The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) chanted the mantra of involving and empowering women to become proactive, self-reliant, and commanding in every aspect of their lives in its second edition of Women In TAAI and Tourism. In her welcome address, Bettiah Lokesh, Secretary-General of TAAI, outlined a three-step strategy to assist women empowerment in tourism: support women in business, encourage their involvement, and develop correct evidence-based gender policies.
Jyoti Mayal, TAAI's second female president in the organization's 75-year history, highlighted the lack of female executives in the tourist and hospitality industries.
According to a report by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), females account for only 12.1 percent of tourism industry employment and earn 14.7 percent less than their male counterparts. She emphasised the importance of male and female coexistence and interdependence in order to actively collaborate and provide a level playing field for both sexes.
G Kamala Vardhana Rao, Director General, Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, revealed some chilling tales from ancient Indian writings about the hardships women have faced over millennia. Rao encouraged everyone to accept responsibility for the visible injustices against women.
The discussion also addressed the issues that women in rural communities face. “The women in their ecologies inside their homes – one of the biggest factors is the lack of content and communication," said cultural activist Navina Jafa, highlighting how women in rural areas are unable to convey their tales since they are restricted to their homes. She was adamant about encouraging rural women to express themselves and embrace their femininity.
Brar emphasised the 500 Vishwakarma villages teeming with experienced artisans when discussing the collaborative endeavour with India's Ministry of Minority Affairs. The government has designated these communities as places to promote rural handcraft, capacity building, and women empowerment.
When asked to talk about the core idea behind the inception of Women In TAAI and Tourism, Jay Bhatia, Vice President, TAAI said, “WITT came into existence as we wanted empowerment for rural and urban women force especially in tourism, and we have a lot of women in the field today who are our members, who are not coming out into the focus and limelight.”
