Hiblum , Arlo Wynwood : I ’ m eagerly anticipating the day when “ Women in Hospitality ” features become as outdated as dial-up internet ! While we ’ ve come a long way , we ’ re not quite ready to retire those articles yet , but we are on the fast track to a future where your gender won ’ t even raise an eyebrow when it comes to running a hotel . Until then , we must keep shaking up the status quo and making strides toward a world where talent , not gender , reigns supreme in hospitality . Richter , Concord : Articles about women in hospitality will stop being written when the recognition is made that the inequality is really about work-life balance . Historically , women have handled more of the “ life ” ( think June Cleaver ) tasks and responsibilities , while men handled the “ work ” ( think Ward ). Life issues require absences from work , whether it ’ s two hours for a doctor ’ s appointment , or six to eight weeks for maternity leave . With more fathers / partners sharing those responsibilities , and being granted paternity leave , the missing time is becoming less of an implied lack of dedication to career . Smith , IHG : Many of us envision a future where gender or ethnicity cease to be defining factors and we can focus on celebrating achievements based on merit rather than personal identity . It would be |
great one day to have a company made up of a diverse mix of leaders and associates making hiring decisions and finding the best person for a role from an equally diverse slate of candidates . I personally prefer not to think about my gender or label myself as a “ woman in business ,” but instead focus on the business . Lombardo , ARK : For me , it will always be more about what makes us the same than what makes us different . Throughout history , differences have led to barriers to entry for opportunities . Admittedly , I have recently had a shift in mindset on the question of when do these features cease . I went from “ my goodness I am ready for this to no longer be a topic of conversation ” to considering that if we stop , history could repeat itself . And that can ’ t happen . I was recently on an all-female panel about the state of lending at a conference . It was a women ’ s panel . It was promoted as a women ’ s panel and promoted as women discussing the current state of lending — and it wasn ’ t at a “ women ’ s ” conference ! That ’ s our next step in this movement . |
Uber , ESA : Women leaders should be encouraged to attend industry conferences and invited to participate in panel discussions across all topics , showing their expertise in their field , not just the sessions about
women in hospitality . The visibility of women engaging in meaningful conversations among the industry ’ s best is inspiring to others , showing a successful pathway to the top . Mehvesh Mumtaz Ahmed , Rosewood : According to the UN , in 140 years . I ’ m hopeful that hospitality will beat this number by a considerable timeline and that we will cease to talk about gender in closer to 60 years , when we will reach that tipping point where women occupy their rightful share of leadership roles . Patel , Ridgemont
Hospitality : We ’ re making
THE
KEY IN HOSPITALITY
Liz Uber
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progress , but the presence of women in C-level positions remains sparse , slowing the process of advancing others up the ladder . As women continue to excel in the industry , the novelty of this narrative will diminish , making way for more pressing issues . I eagerly anticipate that day . Richard , M & L Hospitality : Unfortunately , gender remains a relevant factor , evident in my interactions with various businesses and colleagues . Despite my optimistic outlook , I acknowledge that a change in this paradigm may not occur until the end of this decade . Nevertheless , I am confident that the upcoming generation entering the job market in the coming years will play a central role in fostering the necessary transformation .
HOTELS : What key trends or issues should we be paying attention to in your specific field , both in the near-term and long-term ? Reid , Aimbridge : Data is everything . Deals are tougher to find , economics are harder and yet there is an overwhelming interest in our industry because travel and real estate are successful longterm investments . Knowing what information is needed and finding a way to efficiently communicate is critical in the development world . Sisson , Hyatt : It ’ s an exciting time for the digital and loyalty space with the rise in generative AI , guest experiences , an emphasis on wellbeing and
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May / June 2024 hotelsmag . com 53 |