A newly formed group launched a scorecard to evaluate how
travel brands and organizations represent the black community in their
employment, marketing campaigns, philanthropy and other areas.
The Black Travel Alliance, a group of black travel content creators,
is calling on the travel industry to “work towards meaningful
representation of black voices.”
In a statement, the group called on the industry destination
management organizations and travel brands to do more than show support for the
black community on social media and said it will measure travel companies “on
not just what they say, but also what they do.”
The alliance said it will collect data in five area to
launch a Black Travel Scorecard:
• Employment -- Current number and percentage of black
people in management and on staff.
• Conferences & Tradeshows -- Black representation
(number and percentage) on speaker panels, workshops, sessions, etc.
• Paid Advertising/Marketing Campaigns -- Black representation (number and percentage)
in TV, radio, print and digital channels including social media.
• Press -- Black representation (number and percentage) on
media/press trips in 2019.
• Philanthropy -- Charitable contributions and support (i.e.
mentorship and intern programs, etc.) to black charities and community groups.
Citing a 2018 report from Mandala Research showing that
black Americans spend $63 billion on travel each year, the alliance said there
is not enough black representation in the management and staff of larger travel
companies, on travel press trips and in marketing campaigns, even from cities
and countries that attract or constitute a large number of black people.
The Black Travel
Alliance is asking travel companies to communicate their metrics publicly in
five key areas by June 19 and launched a campaign with the hashtag
#PullUpForTravel on social media.
The Black Travel Alliance said it launched in the wake of
social unrest from George Floyd’s publicized death and the ensuing support for Black
Lives Matter by travel brands and companies.
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Have you ever tried googling “Traveler” in google images? Well don’t bother, you will hardly see a black or brown face in the search results. It is as if black travelers do not exist, same goes with magazines, online publications, marketing campaigns… You name it. Seeing travelers who look like us represented in the travel industry is too often a far-fetched dream. This needs to change. #Blackvoyageurs stands in alliance with @theblacktravelalliance who is calling travel brands and destinations to take #BlackOutTuesday support beyond social media and work toward meaningful representation of Black voices in the travel industry. Please join the movement and ask all travel companies who have released a statement of support of Black Lives Matter to #PullUpForTravel and—within the next 72 hrs—publicly provide the following information: • Employment - Number of Black people in management & on staff • Conferences & Tradeshows - Black representation on speaker panels, workshops, sessions, etc • Paid Advertising/Marketing Campaigns - Black representation in TV, radio, print and digital channels including social media • Press - Black representation on media/press trips • Philanthropy - Charitable contributions and support (i.e. mentorship and intern programs, etc.) to Black charities and community groups • You made statements and policies advocating equal opportunity. Show us the proof! If you don't have stats, provide next steps on how you plan to level the playing field. PULL UP or SHUT UP! #PullUpForTravel #BlackTravelAlliance
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“Black Travel Alliance was heartened to see that many
destinations and travel brands showed support during #BlackOutTuesday. However,
dismantling systemic racism requires more than social media activism,” Jeff
Jenkins, founding member of the alliance, said in a statement.
“Destination
management organizations and travel brands need to truly become more inclusive
in their hiring practices and marketing campaigns.”