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Gender equality tops agenda at She Means Business as IMEX America 2019 set to drive diversity debate

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With a recent World Economic Forum report (Global Gender Gap Report 2018) projecting it would take 202 years for men and women to reach economic parity, gender equality remains a pressing issue. It’s one that tops the agenda at She Means Business, part of IMEX America taking place September 10 – 12 in Las Vegas.

She Means Business, a joint event by IMEX and tw magazine, supported by MPI, will launch at the show following its success at IMEX in Frankfurt, bringing with it trail-blazing speakers and a commitment to collaborate and make a difference to the 21st century workplace.

Gender equality: less words and more action?

Dr. Mara Harvey, Head Global UHNW Germany, Austria, Italy of UBS Switzerland AG, delivers the keynote address – Gender equality: less words and more action? – explaining why actions speak louder than words in addressing barriers to economic equality. Beginning by exploring the root causes of the gender pay gap including the implicit meaning of semantics around risk and money, Mara will share her advice for boosting financial confidence across the generations, including stories and tools for tackling the glass ceiling.

She also joins a high caliber roster of speakers delivering punchy and powerful TED style mini presentations about women in business, delving into diversity, gender equality and female empowerment.

Other speakers include Christine Duffy, President of Carnival Cruise Line, Vicki Hawarden, VP Events for the Society for Human Resource Management and Melissa Ow, Deputy Chief Executive of the Singapore Tourism Board.

Professional & personal – finding a better balance

The sandwich generation: Balancing career and family is one that will resonate with many professionals, both women and men. With event management regarded as one of the most stressful careers in the world (Forbes, 2017), managing family obligations and a career can be challenging. An expert panel will debunk the myths, share best practices and solutions – the speakers are: Nelly Mukazayire, CEO of Rwanda Convention Bureau; Nicole Bowman, VP Marketing & Communications at IAEE; and Dale Hudson, Knowledge and Events Director of the IMEX Group.

Carina Bauer, CEO of the IMEX Group, explains: “Issues around diversity and gender equality are more important than ever and She Means Business will provide women in events and their male counterparts with a platform for deeper understanding and action. The launch of this new conference at IMEX America follows two years of growth and refinement at IMEX in Frankfurt. It’s a valuable opportunity for planners to collaborate with and learn from inspiring speakers on crucial issues facing women today and – like all IMEX education – there’s no charge to attend.”

Kerstin Wünsch, Editor-in-Chief of tw tagungswirtschaft and Co-Founder of She Means Business, says: “We’re very excited to introduce She Means Business to IMEX America, in partnership with MPI. The conference aims for diversity, gender equality and female empowerment – we believe that if we come together, we can make a change.”

“We are thrilled to support She Means Business – an innovative and inspiring program in partnership with our strategic partner, IMEX Group,” said Paul Van Deventer, CEO and President of MPI. “Diversity and inclusion are at the core of MPI and we know the strong impact this program will have on our community.”

She Means Business takes place on Smart Monday, powered by MPI, a pre-show day of education on September 9, the day before IMEX America September 10 – 12 .

Registration for the show is free of charge and open to all who work in the meetings, events and incentive travel industry.

CCH Congress Center Hamburg sponsors the keynote at She Means Business. Singapore Tourism Board is the golden sponsor.

IMEX America, the heartbeat of the global business events community, will take place September 10 – 12 at the Sands® Expo and Convention Center at The Venetian®| The Palazzo® in Las Vegas, preceded by Smart Monday, powered by MPI, on September 9.

www.imexamerica.com

Exhibitor news can be found here:

https://portal.imexamerica.com/exhibitor-press-releases.php

Media Contacts:

Emma Blake (UK): emma.blake@imexexhibitions.com   

Norman Birnbach (US): norman.birnbach@imexexhibitions.com     

Version CMO London and Club des Femmes de la Diversité CFD, together to help open up better opportunities for women in Cape Verde

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It is a powerful thing indeed to gather female entrepreneurs to meet from Europe and Africa and around the world to discuss opportunities and to drive change together.

Elizabeth Patricia Traore-Andony, MD, CMO London, and the President of Dina Mendes of Club des Femmes de la Diversité, are together in Cape Verde to engage in questions about gender in companies and the importance of value in female creators and entrepreneurship in small and medium enterprises.

