Women in Leadership: Hotels’ Progress and the Thin Pipeline

<3>Introduction

The hospitality industry has long been criticized for its lack of diversity and inclusion, particularly when it comes to women in leadership positions. However, recent studies suggest that hotels have made significant progress in increasing the number of women executives at the top of their organizations. Despite this progress, the middle-ranks still lack a sustainable pipeline of future leaders, threatening to undermine the industry’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion.

<3>Women in Leadership: A Growing Trend

According to a 2020 survey by the American Hotel and Lodging Association (AHLA), women now hold 44% of executive positions in the hotel industry, up from 35% in 2015. This increase is a testament to the industry’s efforts to promote diversity and inclusion, and to the growing number of women who are breaking into leadership positions.

<3>The Pipeline Problem

While the number of women in executive positions is increasing, the middle-ranks still lack a sustainable pipeline of future leaders. A 2019 report by the International Society of Hospitality Managers (ISHM) found that only 26%