Industry Unites to Move the Needle on Gender Equality at WITH Summit

# Overview

The 10th-annual Women in Tourism and Hospitality (WITH) Summit convened at Hotel X Toronto. Organized by Kostuch Media Ltd. and Sequel Hotels & Resorts, the day-long event combined keynote conversation, panels, workshops and networking with the explicit goal of promoting women into leadership and advancing gender equality across hospitality and tourism.

# What mattered most

Speakers framed the challenge in both structural and practical terms. Rosanna Caira, co-founder of WITHorg, called for an intersectional approach to inclusion, reminding attendees that "women" encompasses diverse experiences shaped by race, ability, socio-economic status, sexual orientation and other identities. She urged leaders to advocate for policies that reduce discrimination and provide stronger support systems.

Anne Axler-Larcade, co-founder of WITHorg and CEO of Sequel Hotels & Resorts, noted a persistent imbalance: women influence 82% of travel decisions but hold only 7% of hotel CEO roles in North America. That contrast anchored conversations about where employers should focus resources.

# Notable speaker takeaways

# Concrete policy recommendations

Speakers and panelists emphasized workplace changes that companies can implement now:

• Flexible working hours to accommodate caregiving and mixed schedules.
• Robust family leave policies that go beyond minimal statutory requirements.
• Targeted programs for women's professional growth, including mentorship and sponsorship.
• Anti-discrimination measures that explicitly account for intersectional identities.

These were framed as both retention tools and steps to increase the pipeline for leadership roles.

# Practical next steps for employers and leaders

The Summit asked leaders in attendance to continue advocating internally for measurable policy changes. Recommended actions include auditing current parental leave and scheduling policies, creating funded pathways for mid-career development, and setting measurable targets for gender representation in leadership roles.

# Why this matters for the industry now

Organizers tied the business case to market reality: with women driving most travel decisions, leadership teams that lack gender diversity are misaligned with customer influence and perspective. The Summit positioned gender equity not as an abstract goal but as a strategic issue that affects product, marketing and service design.

# Closing note

The event combined reflection with a push for accountability. Speakers celebrated progress and male allyship while urging concrete, sustained action—policy changes, development programs and organizational commitments—to translate goodwill into measurable change.