Together they believe that building better business in Cape Verde and primary activity is the key in helping to resolve problems now and for future generations.

Commenting on this initiative, Elizabeth Patricia Traore-Andony says: “I hope that we can embrace the creation of a union for women in business and that we can take further steps towards this aim. We value the role of women in our lives, but we have to value the role of women as entrepreneur.”

Travel News | eTurboNews

Global Champion Awards announced by WTTC

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The countries and leaders who have made a difference to increase the competitiveness of the Travel & Tourism sector within their countries have been recognized at the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) Global Champions Awards at the WTTC Global Summit in Seville this week.

The inaugural WTTC Global Champions Awards recognizes those countries from 185 around the world which have used policy initiatives to create the conditions to promote the long-term sustainable growth of our sector.

The categories of awards and the recipients are as follows:

Security & Seamless Travel Experience which recognizes leadership in transforming border security and the traveler experience through the use of technology and facial recognition systems – awarded to Kevin McAleenan, Commissioner, Customs and Border Protection, USA.

Resilience which recognizes leadership by a country which has demonstrated success in recovery from adverse events – H.E. Dr. Rania Al-Mashat, Minister of Tourism, Arab Republic of Egypt.

Social Impact which recognizes leadership in enabling gender equality and diversity; engaging local communities and making the sector more attractive for future generations – awarded to Hon. Najib Balala, Cabinet Secretary for Tourism & Wildlife in the Government of Kenya.

Destination Stewardship which recognizes leadership for work undertaken to overcome seasonality as a way of improving the year-round tourism experience – H.E. Elena Kountoura, Minister of Tourism, Government of Greece.

Crisis Preparedness, Management & Recovery which recognizes leadership in disaster preparedness and having effective response systems at both national and local levels – H.E. Keiichi Ishii, Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, Government of Japan.

Innovation and Technology recognizes leadership in innovation and the implementation of technology that meets the needs of tomorrow’s travelers and fosters sustainable tourism growth – awarded to H.E. Maria Reyes Maroto Illera, Minister of Tourism, Government of Spain.

The awards ceremony took place at the Gala Dinner of the WTTC Global Summit which was held in Seville, Spain, and hosted by Ayuntamiento of Seville, Turismo Andaluz and Turespana.

Gloria Guevara, President & CEO, commented: “The WTTC Global Champions Awards are designed to recognize those countries and individuals whose policies or initiatives have made a significant contribution to the creation of jobs in our sector in a range of different ways.

“Promoting the long-term sustainable growth of our sector is critical and the winners will help those countries and individuals whose actions have had the greatest impact.”

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Welcome to Spain: WTTC Summit Opened in Seville

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This morning the World Travel and Tourism Council Summit 2019 opened in Seville, Spain.
A line up of top tourism leaders in the private industry together with political tourism leaders are meeting in the next two days at this event UNWTO Secretary-General today called the summit the most important days in the world of tourism.

The Travel & Tourism industry has been redefined by changemakers according to the theme of the event.

Speaking at the openings was:

Juan Manuel Moreno, President, The Regional Government of Andalusia
Hon Pedro Sánchez, President, Spain
Juan Espadas, Mayor, Seville
Zurab Pololikashvili, Secretary-General, UNWTO Pololikashvili
Christopher J. Nassetta, Chairman, World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) & CEO, Hilton.

Pololikashvili promised repeatedly the UNWTO will do many things together.


Gloria Guevara,  CEO of WTTC  pointed out the growth of the travel and tourism industry, 1.4 billion international arrivals, 4,4 billion people flying and 7 billion domestic trips are taken every year.
According to the WTTC CEO tourism growth numbers are the second highest in the world and contribute 8.8 trillion Dollars to economies.
Guevara pointed out that smartphones were only invented in 2007 and soon biometrics can be used to avoid lines at borders, check into hotels and replace identification documents altogether.
Gloria predicted driverless cars will bring travelers to hotels, and 5G technology will improve communication and emergency management.

