In the lead up to International Women’s Day (March 8), many in the industry have been taking the opportunity to acknowledge and celebrate the successes of female team members and contributors – not the least The Travel Corporation, whose bona fides start at the top with Beatrice Tollman, matriarch of the TTC family and president and founder of Red Carnation hotels.
The Canadian-based office of TTC, which counts 42 brands including Trafalgar, Insight and Contiki amongst its portfolio, also boasts close to 70 percent female staff, and 50 percent of its executives – among them: Sheralyn Berry, President of Contiki Canada; Anita Emilio, VP of Sales for Trafalgar and Costsaver Canada; Carla Brake, VP of Sales for Insight Vacations Canada; Lucille Sive, Africa division CEO; not to mention Marie Anne MacRae, Global VP of Strategic Partnerships – and moderator of a travel media event in Toronto on Tuesday feting the women, which more prominently called on five TTC “brand ambassadors” (all of them female) to tell their stories.
MacRae assured that TTC’s first annual IWD lunch wouldn’t be the last.
Nor, presumably, would the evening trade event that followed at the Isabel Bader Theatre, which featured presentations from the brand ambassadors:
• Patricia Schultz, NY Times best-selling author of “1000 Places to See Before You Die” and Trafalgar global brand ambassador
• Roxanne Joyal, CEO of ME to WE, social entrepreneur, women’s empowerment advocate
• Sarain, Fox, indigenous storyteller, activist and TreadRight Foundation “People” ambassador
• Nadine Sykora, travel expert, YouTuber and honorary Contiki ambassador
• Ami Vitale, award-winning National Geographic photographer and filmmaker
For Vitale, recently named a “wildlife ambassador” for TTC’s TreadRight Foundation, her participation also coincided with World Wildlife Day (March 3), marking another social issue of importance to the corporation.
Indeed, while the ambassadors referenced their work in travel and related fields as women, the common theme that emerged was the opportunity, and ability, to inspire, take responsibility, change lives, and, generally, have an impact.
“It’s not just about the travel,” said Vitale. “You can help empower communities and individuals. You can have a profound impact. It’s a cold, dark universe out there and we need each other.”
“It’s about changing the world,” Joyal added.
TTC Canada president Jeff Element, a father of two daughters, and who was jokingly teased as being someone “who knows that the future belongs to women,” told Travel Industry Today that TTC culture is not a reaction (or over-reaction) to societal pressures. All hires, he said, are “the best person for the job.”
He even seemed genuinely surprised when it was noted that all the TTC brand ambassadors were women.
Element said TTC was simply honoured to be able to align itself with individual who make a difference on the planet, as well as inspiring the notion that travel makes people better.
“We want to be a supporter of what they’re doing, and to amplify their voices,” he said, adding, “And we want people to say, ‘My life is better because I’ve travelled.’”
