BLLA, TIEWN & AAWTH Go Into Partnership

In Africa, more women are answering the call to public service at all levels of government. The ability to balance assertiveness and empathy creates an effective leader and women have been identified as carriers of the inner strength required to handle these very essential leadership roles as well and therefore should be granted a seat at the table. The Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network (TIEWN) & Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association (BLLA) California, USA is excited to partner with African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality (AAWTH) for the purpose of supporting women in the hospitality and tourism industry across the globe. The objective of this partnership is to cross-promote diverse leadership and companies as well as entrepreneurs who will coordinate joint programs including both in-person (when possible) as well as virtual conferences, educational initiatives, a joint membership fee structure available for both organizations, and other projects such as trend reports and studies, presented across several time zones and borders. This fellowship will support the importance of continuing to discuss issues involving women and diversity in today’s travel related companies. “We look forward to a very strong future together as well as opportunities for all of our members of both organizations,” stated Frances Kiradjian, CEO & Founder of TIEWN and BLLA. 

Reshaping the narratives and staking a claim as a powerful force to consolidate representation in the industry, CEO Pyne Hospitality Company; Amaka Amatokwu-Ndekwu and CEO Hospitality Amplified LLC; Daphne Spencer established the “African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality” (AAWTH), a community of female change-makers and achievers on a mission to assist and support the African hospitality and tourism industry. The organization houses professional women of African-descent working in all aspects of the tourism and hospitality industries. Serving as a hub, AAWTH is a driving force in the tourism and hospitality industries, advocating for female leaders with a vision to foster equal opportunities for all women of African descent operating in hospitality and tourism.

In collaboration with BLLA/TIEWN, we are aligning ourselves with organizations with common interests to support, elevate, re-shape and accelerate the careers of thousands of women in the industry globally. In this partnership, we recognize there’s a disparity in the representation of women in the industry when it comes to career progression. We aim to convert the single-digit percentages of women representation in executive roles or higher to multiple digits percentages over time and potentially balance the scale in the near future. “We are on a mission to empower, promote and develop women to occupy key roles in the hospitality & tourism industry in Africa. Building a community that is safe to discuss challenges, opportunity, growth, and equity by providing tools, advocacy, mentorship, scholarships, education, support, solutions, policies, and standards of accountability through our UPSKILL HER AFRICA initiative rolling out in 2022 through 2023” says Co-Founder, Amaka. 

Membership for the African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality includes but is not limited to: Tourism experts & enthusiasts travel agents, tour operators, hospitality professionals & enthusiasts, hoteliers, hotel owners, Tourism & Hospitality Agencies & groups, Hospitality organizations, Government officials, Student’s vendors/ Service providers etc. Some of the ways the AAWTH serves its members is by lobbying for favorable policies that affect the overall wellness and productivity of the Tourism and hospitality industry such as setting basic standards of job qualification within the industry.  

The body also ensures the formulation of training guidelines for specific sectors, working with business owners on the relevance of investing and budgeting properly for employee development programs while quantifying its returns on their investments.

As a fast paced and constantly evolving industry with a workforce that cuts across generations, race and cultural backgrounds, the hospitality and Tourism industry requires leaders to be at the forefront of the rigorous demands. The African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality seeks to empower a dynamic community, developing and sustaining its goals of bringing numerous economic value and benefits to the African Tourism ecosystem.

About BLLA

The Boutique Lifestyle Leaders Association is the official organization for the world’s verified boutique hotels and the leaders promoting the most popular travel sector globally. As a pioneer in forecasting the boutique movement, the BLLA’s network includes more than 14,000 authenticated properties with direct booking links promoted on stay-boutique.com and has grown beyond its hotel foundation to welcome passionate entrepreneurs, businesses, and purveyors that amplify the boutique lifestyle. BLLA is a catalyst for trends and the future of the boutique lifestyle. Connect to us — blla.org, stay-boutique.com, boutiquemoneygroup.com, bllaevents.com, tiewn.com.

About TIEWN

The Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network, powered by BLLA, is a global organization founded in 2008 for the purpose of bringing executives and professionals who currently or recently have worked in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industries. Their common goal is to support women and diversity while acknowledging the importance of female and inclusive leaders within a dynamic industry. Membership includes both direct members as well as vendors and suppliers who provide products and services to these industries. This group holds an annual conference (listed on bllaevents.com and tiewn.com). Email info@blla.org to connect.

About AAWTH

African Association of Women in Tourism and Hospitality was established with the sole aim to foster equal opportunities for all women of African descent operating in hospitality & tourism. Our Mission is to empower, promote and develop women to occupy key roles in the hospitality & tourism industry in Africa. Building a community that is safe to discuss challenges, opportunity, growth, and equity by providing tools, advocacy, mentorship, scholarships, education, support, solutions, policies, and standards of accountability. For more information email: info@aawth-africa.org; aawthorg@gmail.com.