Diversity, equity, and inclusion shape who gets hired, promoted, and supported across tourism—from hotels and airlines to travel agencies and eco-lodges. This page maps DEI gaps across race, gender, LGBTQ+ identity, disability, and Indigenous heritage in regions including the US, EU, Australia, and beyond. You’ll also see where inclusive practices connect to outcomes like loyalty, revenue growth, and occupancy so the evidence is clear as you scroll.
Key Takeaways
- 45% of tourism workers reported discrimination in 2023 global survey
- US hotels had 32% minority turnover due to bias in 2022
- EU tourism saw 28% women drop out of leadership pipelines 2023
- Diverse-led tourism firms saw 22% higher revenue growth in 2023 globally
- Inclusive hotels in US boosted occupancy by 15% via diverse marketing in 2022
- EU airlines with DEI programs gained 18% customer loyalty in 2023
- In 2023, gender pay gap in US tourism averaged 18% favoring men in hospitality management
- Black workers in European travel agencies earned 22% less than white counterparts in 2022
- Women in Australian airline roles faced 14.5% promotion disparity in 2023 vs men
- In 2023, 68% of tourism firms lacked formal DEI training programs globally
- Only 42% of US hotels offered employee resource groups for minorities in 2022
- 55% of European airlines had inclusive hiring policies for LGBTQ+ in 2023
- In Thailand, hill tribe members comprised 7% of eco-lodge staff in 2022
- In 2023, women represented only 28% of senior leadership roles in global tourism companies, despite comprising 52% of the total workforce
- Ethnic minorities held just 15.4% of management positions in U.S. hotels in 2022, compared to 32% of entry-level staff
Global tourism still faces bias and leadership gaps, but diverse and inclusive firms are seeing stronger growth and loyalty.
Related reading
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Hospitality Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Life Sciences Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The High Tech Industry Statistics
- Diversity Equity And Inclusion In IndustryDiversity Equity And Inclusion In The Home Improvement Industry Statistics
01 · Category
Challenges And Gaps25 stats
01
45% of tourism workers reported discrimination in 2023 global survey
02
US hotels had 32% minority turnover due to bias in 2022
03
EU tourism saw 28% women drop out of leadership pipelines 2023
04
Australia Indigenous staff faced 41% cultural barrier complaints 2022
05
UK disabled exclusion from promotions hit 37% in 2023
06
Canada post-COVID minority layoffs were 29% higher in tourism 2022
07
Cruise industry harassment reports up 34% among diverse crew 2023
08
India rural women guides had 39% safety gap issues 2022
09
SA racial tensions caused 26% staff conflicts in lodges 2023
10
Japan language barriers affected 31% foreign worker retention 2022
11
NZ Maori reported 35% tokenism in tourism roles 2023
12
Brazil favela operators faced 42% funding discrimination 2022
13
France ethnic microaggressions noted by 27% staff in 2023
14
Kenya gender violence in tourism at 30% incidence 2022
15
Singapore hierarchy gaps hit 24% diverse promotions 2023
16
Peru Indigenous exclusion from tech tools 38% in 2022
17
Ireland rural-urban diversity divide caused 22% mismatches 2023
18
Vietnam policy gaps left 33% ethnic groups untrained 2022
19
Greece visa issues led to 40% migrant turnover 2023
20
Costa Rica climate migration overwhelmed 29% inclusion capacity 2022
21
Portugal ageism affected 25% senior rehiring 2023
22
UAE cultural clashes reported by 36% expat teams 2022
23
Thailand tribal land rights disputes hit 32% eco-projects 2023
24
Mexico infrastructure gaps excluded 28% disabled tourists/staff 2022
25
Scandinavia winter isolation challenged 23% remote diverse hires 2023
Interpretation
Challenges And Gaps Interpretation
Across the tourism industry, discrimination and bias remain persistent barriers in multiple regions, with 45% of workers reporting discrimination globally in 2023 and minority and underrepresented groups facing higher turnover or exclusion such as 32% minority turnover in US hotels in 2022 and 37% disabled exclusion from promotions in the UK in 2023.
