Marriott International, the world's largest hotel chain with the largest presence in the Caribbean and Latin America, commemorated International Women's Day with a virtual panel that brought together some of the most prominent women in the industry. Louise Bang, Chief Commercial Officer of Marriott CALA, spoke with Marina Colunga, Commercial Director of Iberia for Latin America; Carolina Trejo, Marketing Director of the Costa Rican Tourism Institute; María Bea Sajón, General Manager of Virtuoso for Latin America and the Caribbean; and Yudit García Rodríguez, General Manager of the JW Marriott Hotel Santo Domingo, in a discussion moderated by Liseth Pérez Almeida, Lifestyle and Entertainment Editor at El Diario NY.
During the discussion, the panelists explored strategies to accelerate women's advancement into leadership positions, promote their professional growth, and harness the potential of female talent.
Louise Bang opened the conversation by thanking the panelists for their participation and highlighting that, “Diversity is our greatest strength as a company. Marriott International realized long ago that providing opportunities to create a diverse and inclusive environment strengthens our company culture and provides a competitive advantage. Our culture of inclusion and our commitment to empowering women dates back to 1927 with Alice S. Marriott, our co-founder. At Marriott, we value the influential roles women play as associates, leaders, and decision-makers, and we are committed to empowering women inside and outside of work, especially the younger generations, who have so much to contribute.”
Carolina Trejo, for her part, highlighted the importance of female leadership in tourism SMEs and the role of the public sector in their growth: "In Costa Rica, 85% of tourism service companies are small and medium-sized family businesses, where women play a fundamental role. From the public sector, we have the challenge and commitment to support them in their professionalization, helping them raise the quality of their products to make them more competitive. By promoting these women, we not only transform their businesses, but we also generate a positive impact on the entire community."
From a professional growth perspective, María Bea Sajón emphasized the key values for achieving leadership positions in the industry: "Dedication and focus are essential, for both men and women. Perhaps, for us, empathy and the ability to connect emotionally are an added value. But, ultimately, success is based on hard work, having a clear vision, and helping others achieve their own goals."
Marina Colunga encouraged women to challenge standards and take control of their professional paths: "Never let the roles imposed by society dictate what you can do. Each of us is the master of our own destiny: we choose where we want to be, what companies we work for, and what paths we follow. Don't let society define your limits."
Closing the panel, Yudit García highlighted the commitment companies must have to developing female talent and their supportive culture: "At Marriott International, we have support, training, and coaching structures designed to support professional growth. We don't expect talent to arrive fully formed; we are committed to empowering women in their development, working alongside them and providing a strong support network for their success."
Marriott International maintains a firm commitment to the professional development of women in the travel industry. For more than 97 years, the company has been committed to putting people first and continues to work to ensure its associates thrive by investing in people and providing access to opportunities to continue developing great leaders. Recently launched programs include the Women Lets Talk Forum, a place for women to network and create a community focused on engaging male colleagues in discussion; and Associate Resource Groups, generating global impact through local communities of associates united by a common purpose and context.
By the end of 2024, women made up more than 44% of Marriott's global workforce and 48% of its executives worldwide. A testament to this commitment is that 50% of the CEO's direct reports are women. With a strong presence of more than 500 properties in the Caribbean and Latin America, the company recognizes the importance of continuing to foster female leadership in the region, celebrating the pioneering role of the tourism sector in women's empowerment.
Fuente: Marriott International.