Hon Pe dro Sánchez, President, Spain echoed a lot of these numbers and talked about big data, mentioned gender equalities. He said the leadership position of Spain in Travel and Tourism and he thanked delegates the support for tourism Spain received for 40 years. Investing in Security means investing in Tourism.

The president closed his speech in saying, we believe in equality. He pointed to delegates and said society needs you to build trust and not to build walls. Welcome to Spain!

Click for more news on WTTC

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Brunei Travel: Ready to be stoned to death? How will WTTC and UNWTO respond?

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Brunei is becoming a deadly place to visit starting April 3, specially if you are member of the LGBT Community.

Next week the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) will have their annual summit in Seville, Spain. Tourism leaders from around the globe will meet and listen to keynote speaker U.S. President Obama. Will President Obama, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, or WTTC CEO Gloria Guevara say something on what is developing in Brunei?

No country in the world so far issued travel warnings against Brunei. U.S. authorities have a level 2 travel advisories against Germany or the Bahamas but find travel for Americans perfectly safe when a new law threatens citizens and visitors, including children to be subject to death by stoning for same-sex sexual acts and amputation for robbery. Such a law will come into effect in Brunei Darussalam on April 3.

Brunei is a tiny nation on the island of Borneo, in 2 distinct sections surrounded by Malaysia and the South China Sea. It’s known for its beaches and biodiverse rainforest, much of it protected within reserves. The capital, Bandar Seri Begawan, is home to the opulent Jame’Asr Hassanil Bolkiah mosque and its 29 golden domes. The capital’s massive Istana Nurul Iman palace is the residence of Brunei’s ruling sultan

“Pending provisions in Brunei’s Penal Code would allow stoning and amputation as punishments – including for children, to name only their most heinous aspects,” said Rachel Chhoa-Howard, Brunei Researcher at Amnesty International.

“Brunei must immediately halt its plans to implement these vicious punishments and revise its Penal Code in compliance with its human rights obligations. The international community must urgently condemn Brunei’s move to put these cruel penalties into practice.”

These punishments are provided for in newly-implemented sections of the Brunei Darussalam Syariah Penal Code that are due to come into force on 3 April 2019, according to a discreet notice on the Attorney General’s website.

“To legalize such cruel and inhuman penalties is appalling of itself. Some of the potential ‘offences’ should not even be deemed crimes at all, including consensual sex between adults of the same gender,” said Rachel Chhoa-Howard. “These abusive provisions received widespread condemnation when plans were first discussed five years ago.”

Amnesty expressed grave concerns over the Penal Code when the code’s first phase was implemented in April 2014.

“Brunei’s Penal Code is a deeply flawed piece of legislation containing a range of provisions that violate human rights,” said Rachel Chhoa-Howard. “As well as imposing cruel, inhuman and degrading punishments, it blatantly restricts the rights to freedom of expression, religion, and belief, and codifies discrimination against women and girls.”

Stoning and a hunt to kill members of the LGBT community is not an isolated problem in Brunei alone. Brunei is joining countries like Iraq, Iran, Saudi Arabia or Tanzania.

Background

Brunei Darussalam has signed but not yet ratified the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, and has rejected all recommendations to this effect in its human rights review at the UN in 2014.

Under international human rights law, corporal punishment in all its forms, such as stoning, amputation or whipping, constitutes torture or other cruel, inhuman or degrading punishment, which is prohibited in all circumstances.

Acts of torture and other ill-treatment are absolutely proscribed in the main international human rights instruments, most of which Brunei has not signed or ratified. In addition, this prohibition is also recognized as a peremptory rule of customary international law, meaning that every state is bound by it even if they are not a party to a relevant human rights treaty. All acts of torture constitute crimes under international law.

While Brunei retains the death penalty in law, it is abolitionist in practice. One new death sentence was imposed in 2017, for a drug-related offense.

Just a few years ago the Sultan of Brunei told UNWTO Secretary-General and WTTC CEO: “We will do our best to support tourism. Tourism is of strategic importance for Brunei and based on two principal resources: the country’s pristine rainforest in the heart of Borneo, and its spiritual and cultural heritage. Environmental protection and conservation must, therefore, lie at the heart of any tourism development, the Sultan had stressed.

