Virtual Women in Travel and Hospitality Conference coming next week

An online gathering of enlightened women and advocates in the travel, tourism and hospitality industries will be on held on July 14, with 2021 edition of the Women in Travel and Hospitality Conference, powered by BLLA. The event has been held annually since 2013 and is supported by more than 12,500 women globally who belong to the Travel Industry Executive Women’s Network (TIEWN).

Highlights of the conference include support of women in media, such as Lisa Ellen Niver with more than 1.3 million views of her travel videos and her panelists from National Geographic and AFAR Media. Top travel advisor owners will review how resiliency carried them through the pandemic to their success today and guiding business and leisure travelers through the myriad of global travel restrictions.

This year’s agenda includes female hotel owners, wellness, new technologies and crisis management. Niki Leondakis, former CEO of Kimpton Hotels, returns to the stage for an update on Leadership Skills in a Changing World. Attendees will select their favorites and then be able to come back for a week or a month, depending on their ticket, to review the other sessions.

There will be several sessions for attendees to meet one-on-one through a speed-dating app, as well as in small introduction rooms throughout the day. Additionally, attendees can connect with each other via the conference app where they will build their own profile.

A highlight of the day’s speakers includes Frances & Ariela Kiradjian, partners, TIEWN, BLLA, StayBoutique, Boutique Money Group and BLLA Events; Amber Asher, president/general counsel, Standard Hotels International; Bev Maloney-Fischback, CEO/founder/publisher, Organic Spa Media; Dr. Peter Tarlow, author and founder/president, Tourism & More; Louise Gillon, head, hotel finance, Bank Leumi Israel; Virginia Messina, SVP, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC); Sowon Kim, associate professor, Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (Switzerland); Shirnett Fleet, chief marketing officer, Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection; and more.