, at Chekin we want to recognize the growth and evolution of female participation in important positions in the hotel sector, a sector that has historically been dominated by men, a situation that is changing and, that despite facing challenges in reconciling work and personal life, it increasingly shows us that women are breaking the glass ceiling by assuming leadership positions.
As can be deduced from an interview conducted by Hosteltur with Rebeca Ávila, vice president of CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) of one of the largest hotel chains, such as Accor, we are at a key moment and there is still a long way to go. The 21st century will be that of transformation and social justice or it will not be. And women have a fundamental role as an indispensable engine for change. We must promote a new, more diverse leadership that helps to have a more balanced representation in companies and fight for a more inclusive and fair world.
Women’s network in the sector
Ávila has detailed in this sense that the double objective set by Accor in 2012, when they launched the first women’s network in the sector, passed through “access to management positions and fighting against all forms of discrimination”. And they set some markers: “Reach 35% of hotel managers”, when at that time it was 17%, “and we established a support plan.
Today I am proud to confirm that in the southern European region we have already reached 41%”. But, as he has acknowledged, “now it’s time to spin finer and face new objectives such as operations directorates, management committees and boards of directors. Because it is a matter of justice and equal opportunities to promote a balanced presence of men and women in spaces of power and decision-making”.
Women role in the tourism sector
In the tourism sector, there are many women who have had a large participation in senior management positions that in previous years were dominated by the male gender. Today we can refer to women as:
Recently elected as the first female President of the Hong Kong Hotel Association in 2018, Rebecca Kwan serves as Senior Vice President of Sales for Hong Kong and UK and Head of UK Operations for Dorsett Hospitality International. Rebecca is also the General Manager of the Lan Kwai Fong Hotel @ Kau U Fong, Hong Kong.
The map of the leading women in the Spanish tourism sector has as references Carmen Riu (Riu); Encarna Piñero and her sisters Isabel and Lydia (Grupo Piñero and Bahía Príncipe); Sabina and Gloria Fluxá (Iberostar); María José and Cristina Hidalgo (Globalia and Air Europa), or Matilde Asian, Secretary of State for Tourism. On the other hand, other very influential women in their chains are Sandra Ortega Mera, as a reference shareholder in Room Mate, and matriarchs such as Isabel García Lorca, Pilar Güell, Elo Gutierrez or Francisca Bonet.
5 women who lead the national hotel scene:
- Marisol Turro: is the founder and president of the company Sercotel Hotels. He has more than 35 years of experience in large hotel companies, of which 23 correspond to his activity in Sercotel Hotels, which has more than 168 hotels spread over 118 destinations.
- Carmen Riu: is the CEO of Riu Hotels, one of the most profitable Spanish hotel chains with the greatest international presence in the Spanish market.
- Inmaculada Palencia: is General Manager of the Gran Meliá Fénix and Gran Meliá Colón hotels, both under the seal of “The Leading Hotels of the World”.
- García Bardón: is the president of the Fuerte Hotels group, which has six hotels throughout Andalusia, combining her activity as a hotel businesswoman with the presidency of the Asociación Horizonte Proyecto Hombre and the Fundación Fuerte project.
- Luisa Lorenzo García: is the director of the A Quinta da Auga hotel, the first Galician hotel establishment that forms part of the prestigious worldwide Relais & Chateaux network.
All of these women have proven to be incredible leaders in the tourism industry, but there is still a long way to go. Employment discrimination is a fact and we must fight to stop it from existing, since the inclusion of women in the labor market not only expands the potential talent that the company has access to, but also provides commercial benefits.
Investing in women leaders can help stabilize the workforce and promote greater diversity. And, in turn, companies with a high level of gender diversity double their annual revenue compared to competitors with an average or low level of gender diversity.
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