The Power of Authentic Storytelling & How it Can Help Build Back Better- IWTTF Day 2

In our second of five articles highlighting the key themes of IWTTF 2021 we discuss the power of storytelling, one of the key themes to come out of this year's event.

Storytelling can be a powerful tool in changing the narrative around communities and deconstructing stereotypes. Sharing original anecdotes leads to local people using their agency to take control of how their culture is portrayed to travellers by sharing what is important to them. This makes for enriching and authentic experiences for travellers where local voices are at the forefront.

Talks for Travel- Uplifting Changemakers

Talks4Travel was an initiative launched this annual IWTTF - it required applicants to submit a short video of themselves highlighting their projects involving gender equality, diversity and inclusion. Each video provided a unique insight into how women from different communities are making a difference on a grassroots level.

Elisa Spampinato - Traveller Storyteller- works with communities mainly within Brazil and Latin America to create experiences that highlight Indigenous stories, local narratives and buried history. Elisa's approach to creating tours is to emphasise the importance of women elevating their voices and being in control of their stories regarding their way of life.?

"Through storytelling, we give a voice to other perspectives and other narratives, so if we want to achieve social inclusion, cultural and human rights and gender equality, we need to consider diversity as a value. We have to welcome new voices and listen to them."?

It is a more holistic method that supports women to empower themselves instead of forcing them to share artificial stories to appease tourists. It is especially important in Indigenous communities that pass down their stories orally, as it helps to preserve their ancestral accounts.

Transcending Social Barriers?

In Lebanon, Nada Raphael co-founded Tourleb, a local tour operator that trains and employs female guides, drivers and mountaineers. In deeply patriarchal societies, it can be challenging to fill particular roles with women. In many countries being a tour guide or driver are jobs that are perceived as masculine. Women are often subject to stereotypes that they are incapable, which means that their confidence needs to be built up before attempting these roles.

Convincing women means building trust and pushing past barriers that maintain conventionality. Nada expressed her desire to transcend these barriers to connect tourists and local women through their passion for showing a local version of Lebanon.?

?"We are working on the strengths of women so that they can understand that we trust them and chose them because we trust them, and this means that they can do it."?

?Female-Led Innovations in Travel

Women across different sectors within travel are innovating and creating spaces and platforms that are improving the quality of travel for all. Krissi Boakye is developing an innovative app that constitutes a digital medical certification that instantly pulls up a traveller’s medical records. A potentially life-saving app like this shows the importance of supporting female-founded solutions that are making a difference to vulnerable individuals, thus making travel more accessible to all.?

Driving the Industry Forward Through Diversity?

The second panel of the day focussed on women taking strides in the travel industry. In the wake of the pandemic and last year’s resurgence of the Black Lives Matter movement, it's a vital moment to keep propelling forward towards a more equitable future for all.?

?"The narrative in tourism was largely shaped and centred around white, wealthy, able-bodied people, particularly men - this meant a lot of the stories that we heard were leaving pivotal voices out. When we don't hear the whole story, we don't create the conditions for truly meaningful travel experiences." JoAnna Haugen - Founder of Rooted

It is up to decision-makers to lift stories that are intentional and preserve the heritage of local people while providing them with the space to engage in tourism with dignity.?

"We need to make an effort individually to understand the stories of our own local communities because I think that will help the global travel industry to deepen our understanding of the people and unique cultures around us. In sharing these stories out to the world, we will make the industry better in the long term." Casey Hanisko - President at ATTA

How Do We Bridge the Gap?

By focussing on local people instead of placing the importance solely on the tourists' women can feel like they are supported in creating tours and sharing narratives they are passionate about. Companies can choose to elevate voices and initiatives that positively impact local communities.?

Lola Akerstrom created Local Purse during the pandemic to support local artisans in countries including Morocco and Nigeria. This innovative online marketplace ensures that local artists are paid fairly and can continue to make an income virtually by selling to clients globally. It proves that tech and tourism can be combined to make a positive impact on a local level.??

"We thought about how we can start helping by not just creating virtual experiences but creating these experiences where you can get something back, which is what usually creates that connection to a place." Lola Akerstrom?-?Visual Storyteller & Co-founder?

Locally Led Culture Tours - A Collaboration Between Women In Travel CIC & Intrepid Urban Adventures

Travel is all about the authentic human connection which transcends cultural and language barriers. At the core of this industry is real people that are passionate about their culture and heritage. Intrepid and WIT have partnered together to elevate local stories in London? by working with marginalised women supported by WIT cic and this opportunity has been life-changing for the women involved. Each tour guide received training, but their stories are their own.?Most importantly, the tours are now available for booking to be enjoyed by all!

Aurela's tour weaves together places in London that represent or relate to her Balkan heritage, while Sefanit created an experience around the flavours of Ethiopia. These tours are a testament to how women can empower themselves to do something they love, make an income and choose the narrative around their culture.?

"The tour has changed the way I see London, and I've discovered a lot of other things about my country (Albania) that I didn't know about. The biggest impact is that I met some wonderful women through this experience." Aurela Hoxhaj- London tour guide?

It's no secret that tour guides are the heart of tours, although sadly, pride in being a guide varies drastically globally. In some countries, it is merely perceived as a hobby or side-gig. This notion should change so that more women feel encouraged to enter the travel industry and share the stories of their countries, societies and histories.

"Storytelling is the best way to communicate history and communicate experience and to touch beyond the superficial, and it's a very powerful way to get a message across. A lot of people might forget what they ate or exactly what places they went to, but they'll remember the story that you tell them." Guergana Stoycheva-?Global Sales Specialist for Intrepid Urban Adventures

The travel industry can be a force for good. It is one of the few industries that has the power to make considerable social change and create opportunities for people from across the globe, including those who are most marginalised. It is up to industry leaders to ensure that different voices are being amplified so that local people are in control of their story.

For more information about Women in Travel cic or IWTTF please contact [email protected]

To book a tour and change women's lives please see here