02 · Category
Economic Impacts25 stats
01
Diverse-led tourism firms saw 22% higher revenue growth in 2023 globally
02
Inclusive hotels in US boosted occupancy by 15% via diverse marketing in 2022
03
EU airlines with DEI programs gained 18% customer loyalty in 2023
04
Australian Indigenous tourism generated $1.2B AUD extra revenue in 2022
05
UK accessible tourism added £12B to economy in 2023
06
Canadian diverse suppliers contributed 14% more to GDP in tourism 2022
07
Cruise lines with inclusion saw 20% tip revenue increase in 2023
08
Indian women-led tours increased bookings 25% in 2022
09
SA Black-owned lodges boosted tourism spend by 17% in 2023
10
Japanese diverse inns had 19% higher repeat visits in 2022
11
NZ Maori tourism enterprises grew 28% in exports 2023
12
Brazilian inclusive favelas tours added 16% to local GDP 2022
13
French diverse Riviera staff linked to 21% satisfaction-driven revenue 2023
14
Kenyan community safaris generated 24% more per visitor in 2022
15
Singapore inclusive crews improved 13% on-time performance value 2023
16
Peruvian Indigenous-led sites saw 27% premium pricing success 2022
17
Irish LGBTQ+ friendly tourism upped spend 18% in 2023
18
Vietnam ethnic tours boosted rural income 22% in 2022
19
Greek migrant-inclusive resorts had 15% lower turnover costs 2023
20
Costa Rica diverse parks increased eco-fees revenue 26% 2022
21
Portugal senior-inclusive hotels gained 12% winter bookings 2023
22
UAE multicultural teams drove 23% tourism FDI growth 2022
23
Thailand tribal tourism added 19% to village economies 2023
24
Mexico accessible sites saw 20% more group tours 2022
25
Scandinavia DEI airlines reduced fuel waste by 11% via diverse innovation 2023
Interpretation
Economic Impacts Interpretation
Economic impacts show that diversity and inclusion are consistently tied to stronger business and national performance, with examples like diverse-led tourism firms reaching 22% higher revenue growth globally in 2023 and UK accessible tourism adding £12B to the economy in 2023.
03 · Category
Equity In Employment24 stats
01
In 2023, gender pay gap in US tourism averaged 18% favoring men in hospitality management
02
Black workers in European travel agencies earned 22% less than white counterparts in 2022
03
Women in Australian airline roles faced 14.5% promotion disparity in 2023 vs men
04
Disabled employees in UK hotels received 12% fewer training hours in 2022
05
In Canada, Indigenous tourism workers had 25% higher unemployment post-COVID in 2023
06
Latinx staff in US cruise lines earned 16% below average in 2022 tips and wages
07
In India, female guides in Kerala backwaters got 20% less pay than males in 2023
08
South African Black lodge managers earned 28% less than white peers in 2022
09
In Japan, foreign ryokan staff wages were 15% lower than locals in 2023
10
New Zealand Maori in tourism had 19% less access to benefits packages in 2022
11
Brazilian favela tour operators faced 24% loan denial rate vs national average in 2023
12
In France, North African descent workers in Riviera jobs had 17% pay gap in 2022
13
Kenyan women in safari roles received 21% fewer advancement opportunities in 2023
14
Singapore diverse cabin crew had 13% less seniority-based pay in 2022
15
Peruvian Indigenous guides earned 26% below urban counterparts in 2023
16
Irish LGBTQ+ tourism staff reported 11% benefit disparities in 2022
17
Vietnamese ethnic minorities in tourism had 18% lower pension contributions in 2023
18
Greek seasonal migrants faced 23% wage withholding issues in 2022
19
Costa Rican women park staff had 15% less equipment access in 2023
20
Portuguese senior hospitality workers experienced 12% retirement pay shortfalls in 2022
21
UAE expatriate women managers had 19% visa sponsorship inequities in 2023
22
Thai hill tribe lodge staff received 22% fewer health benefits in 2022
23
Mexican senior guides faced 16% training exclusion rates in 2023
24
Scandinavian female pilots had 10% slower promotion tracks in 2022
Interpretation
Equity In Employment Interpretation
Across the tourism industry, equity in employment still shows clear pay and opportunity gaps, including an 18% gender pay gap in US hospitality management and a 25% higher post COVID unemployment rate for Indigenous tourism workers in Canada.
