The Women in Tourism Career Accelerator, a training initiative launched in a collaboration between Grow Tourism and Powrsuit, is tackling this challenge head-on by equipping women in tourism with the skills, connections, and strategies to develop in their careers and unlock tourism’s full potential.
New Zealand’s tourism industry currently sits at 88% of pre-pandemic levels with full recovery not expected until 2027.
In 2025, tourism has been named as a key cog in the Government’s economic growth strategy, presenting an opportunity to rethink how the industry can develop. Closing the gender gap at senior management levels represents one of the biggest untapped opportunities for tourism to deliver better outcomes—not just for individual businesses, but for New Zealand’s economy as a whole.
Networking
Currently, women make up 60% of the tourism workforce, yet hold only 17% of executive roles*. Global research shows that organisations with an equal mix of male and female management leadership experience stronger financial performance and better sustainability outcomes.
“Our goal is simple – to partner with tourism organisations that champion women’s advancement while equipping aspiring leaders with the networks and visibility to thrive. By combining organisational investment with personal brand development, we’re building the diverse leadership pipeline tourism needs to reach its full potential,” says Alex Dykman, Founder of capability development platform Grow Tourism.
“When we invest in women’s development, we’re investing in the economic resilience and long-term success of New Zealand tourism.”
Talent Flow
The programme is proudly championed by Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) – New Zealand’s only independent association that represents the large and diverse tourism industry.
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.
“Earlier this month 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,” she says.
“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 1 April, the new 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.
TIA Scholarships
Ms Ingram comments, “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,” she says.
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.
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, CEO of 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.
Natalie Ferguson, Co-Founder of Powrsuit, emphasises how diversity at senior levels drives lasting success.
“When women are better represented in senior management, the results are undeniable — businesses are stronger, teams are more engaged, and industry thrives,” Natalie says.
“Diversity is no longer a ‘nice to have’; it’s essential for long-term value creation. Initiatives like the Women in Tourism Career Accelerator are a game-changer, helping realize the full potential of both our workforce and the broader economy by fostering more inclusive leadership.”
Science Direct, Volume 108, 2025, Women executives’ inclusion experience and strategies in the hospitality and tourism industry
