The Travel Unity Virtual Spring Summit served as a high-impact, two-day digital forum designed for travel executives, destination marketers, and operational leaders. The event moved past basic DEI theory to focus heavily on implementation—giving stakeholders a collaborative space to look at how shifts in government policy, community accessibility, and workforce development impact the resilience of modern tourism.
The summit focused on bringing together leaders from across the travel and tourism industry to discuss actionable ways to systematically embed diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into corporate strategic planning, operations, and community storytelling.
"Building a truly welcoming travel industry isn't just about changing who is in our marketing photos; it requires us to align our backend operations, organizational values, and community storytelling with the actual lived experiences of the diverse world we serve." - Roni Weiss, Executive Director, Travel Unity
Exploring how building a genuinely welcoming travel industry starts with leadership guided by clear, inclusive values.
Developing and sustaining equitable professional pathways and employment practices within the travel sector.
Analyzing the tourism industry's responsibility to handle historical narratives, legacy events (like Stonewall), and destination marketing with authenticity, care, and full physical accessibility.
Adam Burke – President & CEO, LA Tourism
Catherine Prather – President, National Tour Association (NTA)
Greg Takehara – CEO, Tourism Cares
Lydia Walker – Director of Operations and Service, Frankenmuth Tourism
Roni Weiss – Executive Director, Travel Unity
Amy Wood – Accessible Events Manager, Salesforce
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TIME
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TOPIC
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1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
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Travel Unity Town Hall – Leading with Values: Building a Welcoming Travel Industry
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2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
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Workforce Development in the Travel Industry
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3:00 – 4:00 PM ET
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Stonewall and the Responsibility for Honest, Inclusive Storytelling
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TIME
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TOPIC
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1:00 – 2:00 PM ET
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Inclusive Case Studies in Travel
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2:00 – 3:00 PM ET
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Accessible Destinations and Events: From Talking to Doing
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3:00 – 4:00 PM ET
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Travel Industry in Turbulent Times: Responding to Shifting Government Policies
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Explore additional summit archives and initiatives.
