Catching up with 2019’s Travel Pride Champions

Nick Harding-McKay, managing director, Travel Designers

Nick Harding-McKay’s role in championing diversity and inclusion goes beyond Travel Pride, he says. “It crosses over to Black Lives Matter. Ultimately it’s about tolerance and inclusivity.”

Harding-McKay and his team at travel agency Travel Designers champion LGBTQ+ rights by refusing to sell certain operators or destinations that uphold anti-LGBT laws, and they encourage others in the industry to take a stand and do the same. “If everyone does a little bit, it makes the world a better place,” he says.

He and his team also ensure they ask questions about LGBTQ+ travel and weddings when abroad on fam trips, to be able to offer honest feedback to clients.

Harding-McKay has also promoted his Travel Pride Champion title on the Travel Designers website, at weddings and honeymoons shows and on various marketing collateral. The website has also recently been updated to include a section on LGBT travel.

His hopes for the industry and for society in the wake of Covid-19 are that “we become more caring,” and that we “move from tolerance [of others] to acceptance.”

He adds that companies and individuals need to change their daily thinking to become more inclusive, and to commit to calling out instances of racism, homophobia or prejudice in the workplace.

While Pride month is always a cause for celebration, it’s also a time to remember the work that still needs to be done to achieve equal rights for the LGBTQ+ community, says Harding-McKay.

“We’ve made some good progress with things like marriage but we’re still fighting for rights, especially in the transgender community. There’s still a lot more to do.”

Lindsay Garvey-Jones, partnerships development manager, Holiday Extras

LGBTQ+ ambassador Lindsay Garvey-Jones was able to use her Travel Pride Champion status to continue pushing an inclusive agenda at Holiday Extras.

“The win gives us a platform to be able to offer help and support, create frameworks and have forums with our peers and associates,” explains Garvey-Jones, who adds that the company has since “taken more responsibility” to change internal policies and marketing to reflect a more diverse, inclusive audience and message.

“You can only be yourself if you can see yourself, and marketing needs to reflect that. We are making positive steps to create equality within the company and also as a brand through marketing,” she explains.

Garvey-Jones has also spoken at numerous events about topics including diversity, inclusion, equality and unconscious bias, including at the Business Travel Association, helping other travel businesses to move their own D&I strategies forward.

She believes that the Black Lives Matter movement has recently highlighted the importance of education as a tool to fight prejudice.

“Where people feel fear, it is due to a lack of information and education. When we’re able to use a platform such as TTG’s Travel Pride Champions, you get noticed when you have something to say and when you’re trying to inform people that they can be allies.”

Garvey-Jones continues to use social media as a platform to “call out, support, create awareness and educate around LGBTQIA+ inclusion and equality.”

She adds there’s still an “enormous amount of work to do” to support and achieve diversity and inclusion in travel. “People are very good at wanting to do the right thing but there’s still a lot of work to be done in action.

“Marketing is slowly starting to change and include different faces. We also need to create positive and effective frameworks for change. It’s important not to lose sight of these issues, even in these times.”

Richard Tolley, Centurion team leader, American Express Centurion

From running the Pride London network as co-chair to sitting on American Express’ global committee summit each year, Richard Tolley is committed to celebrating LGBTQ+ voices in and outside of the workplace while also working on the Amex’s credit team to help customers during the coronavirus crisis.

Being named a Travel Pride Champion has brought better visibility for Tolley and Amex’s role in championing diversity and inclusion, he says.

“It allows us to shine externally, not just internally, and is a great opportunity to meet other businesses, to network, share ideas, make connections and learn from each other.”

The team at American Express champions diversity in various ways, from “putting on events and creating safe spaces for people to be themselves,” to working to improve internal procedures to “make things more inclusive, including by adapting policy language.”

Last year was also the first year that Amex participated in London Pride. He believes D&I initiatives can allow individuals within companies to grow and find their voice.

“LGBT development is a tough space with different challenges to any other group, and people come with intersectional challenges too. It’s a space for people to build brands for themselves as individuals.”

Tolley says there are also preconceptions that need to change about LGBTQ+ travel. “For example, just because a hotel is part of a Pride portfolio, that doesn’t necessarily mean other properties that aren’t involved aren’t LGBT-friendly,” he says.

For the industry to become more inclusive, myriad individual voices from diverse backgrounds must be listened to, and work must be collaborative, he adds.

“We must ensure our voice is there at the table and that we’re focusing on progression and making connections, and that we use our privilege to champion intersectional voices such as families and Black Pride rather than pushing one aspect of the LGBTQ community.

“You have to move forward as a whole, bringing others with you and working together.”