The first International Women in Travel & Tourism Forum (IWTTF) to be held overseas takes place in Dubai next month.
The flagship event organised by Women in Travel CIC is being held on November 19.
IWTTF Gulf will be invitation-only in its first year, created as a networking and learning platform for travel industry individuals in the region.
The content will reflect the values of Women in Travel CIC including leadership, talent and recruitment, allyship and DEI.
Women in Travel CIC also confirmed dates for next year’s London conference on June 19, 2025, preceded by IWTTF Awards the previous day.
IWTTF London remains open for all sectors of the industry, with tickets going on sale early next year.
“Profit from the event will go back into Women in Travel CIC’s wider mission to connect underserved, diverse female talent to employment and enterprising opportunities in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry,” a spokesperson said.
Long standing partners Intrepid Travel and Google will remain involved in the events, contributing to both the programming and content, as well as the logistics and preparation.
Google will host IWTTF Gulf in its regional office in Dubai and IWTTF London as it has for the last three years.
Women in Travel managing director and founder Alessandra Alonso said: “Launching IWTTF Gulf is our first step towards becoming a truly international brand.
“We launched IWTTF five years ago as a platform for discussions around gender equity and DEI more broadly, discussions that are relevant to the travel industry all over the world.
“It’s fantastic to see it going from strength to strength with the announcement of IWTTF Gulf in November and dates confirmed for London for 2025. Based on the success of these, we may look further still.”
Marie De Ducla, Google senior lead for travel, retail & consumer goods MENA, added: “The travel industry plays an important role in many of the economies in the Middle East and North Africa, and we believe in the importance of inclusion driving growth.
“We’re excited to be working with IWTTF on this important initiative that will help more women lead and thrive in this dynamic industry.”
Intrepid Travel EMEA managing director Zina Bencheikh said: “As the founding sponsor of IWTTF, we are thrilled to see its growth into a new market, one where we know that the conversations will make a real difference.
“I have seen firsthand how tourism is opening up a new world for women in the Middle East, as it has in so many of the destinations we visit, and I look forward to seeing how the first IWTTF in the Gulf can help women to push boundaries and drive meaningful change, for themselves and future generations.”