A new program by Flight Centre aims to aid travellers looking to support black, indigenous, and people of colour (BIPOC) travel business owners on their vacations. “Our goal is to make it easier for both our customers and our travel consultants to find and book BIPOC-owned travel experiences,” says Marc Casto, President Leisure Americas for the Flight Centre Travel Group.

Flight Centre (and US affiliate Liberty Travel) counsellors can now point clients in the right direction thanks to a new “BIPOC-Owned” collection identified in their internal booking systems, supplemented by external marketing campaigns to highlight travel experiences owned by members of the Indigenous Travel Association of Canada; National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators, and Developers (NABHOOD); American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA); Latin American Travel Association; Red Indigena de Turismo de Mexico; and the Pacific Asia Travel Association.

Casto adds that the initiative helps to improve awareness and support for BIPOC-owned enterprises, “especially considering the detrimental effects of the COVID-19 pandemic,” adding that, “Uplifting locally owned and historically marginalized travel businesses is especially crucial as we work together to rebuild a better, more inclusive tourism industry.”

Diversity Equity & Inclusion Manager for FCTG Americas, Emese Graham points out that BIPOC travellers and travel business owners alike face a unique set of challenges today as a result of systemic racism.

“The tourism industry has not always paid attention to people of colour,” she says. “Over the last two years or so, we’ve seen a much-needed push for more diverse representation in marketing, but it’s even more important to improve travel supplier diversity. Our teams at FCTG recognize the opportunity we have as a major global player to help reshape the world of travel into something more equitable and inclusive.”