PRESS RELEASE
For immediate release
Tuesday, June 16th, 2020
Black Travel Alliance Launches #PullUpForTravel Campaign
Black Travel Alliance, a newly formed group of Black Travel Content Creators, calls destination management organizations and travel brands to take #BlackOutTuesday support beyond social media and work toward meaningful representation of Black voices in the travel industry.
According to a 2018 report from Mandala Research, Black Americans alone spend $63 billion on travel each year, yet, there is little to no Black representation in the management and staff of larger travel companies. Similarly, there is a major lack in Black representation on press trips and in marketing campaigns, even from cities and countries that attract or constitute a large number of Black people.
The Black Travel Alliance is launching the Black Travel Scorecard to evaluate destinations management organizations and travel brands on not just what they say, but also what they do. The alliance is collecting KPIs in these five major areas:
- Employment – Current number and percentage of Black people in management and on staff
- Conferences & Tradeshows – Black representation (number and percentage) on speaker panels, workshops, sessions, etc. in 2019
- Paid Advertising/Marketing Campaigns – Black representation (number and percentage) in TV, radio, print, and digital channels including social media in 2019
- Press – Black representation (number and percentage) on media/press trips in 2019
- Philanthropy – Charitable contributions and support (i.e. mentorship and intern programs, etc.) to Black charities and community groups
The Black Travel Alliance calls on destination management organizations and travel brands to communicate their metrics publicly in these five key areas by Friday, June 19th, with hashtag #PullUpForTravel on social media. More than a mere black square on social media, the alliance believes this data will demonstrate true allyship, and that these areas are key towards ending the systemic lack of diversity in the travel industry.
The Black Travel Alliance was launched in the wake of social unrest from George Floyd’s publicized murder—and pronouncements of “Black Lives Matter” support by travel brands and companies.
“Black Travel Alliance was heartened to see that many destinations and travel brands showed support during #BlackOutTuesday. However, dismantling systemic racism requires more than social media activism,” says Jeff Jenkins, an award-winning content creator and founding member of the alliance. “Destination management organizations and travel brands need to truly become more inclusive in their hiring practices and marketing campaigns.”
ENDS
For more information
Media Contact: Martina Jones Johnson
Phone: 347-871-8236
Email: mediarequests@blacktravelalliance.com
Instagram: @TheBlackTravelAlliance + Twitter: TheBlackTravelA
Hashtags: #PullUpForTravel | #PullUpOrShutUp| #BlackTravelAlliance
Internet: www.blacktravelalliance.com
Notes to Editor
The hashtag #PullUpForTravel is a variant of #PullUpOrShutUp launched by Sharon Chuter in response to #BlackOutTuesday. That campaign called on beauty companies to provide insight into the number of Black executives and staff at their companies. Our campaign seeks to uncover Black employment figures for destination management organizations and travel brands, along with data for the other four areas outlined in the Black Travel Scorecard.
Friday, June 19th is symbolic as it will be Juneteenth which celebrates the ending of slavery in the United States. Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19th that Union soldiers landed in Galveston, Texas with news that the American Civil War and slavery had come to an end.
About Black Travel Alliance
Black Travel Alliance is a new group of Black Travel Content Creators from across the globe. Our three pillars of the community are alliance, amplification, and accountability. As travel authors, bloggers, broadcasters, journalists, photographers, podcasters, social media influencers, and vloggers, we unify to amplify. We also aim to provide training and business support to our members, as well as hold destinations and travel brands accountable on the issue of diversity in travel marketing and storytelling.
Launch Team
- Ursula Petula Barzey, Digital Content Creator, Caribbean & Co.
- Gabby Beckford, Gen Z Travel Expert, PacksLight.com
- Donna-Kay Delahaye, Travel Blogger | Photographer | Digital Content Creator, Huesofdelahaye.com
- Rashida Dowe, Career Break Coach | Content Creator, Shidasontheloose.com
- Lauren Gay, Travel Blogger | Podcaster | Photographer, Misadventures of an Outdoorsy Diva Blog & Outdoorsy Diva Podcast
- Monet Hambrick, Family Travel Expert | Author at TheTravelingChild.co
- Tomiko Harvey, Digital Marketer, Passportsandgrub.com
- Colby Holiday, Travel Blogger | Content Creator, World of a Wanderer
- Jeff Jenkins, Content Creator | Social Media Specialist, ChubbyDiaries.com
- Travis Levius, Travel Writer/Editor | Content Creator | Consultant
- Leslie and Martina Johnson, Content Creators, ThatCoupleWhoTravels.com
- Martinique Lewis, Diversity in Travel Consultant, Martysandiego.com
- Kerwin McKenzie, Author | Content Creator | Speaker, Passrider.com
- Dr. Nadeen White, Travel Blogger | Content Creator | Author | Speaker, The Sophisticated Life
- Kelley Woods, Content Creator | Travel Advisor, Traveling With Cute Luggage
- Davida Wulff-Vanderpuije, Content Creator | Audio Storyteller, Wonders of Wanders
- Xavier, Travel Entrepreneur | Content Creator, BlackVoyageurs.com
Find more information about launch team members.
Standing with y’all
Dr. Kiona!
Thank you so much, we appreciate it!
Black Travel Alliance.
I’ve been ready for this organization for a LONG time. I’m happy to witness the beginning of this movement and participate in such a historic change for Black travelers worldwide. Thank you for bringing this to fruition. 🖤 #pullupfortravel
Darrah Joy,
You are welcome and thank you for your comment. It’s been a long time coming.
Black Travel Alliance.
Love this alliance! One area you should add to the scorecard is how many black vendors does the company source? For example, If a company is are a tour operator or buyer of tours, do they source black-owned hotels, guides, restaurants in building itineraries? How do they connect and collaborate with the community they are would like to build a tour program with. How is the money staying in the community? There are more metrics that could be added on when advancing the score card that support sustainable tourism.
Kelly,
Thank you for these suggestions. We will review them as we compile the scorecard.
Black Travel Alliance
I love this so much. It’s only so many times one can visit the Bahamas.
Congrats on launching this very important group. Your timing couldn’t be better. And I look forward to all the content and support that will come from this initiative. ✊🏽✊🏽
Thank you Ruth.
Black Travel Alliance.
I would love to join and be a part of the alliance.
Hi Reggie,
Thank you for your support and comment.
You can head over to https://www.blacktravelalliance.com/join.
Looking forward to having you.
Black Travel Alliance.
This is dope!
LaKetha,
Thank you.
Black Travel Alliance.
I want to be represent in travel and i thank you all for starting this movement.
I love this. Yes we need to be represented. Our dollars are keeping businesses open.
I will like to be an ally. Great idea.
So excited for this! I’m a creator that focuses on food and been looking into expanding into travel. Looking forward to the support and growth with this alliance!
Hey All – Thank you for starting this Alliance. As a rising leader in travel/tourism and being Latino, I can attest to the many challenges our communities face. I am looking forward to supporting your mission in the years to come.
This has been a necessary tool, and I’m so happy it’s finally coming to fruition. I would love to join the alliance.
Sharon Kinney
I’ve been looking for a brown travel agent
This is going to be EPIC!!!! I can’t wait to be a part of it!!
Thanks for supporting Us!
I would love to be an ally!
EXCELLENT PLATFORM
WELCOME ABOARD, WILL REFER TO THIS SITE BEFORE I TRAVEL!
Thank you thank you thank you!! As an black owned travel agency i can attest to the fact that this is needed!!
This is amazing. As an owner of my Travel Business, I have wanted to get the word out that “we do travel” also and therefore advertising should be more diverse and appealing to African Americans as well. Suppliers should find a way to have more inclusions instead of exclusions to black and brown people all over the world. Thank you again for bringing this to light. #wetravelalso
Well done, much needed and great initiative! These travel brands need to be accountable, and as I’ve noted too after my traveling to over forty countries, they care little about us.
I applaud the activism and the united front of coming together to enact change. Honestly though, the travel industry is struggling to survive and to recover. It will be a long and tough road and many are out of work, just hoping to be able to get their jobs back, support their families and secure their futures. To really help, you should consider being a promoter of change through a constructive sit down with global tourism employers and big hotel brands. Not a social media grab that is basically demanding 3 days for them to pony up. Real, authentic change is not accomplished in 72 hours. In my opinion and I know I may be in the minority opinion here, the tone of the campaign strikes me as very negative and even when companies came to the table, the BTA is publicly scorning them, calling them out. Instead what you should do is take it beyond just the surface of optics and work with them to fill in the gaps or offer counsel on how to improve. I think you have a real chance here to do something so please don’t squander it for the shock factor of a viral social media campaign to get attention. It has become more about the campaign than about the change. Fame is fleeting. It will not lead to the real change that should be taking place. You should have come at this differently IMO.
SallyA,
Thank you for taking the time to send us feedback and applauding our efforts to enact change.
Our mission goes beyond the requests we’ve made of the travel brands in our campaign. I encourage you to take a look at our Mission and Vision statements at https://www.blacktravelalliance.com/about. I think you will see that our mission statement addresses your comments.
In addition, you can see the brands who have already responded to our requests for KPIs at https://www.blacktravelalliance.com/reported-kpi/. We continue to update this page as we receive or find information.
We hope this addresses your concerns, if not, feel free to let us know.
Black Travel Alliance.
You guys have all of my support!
Thank you.