DEI in the travel industry has work to do: Action steps for brands to make improvements
In 2024, I was excited and eager to cross another destination off my bucket list. My goal for the year was to intentionally travel to destinations and resorts that could support my plans for recovery, restoration, and rejuvenation.
Unfortunately, during my vacation, I faced intense racism at a resort. During dinner, there was another guest who didn’t respect my personal boundaries. I tried to solve the problem calmly and calmly. However, the guest told me that I was “disgusting and that I should go back to my country”.
I have traveled around the world to six continents and have never faced such severe treatment. I was so hurt and upset that I immediately left the resort. Unfortunately, I have also had clients who have faced racism during the holidays in the past.
The world we live in is in a dangerous place right now. Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) programs are being removed and scaled back across the country. While we are all open to our own opinions, there are people who feel entitled and who think they can spew hate at innocent people because of their own insecurities and distorted beliefs. This is unacceptable, especially in a holiday environment where people expect peace and relaxation.
My experience reminded me that DEI is very important and that there is more work to be done in the travel industry. This goes beyond showing representation on your website and social media accounts. DEI also encompasses knowing what to do in situations like the one I experienced. I would like to share some recommendations that brands should consider:
Publicly disclose your position and policy on DEI. By doing this, you can help attract a clientele that directly aligns with your core principles and values. Your policy should not be discreet. It must be demonstrated everywhere, in as many places as possible, and leadership also needs to publicly verbalize its position, as well as that of the organization.
Show the world that representation matters. Highlighting diverse travelers on your website, social media, and marketing efforts is a great start. This shows your audience that they will feel welcome and respected if they choose to support your brand.
If an incident occurs on your property, make sure corporate leadership gives general managers and other site managers the authority and ability to act quickly. In my case, management seemed exhausted and unprepared. They didn’t know what to do because they were waiting for advice and guidance from the corporate level. In my example, the slow response time made me more frustrated and motivated me to leave quickly. Furthermore, during a waiting period, the problem could have increased and worsened.
If an incident occurs, reach out to the parties that were affected. Whether that person needs 24-hour security, space, being moved to another area of the property, a bottle of champagne, or anything else, you do whatever it takes to make things right. Do not let the victim leave the property. If this happens, you have more than likely lost this person as a guest and supporter for life. If anyone should be removed from the property, it should be the perpetrator and not the victim.
Apologize for what happened. Even if the resort did nothing wrong, you should apologize as this shows empathy and concern for the victim.
Communicate next steps. This helps the victim understand what will happen next and that you have taken corrective action against the perpetrator. Without communication, the victim assumes you did nothing to resolve the issue.
We have a long way to go in the travel industry when it comes to inclusion. But I think that with more awareness and education, we can get closer to our goal of equality. I encourage brands to take annual DEI and cultural competency courses to make sure they stay up to date on these trends and issues and to show their commitment.
The incident will take some time to get over. I’m also not confident that I will ever be able to support this brand again. But I won’t let this experience stop me from being a world traveler and I will continue to share my story with the hope that it inspires us all to spread more love and less hate.
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