FITUR Woman will be addressing economic empowerment and investment as the cornerstones of women's leadership in tourism
The section, organised by FITUR together with Women Leading Tourism (WLT) and with the support of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company, is holding its conference focused on women's leadership, investment and the economic impact of tourism.
FITUR Woman will once again be bringing together institutional, business and international representatives for a day devoted to analysing the role of tourism as a driver of economic empowerment, the generation of opportunities and female leadership. Organised by FITUR in collaboration with Women Leading Tourism (WLT), supported by the Puerto Rico Tourism Company and its country brand 'Descubre Puerto Rico' (Discover Puerto Rico), the section is holding its new edition on Wednesday 21 January in Hall 10 of IFEMA MADRID, as part of the International Tourism Trade Fair.
The programme will be addressing economic empowerment from a global perspective through a journey of key points, such as the role of investment, sustainability, innovation and public-private cooperation, which are emerging as levers to moving towards a more equitable and inclusive tourism model. The day will feature institutional interventions, international conferences and round table discussions to reflect on the challenges and opportunities facing the industry in terms of equality and leadership.
With this professional agenda, FITUR Woman will generate a practical and valuable space designed for sharing experiences, public policies and successful models that demonstrate how the empowerment of women contributes to the competitiveness and sustainability of tourism.
A day structured around investment, challenges and solutions
The day will begin on Wednesday 21 January at 15:30 with the opening of the section by the President of Women Leading Tourism, Maribel Rodríguez, accompanied by WLT ambassadors Malula Prieto, Amora Carvajal and Isabel Oliver, who will be kicking off this space dedicated to reflection and visibility of female leadership in the tourism industry.
This will be followed by the international keynote "Una nueva era del Turismo" (A new Era of Tourism) by Gloria Guevara, President and Interim CEO of WTTC. The day’s events also include a special intervention by Jennifer González, Governor of Puerto Rico, who will be highlighting the institutional commitment to a tourism model that generates real opportunities for women. Elena Kontoura, MEP, Committee on Transport and Tourism of the European Parliament, will be providing the European vision on equality.
The block "Tourism as an engine of empowerment: the role of investment" will be addressing how access to finance, training and resources is driving female leadership and the creation of opportunities in the tourism industry. Along this line, "Challenges and barriers: how the industry can accelerate the agenda" will be analysing the main challenges pending in terms of equality, such as the salary gap, job insecurity or the presence of women in decision-making spaces.
The conference will incorporate a global vision of the future, with a reflection on the current context and the challenges that will mark the horizon of tourism in 2026. The presentations will conclude with "Optimising Impact: Solutions and Benefits of Economic Empowerment at Regional Level", focusing on the role of public policies and local initiatives in generating lasting economic empowerment.
The conference will be attended by leading figures from the institutional, business and tourism sectors, including Almudena Maíllo, Councillor for Tourism at Madrid City Council; Verónica Pardo, Undersecretary of Tourism of Chile; Keren Lalkin, of Inversiones Lalkin; Pilar Crespo Pastor, Regional Manager Spain & Portugal at Booking.com; Ana Doval de las Heras Senior Vice President of People, Culture, Communications & Brand at Amadeus; Jimena Faena, VP of Marketing at Wyndham; and Guadalupe Robles León, Secretary of Tourism of Guanajuato (Mexico), among other industry representatives.