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United: Top-ranked LGBTQ airline

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United Airlines today announced that for the eighth consecutive year, it has received a perfect score of 100 percent on the 2019 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), a premier benchmarking survey and report on corporate policies and practices related to LGBTQ workplace equality, administered by the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation.

“United is proud to receive this recognition as it speaks to our focus on building a more inclusive and caring workplace and customer experience,” said Human Resources and Labor Relations Executive Vice President Kate Gebo. “We believe that advocating for inclusion is at the heart of connecting people and uniting the world, and United is determined to continue working with organizations such as the Human Rights Campaign to help champion LGBTQ inclusion.”

“The top-scoring companies on this year’s CEI are not only establishing policies that affirm and include employees here in the United States, they are applying these policies to their global operations and impacting millions of people beyond our shores,” said HRC President Chad Griffin.

The 2019 CEI evaluates LGBTQ-related policies and practices including non-discrimination workplace protections, domestic partner benefits, transgender-inclusive health care benefits, competency programs and public engagement with the LGBTQ community. United’s efforts in satisfying all of the CEI’s criteria results in a 100 percent score and the designation as a Best Place to Work for LGBTQ Equality.

United has worked with the Human Rights Campaign on its training initiatives including teaching employees about preferred pronouns and the persistence of gender norms and other steps to make United an inclusive space for both customers and employees. The airline’s latest efforts include developing comprehensive training modules and exercises to continue employee education on how to be a better ally in both the workplace and to customers. Over the past year, United has also opened more LGBTQ Business Resource Groups across the country, reaching more employees.

This recognition follows the airline’s recent announcement that United became the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all booking channels in addition to providing the option to select the title “Mx.” during booking and in a MileagePlus customer profile. United customers and employees have the option to identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passports or identification.

Alongside partner organizations, customers and employees, United will continue working to build the world’s most inclusive airline. For more information on United’s commitment to diversity and inclusion, click here.

Every customer. Every flight. Every day.

In 2019, United is focusing more than ever on its commitment to its customers, looking at every aspect of its business to ensure that the carrier keeps customers’ best interests at the heart of its service. In addition to today’s announcement, United recently released a re-imagined version of the most downloaded app in the airline industry and made DIRECTV free for every passenger on 211 aircraft, offering more than 100 channels on seat back monitors on more than 30,000 seats. The multimillion-dollar investment in improving inflight entertainment options will benefit the more than 29 million people expected to fly United’s DIRECTV-enabled planes this year.

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United Airlines: Non-binary gender booking options

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United Airlines today announced it has become the first U.S. airline to offer non-binary gender options throughout all booking channels in addition to providing the option to select the title “Mx.” during booking and in a MileagePlus customer profile. Customers now have the ability to identify themselves as M(male), F(female), U(undisclosed) or X(unspecified), corresponding with what is indicated on their passports or identification.

“United is determined to lead the industry in LGBT inclusivity, and we are so proud to be the first U.S. airline to offer these inclusive booking options for our customers,” said United’s Chief Customer Officer Toby Enqvist. “United is excited to share with our customers, whether they identify along the binary of male or female or not, that we are taking the steps to exhibit our care for them while also providing additional employee training to make us even more welcoming for all customers and employees.”

As part of implementing these new changes, United has worked with the Human Rights Campaign and The Trevor Project on employee training initiatives. These initiatives include teaching employees about preferred pronouns and the persistence of gender norms, LGBT competency in the workplace and other steps to make United an inclusive space for both customers and employees.

“At the Human Rights Campaign, we believe being acknowledged as the gender you identify with is part of treating everyone with dignity and respect,” said Beck Bailey, acting director of the Workplace Equality Program. “By providing non-binary gender selection for ticketing and the gender-inclusive honorific ‘Mx’ in user profiles, United Airlines is taking an important step forward for non-binary inclusion.”

“The Trevor Project is grateful for United Airlines’ support of our life-saving work on behalf of LGBTQ youth,” said Amit Paley, CEO & Executive Director of The Trevor Project. “We are thrilled to bring Trevor’s expertise on the mental health of LGBTQ people to United to ensure its employees maintain safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTQ employees and guests.”

Alongside partner organizations, customers, and employees, United will continue working to build the world’s most inclusive airline. The changes to the booking process are now currently available.

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