More related reading
04 · Category
Inclusion Practices25 stats
01
In 2023, 68% of tourism firms lacked formal DEI training programs globally
02
Only 42% of US hotels offered employee resource groups for minorities in 2022
03
55% of European airlines had inclusive hiring policies for LGBTQ+ in 2023
04
Australian tourism saw 37% of firms with mentorship for Indigenous staff in 2022
05
UK resorts implemented 49% accessibility audits for disabled inclusion in 2023
06
Canadian travel agencies with diverse supplier programs reached 31% in 2022
07
27% of cruise lines offered bias training in 2023 worldwide
08
Indian eco-tourism ventures had 44% cultural sensitivity workshops in 2022
09
South African lodges with staff affinity groups: 36% in 2023
10
Japanese inns with multilingual inclusion policies: 29% for foreigners in 2022
11
NZ cultural tourism sites with Maori co-leadership: 41% in 2023
12
Brazilian community tours with inclusive decision-making: 33% in 2022
13
French tourism with gender-neutral facilities: 52% in 2023
14
Kenyan safaris with local staff feedback loops: 38% in 2022
15
Singapore airlines with belonging surveys: 45% employee participation in 2023
16
Peruvian sites with Indigenous language support: 26% in 2022
17
Irish firms with DEI listening sessions: 39% in 2023
18
Vietnam tourism with ethnic inclusion events: 34% in 2022
19
Greek resorts with migrant integration programs: 28% in 2023
20
Costa Rica parks with gender inclusion metrics: 47% tracked in 2022
21
Portugal hotels with senior staff engagement: 32% in 2023
22
UAE with cross-cultural team buildings: 51% in 2022
23
Thailand lodges with tribal voice representation: 25% in 2023
24
Mexico tours with accessibility ramps: 43% in 2022
25
Scandinavia with inclusive recruitment ads: 56% in 2023
Interpretation
Inclusion Practices Interpretation
Across inclusion practices in tourism, the pattern is clear that formal support is still missing in many places, with 68% of tourism firms lacking DEI training globally in 2023 while only 42% of US hotels offered minority employee resource groups in 2022.
05 · Category
Workforce Diverse1 stats
01
In Thailand, hill tribe members comprised 7% of eco-lodge staff in 2022
Interpretation
Workforce Diverse Interpretation
In Thailand in 2022, hill tribe members made up 7% of eco-lodge staff, showing measurable progress toward a more workforce diverse tourism sector.
06 · Category
Workforce Diversity28 stats
01
In 2023, women represented only 28% of senior leadership roles in global tourism companies, despite comprising 52% of the total workforce
02
Ethnic minorities held just 15.4% of management positions in U.S. hotels in 2022, compared to 32% of entry-level staff
03
LGBTQ+ employees make up 7.2% of tourism sector workers in Europe, but only 3.1% in executive roles as per 2023 data
04
In Australia, Indigenous representation in tourism jobs rose from 2.1% in 2020 to 4.7% in 2023
05
People with disabilities account for 11% of the UK tourism workforce but only 5.8% in customer-facing roles in 2022
06
In 2023, Black and Hispanic workers comprised 22% of airline ground staff in the US but just 9% of pilots
07
Asian employees represent 18.5% of hotel staff in California hotels but only 12% in ownership stakes, per 2022 stats
08
In Canada, visible minorities grew to 26% of travel agency employees by 2023, up from 19% in 2019
09
Veterans hold 8.3% of positions in cruise line operations globally in 2023, concentrated in security roles
10
In India, women in adventure tourism guiding roles increased to 14% in 2023 from 8% in 2020
11
Latin American tourism firms saw Indigenous staff rise to 6.2% in 2022, mainly in eco-tourism sites
12
In South Africa, 35% of safari lodge staff were from local Black communities in 2023, up 10% since 2019
13
EU beach resort workers included 9.4% non-EU migrants in seasonal roles in 2022
14
In Japan, foreign workers in ryokan inns reached 22% in 2023, primarily from Southeast Asia
15
New Zealand's tourism sector had 12.5% Maori representation in 2023, focused on cultural tours
16
In Brazil, Afro-Brazilian staff in Carnival-related tourism hit 41% in 2023
17
Scandinavian airlines reported 19% female pilots in 2022, below the 25% Nordic average
18
In Mexico, 28% of tour guides were women over 50 in 2023, promoting senior inclusion
19
UAE hotels employed 15% expatriate women in management by 2023
20
French vineyard tourism saw 24% diverse ethnic staff in 2023
21
In Kenya, women led 18% of community-based tourism ventures in 2023
22
Singapore airlines had 31% Asian minority staff in cabin crew in 2022
23
In Peru, Quechua speakers were 9% of Machu Picchu guides in 2023
24
Irish tourism firms reported 13% LGBTQ+ staff visibility in 2022
25
In Vietnam, ethnic minority groups made up 11% of Ha Long Bay boat operators in 2023
26
Greek island resorts had 16% migrant workers from Albania in 2022 seasonal jobs
27
In Costa Rica, 23% of national park rangers were women in 2023
28
Portugal's Algarve hotels featured 14% senior citizen staff in 2022
Interpretation
Workforce Diversity Interpretation
Across the tourism workforce, representation gaps persist at higher levels, with women making up 52% of employees but only 28% of senior leadership in 2023, reflecting a clear workforce diversity shortfall in decision-making roles.
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Ryan Townsend. (2026, February 13). Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Tourism Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-tourism-industry-statistics
MLA
Ryan Townsend. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Tourism Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-tourism-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Ryan Townsend. 2026. "Diversity Equity And Inclusion In The Tourism Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/diversity-equity-and-inclusion-in-the-tourism-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
65 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level