Worldwide Girls’s Day 2021: Girls in Aviation and Journey & Tourism

Women who work in the aviation, travel and tourism industries share their thoughts on various aspects of their job and what it is like to find their way around the largely male-dominated top management positions.

Tanu Lele, Head of Corporate Sales – India, and Desiree Dubier, Contact Center Manager at Cathay Pacific Airways, share their views.

Indian hospitality scenario

Tanu Lele, Head of Corporate Sales – India, Cathay Pacific Airways Says: “Women make up almost 70 percent of the workforce in the tourism and hospitality sectors worldwide. Regardless of this number, women in this segment unfortunately do not always receive the same benefits and opportunities as men. They hold less than 40 percent of all supervisory functions and less than 20 percent of all management positions.

The Indian hospitality and aviation segment is still largely male dominated. However, there have been positive advances that make the industry more diverse. Indeed, the hospitality industry is now one of the top five sectors for women at all levels. Many organizations have actively taken steps to provide women with a safer and more progressive work environment. Existing female leaders and male allies have worked to welcome and empower women. In my opinion, the future looks very bright for women and I look forward to seeing them move forward and make great strides across all industries. “

Desiree Dubier, Contact Center Manager at Cathay Pacific Airways says: “According to a study, the Indian hotel industry employs only 20 percent women, less than 3 percent of them in management positions. Although the current male to female ratio in the hospitality industry is dominated by male employees, the sector is constantly working to increase the proportion of women and improve gender equality. For many years women have been at the forefront of the travel and hospitality industries in India. Today, however, women increasingly occupy management positions in the industry. There are also numerous women entrepreneurs who are proud owners of their own travel and hospitality businesses. “

To work from home

TL: Working from home was indeed a challenge for the first few months as we tried to find a balance between work and housework. Over time, however, it was easier for me to adapt and imagine doing more work. Working from home can be very productive when you have family support. Still, I definitely miss meeting my colleagues and I’m looking forward to being back in the office.

DD: COVID-19 brought some change in the way we work. With the pandemic, we overcame our greatest challenge: We continued our contact center operations and offered our customers seamless service from home. While working from home went smoothly for me, I miss the interaction and camaraderie in the workplace. As a team, all of our internal communication is limited to calls, virtual conferences and messages. I firmly believe that there is no substitute for human interaction, and you can achieve much more when the team is physically together. With the support of the technology, we were able to continue our operations and communicate smoothly with each other, but I don’t want to go back to the office.

Faced challenges

TL: Challenges are a natural part of any good journey. I’ve had my share of successes and failures. Learning from my mistakes and making that change in me that leads to better prospects has been my greatest challenge and opportunity. It’s been an exciting journey of growth and development

DD: As far as I can remember, there were no challenges, just opportunities, and it was up to me to make the most of them. I am very blessed to work with an organization like Cathay Pacific that believes in its people and supports them in achieving their goals and aspirations.

safety first

TL: We do not tolerate any form of harassment or discrimination. We have a strict policy specifically for sexual harassment – Sexual Harassment Prevention (POSH), which is strictly adhered to. In our opinion, Cathay Pacific provides women with a very safe and empowering environment to work and grow.

Participation of women in the workforce

DD: As a global company, we focus on gender-specific diversity and create an environment that offers our employees equal opportunities. In all regions, women make up 55 percent of our total workforce.

Facilities for women

TL: Women are entitled to six months of maternity leave and can also take advantage of flexible working hours when they return to work. In addition, they can take advantage of the Global Employee Assistance Program (EAP), which offers expert advice and specialized support in all matters. In addition, we offer women comprehensive insurance cover that includes maternity protection as well as expenses before and after the birth. The insurance also applies to newborns from the first day of their birth.

DD: The safety of our employees, both women and men, is very important to us. Our employees who work the night shift receive a special pick-up and delivery service. As an additional measure, we also have a female security service who accompanies you on your trip to the office or home.

Message to the aspirants of hospitality

TL: The world of travel and aviation inspires me again and again. Out of a passion for aviation paired with my experience; I want to tell all women to pursue what inspires you and accept the challenges that come with it. When we face challenges outside of your comfort zone, we all learn and grow.

DD: There is no easy way to make your dreams come true. It takes hard work, dedication, and love for your work. Find joy in what you do and believe in yourself – this is my message to young aspirants as it has always worked for me.