About Us
Women in Travel CIC is the UK-based, award-winning social enterprise, dedicated to fostering gender inclusion in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry.
We do this by providing employment and enterprising opportunities to underserved, diverse female talent through programmes supported by our industry partners and by reinvesting profits from our commercial services.
Our vision is a world where all women thrive and fully contribute to the economy, communities and society.
Our Commercial Services:
- DEI Leadership, Training and Consulting
- Events, IWTTF & Awards, Lunch N Learn Online Webinars and Educational Activities
- Mentoring and Allyship (for individuals and corporations)
- Enterprising and employability programmes (connecting organisations to our most vulnerable yet talented candidates).
WE CAN HELP to find staff by providing access to a pool of skilled individuals from a diverse background who are eager to get back to work.
In 2020 we have helped over 150 women through 1200 hours of guided support!
Click here to watch our video
Alessandra Alonso
Founder & Managing Director
Alessandra is the plural-nominated, award-winning founder and MD of Women in Travel CIC and a professional with 20 years of experience in travel and tourism.
Alessandra started her career as a trainee in Tourism at the European Commission and later gained senior roles in companies including The World Travel & Tourism Council and KPMG. She subsequently pursued her passion for supporting women and diversity more generally by setting up consultancy Shine and co-founding the Shine Awards for Women’s Achievement in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality in 2004.
Recognised as a trailblazer in the sector and an expert in gender empowerment and mentoring, Alessandra is also a keynote speaker and regular contributor to publications.
She was awarded the JourneyWoman Award in 2021 for her lifetime dedication to gender empowerment. She has been named one of 9 women transforming travel by the Matador Network; one of 50 ‘most important women in travel’ by Wonderlust Travel and recently completed the Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from the University of South Florida.
Rahf AL Jaberi
Employability Coordinator
Rahf is a proud Alumna of our Employability Programme. Over 6 months, she completed several travel and tourism skills-focused masterclasses, joined mentoring calls, prepared herself for job interviews and grew in confidence and knowledge. She impressed us with her enthusiasm, communication skills and desire to allow women like her to progress with their lives!
Rahf is supporting Women in Travel CIC on the employability programme side – providing individuals with all the necessary information to join the programme, learn and upskill and secure employment in the Travel sector.
Klaudija Janzelj
Business Mentor & Tour Guiding Academy Coach
Klaudija strongly believes business can be a force for good in the world. She is a tourism expert with over 15 years of experience in helping purpose-led global organizations grow and scale, spotting innovative opportunities to become first in the marketplace and building remote and in-person global communities. She possesses the agility and interpersonal skills that have built strong commercial relationships from start-ups to international brands like Amazon, The New York Times, Lonely Planet, MasterCard, Hilton, Google, Expedia and more.
Elisa Spampinato
Associate Trainer & Master Storyteller
Elisa is a seasoned Community Tourism Consultant, Connector, and Storyteller with nearly 20 years of international experience in local Sustainable Development through tourism. Her expertise spans over 30 countries, where she has provided communication and marketing services in four languages, both virtually and on the ground.
Elisa’s innovative approach to storytelling has made her an invaluable consultant to tourism entrepreneurs, SMMEs, national Tourism Boards, NGOs, and private companies. She specializes in helping destinations highlight their positive impact stories and uncover the rich, often untold, cultural narratives of Indigenous communities.
ADVISORY BOARD
Women in Travel (CIC) could not be where it is today without the support of some remarkable, committed and experienced industry professionals. They are:
