TUI Futureshapers London
Around 1.6 million tour guides currently tell their stories and help holidaymakers to discover new cultures around the world. They are fundamental to the tourism industry, but the profession is mostly male dominated. However, trends show however that female tour guides are on the rise and are predicted to grow by 10% in the next decade.
TUI Futureshapers London supports the training of 8 female tour guides in the city and equips them with the skills to create and lead engaging tours. This includes storytelling, tour organisation, customer engagement and marketing strategies. With the acquired skills, these women will be able to generate income by conducting their own tours. This financial independence contributes to their overall economic empowerment and enhances their ability to support themselves and their families.
The programme recruits underserved talent during an open day, which also includes a confidence boosting workshop and an introduction to the programme by the trainers.
The six training sessions take place at the Royal Society of Arts in London and enable the participants to create their own tours, set themselves up as freelancers and learn how to invoice. These sessions are followed by in-person mentoring sessions which guide them on the do’s and don’ts of being a solo entrepreneur and micro- business owner.
The programme encourages the women to share their unique, personal stories and cultural backgrounds, fostering multiculturalism and enriching the tourism experiences they lead.
This not only benefits the guides but also promotes a deeper understanding and appreciation amongst local, domestic and international visitors, of the diversity of the destination and how different identities co-exist peacefully and enrich the destination. This “rise and lift others” approach ensures that the impact of the programme is both broad and inclusive.
A collaboration with TUI will allow the guides to provide guaranteed city tours after the end of the training to holidaymakers from around the world.
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Project Partner
Women in Travel CIC is a UK based award winning social enterprise that connects underserved, diverse female talent to employment and enterprising opportunities in the travel, tourism and hospitality industry. It partners with employers and organisations to provide talent services, education and events that foster a more diverse and inclusive industry.
