Tourism Industry Aotearoa launches new ‘Women in Tourism Career Accelerator’ programme

Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) has partnered with Grow Tourism and Powrsuit to support the launch of their new ‘Women in Tourism Career Accelerator’ programme. 

Designed specifically for women in the tourism industry, the professional development programme aims to provide practical tools, knowledge, and connections to help women accelerate their careers.

TIA Chief Executive Rebecca Ingram says the programme puts in place the industry strategy – Tourism 2050: a Blueprint for Impact – by growing and enabling the flow of talent into quality tourism jobs.

Ingram noted “last week, to celebrate International Women’s Day, we profiled a small handful of the strong, successful and influential women who contribute daily to the success of our industry. Women play an essential role in tourism - currently making up 60% of the tourism workforce.

“This programme will help to equip more women in tourism with skills, connections and strategies to develop and advance their individual career goals. As a result, we will empower women to lead the industry into the future – and supercharge its potential”.

Available from 1st April, the programme offers bite-sized skills development, focusing on three key areas: self-leadership, networking, and personal branding. It aims to nurture career progression and ensure women have the tools they need to thrive in leadership roles.

When more women are represented at senior levels it inspires the next generation of female leaders. This is especially important for the tourism industry as it evolves and grows on its role as a key contributor to New Zealand’s economy and vibrant communities. 

Ingram added “I personally know how important it is to have someone in your corner and have been lucky enough to have allies who have championed me and encouraged me to take up opportunities – and give me the push I sometimes needed

“I’m looking forward to championing this programme with our members to see more women thrive.”

As part of TIA’s support, it will offer three scholarships to its members to take part in the programme this year, with the accelerator profiled across TIA’s channels.   

About the Women in Tourism Career Accelerator programme
The Women in Tourism Career Accelerator offers participants practical, on-demand learning via three courses led by accomplished female tourism professionals. Each course is designed to develop skills essential for career progression. 

• The Art of Self-Leadership is taught by Kylie Ruwhiu-Karawana, Chief Executive TRC Tourism – helping participants define their strengths and career path and actively shape their own opportunities.

• The Power of Networking and Connection is led by Lou Baddiley, Business Development Manager at Rotorua NZ, and focuses on building genuine relationships to bridge the gap between where participants are and where they want to be in their careers.

• Crafting Your Personal Brand is taught by Michelle Caldwell, Director of Destinate NZ – empowering participants to take control of how they are perceived professionally by creating a compelling, authentic personal narrative.

Upon completing the courses, learners maintain momentum with a three-month membership to Powrsuit, a global professional network for women looking to build career-enhancing skills and connections.

Register and find our more information about the course here: Women in Tourism Career Accelerator. 

Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) is Aotearoa New Zealand tourism’s peak industry body. They are the only independent association that represents all sectors of the country’s large and diverse tourism industry.