Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) has its roots in anti-discrimation legislation enacted during the 1960s Civil Rights Movement in the United States and has now grown to involve broader identities: race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, socioeconomic status, and more. In recent years, DEI awareness and initiatives, plus policies and practices are being embraced in the workplace as well as in education, entertainment, and professional sports.
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In travel and tourism, the importance of a diverse hospitality workforce made up in large numbers by women and people of color cannot be overemphasized. From 2020, the impact of Covid-19 hammered this message home for many employers and certainly for the traveling public as well.
Bringing more diverse voices to the table can pay off. According to McKinsey & Company, “companies in the top quartile for workforce diversity are 33 percent more likely to financially outperform their less diverse counterparts.” Tourism organizations, businesses, governments, nonprofits, and others must make an investment in DEI principles.