The travel industry is not a man’s world and how high women climb is down to their own choices and ability, according to a leading travel businesswoman.
City Cruises managing director and Docklands Business Club chairman Rita Beckwith told the Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE) summer lunch in London last week that it’s not gender that is important in business life, but capability and character.
She added: “It is not how high we are allowed to climb up the business ladder, but the choices we make.
“All of us here today are fortunate to work in one of the few industries in which women play a leading, if not a dominant, role.
“We are here because we have proved that we can do the job. Your presence here today underlines that this is not a business where jobs for the boys is the rule.”
While she admitted 30 years ago, when she first started working on the Thames, a white bikini proved effective attire for generating business in the summer, it was her business acumen that earned her acceptance by the men.
Beckwith said: “I brought skills to the business that enabled and enhanced the entrepreneurial skills of my husband, enriched our business and, I hope, earned the respect of our customers.”
She also admitted the current domestic tourism business environment is “challenging”. Beckwith said the company saw a slowdown in passenger numbers at the end of last year and the beginning of this year. However, in March, traffic started to edge ahead of last year’s, leaving it 11% up on the first half of 2008.
She said: “On the inbound front, the exchange rate, particularly against the euro, is bringing huge volumes of short break business from Continental Europe.”
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