USAID announces partnership with Women in Travel Community Interest Company
March 8, 2023, Berlin – 2023. The U.S. Agency for International Development’s Developing Sustainable Tourism in Bosnia and Herzegovina (USAID Turizam) and the Women in Travel Community Interest Company (CIC) have agreed to collaborate on the advancement of women in the BiH travel industry through capacity building, mentorship, and training programs.
As part of a Joint Implementation Plan to be signed by USAID Turizam Chief of Party Ibrahim Osta and Women in Travel CIC founder Alessandra Alonso, the partners have agreed to work on initiatives such as capacity building programs, enterprising development programs (with specific reference to tour guiding), mentorship programs, and the sharing of knowledge and best practices.
Photo Credit: Jasmin Agović
According to a study on gender roles in BiH tourism conducted by USAID Turizam, tourism is a significant sector for women’s employment and entrepreneurship, which can be carefully curated in future tourism development with gender-responsive policies. Although women and men participate in similar shares as employees in tourism, numeric representation should not be mistaken for substantive influence – women workers rarely join tourism unions and do not have influence in social dialogue, they are overrepresented in the lowest paying jobs (cleaning and housekeeping) and exposed to discriminatory employers’ practices relating to parenthood more often than men. they are overrepresented in the lowest paying jobs (cleaning and housekeeping) and exposed to discriminatory employers’ practices relating to parenthood more often than men.
On this occasion, Alessandra Alonso stated: “Signing this joint implementation plan is important as it represents a commitment by both WIT CIC and USAID Turizam to work together towards a common goal of promoting the advancement of women in the tourism industry. By collaborating on initiatives such as capacity building, mentorship, and training programs, both organizations aim to empower and develop women in the industry, ultimately leading to greater gender equality and diversity in the field. Through this partnership, it is expected that women in the travel industry will have access to more resources, opportunities, and support to help them thrive and succeed in their careers. This collaboration has the potential to bring about meaningful and positive change in the industry, benefiting not only individual women but also the industry as a whole. ”
Photo Credit: Jasmin Agović
Women in Travel CIC (Community Interest Company) is a UK-based company dedicated to supporting, connecting and empowering women in the travel industry. As a social enterprise, they strive to foster an inclusive environment by advocating for the advancement of women in travel and providing a platform for members to network, exchange experiences and learn from one another.
The Turizam project supports the recovery of the BiH tourism sector from the negative impacts of the pandemic by fostering collaboration among all levels of government, industry, and community stakeholders. The Turizam project, which began in August 2020, is a five-year $20 million project.
Photo Credit: Jasmin Agović
