NEWS: In celebration of International Women’s Day, Trip.com Group is strengthening its commitment to empowering women in tourism. With women making up over 54% of the global tourism workforce, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO), the company is expanding its efforts globally through a series of impactful initiatives.
Women make up over 54% of the global tourism workforce. – United Nations World Tourism Organisation (UNWTO)
In 2023, Trip.com Group launched The Mulan Project in China, an initiative that seeks to enhance opportunities for female professionals through career development, skills training, and entrepreneurship for women across the tourism industry.
Through the initiative, Trip.com Group trains and recruits bilingual tour guides to meet the growing demand among international travellers. The Shanghai Express, a free Shanghai half-day tour programme, led by bilingual guide Huang Xuan, is one such example. Fluent in Mandarin, English, and Shanghainese, Huang provides immersive cultural experiences that go beyond traditional sightseeing, offering deeper insights into China’s history, business, and modern life.
Since its launch, demand for this tour has surged, with sessions being booked out within 30 minutes. To meet this demand, Trip.com Group is expanding training programmes by collaborating with universities, offering paid internships, and recruiting more multilingual tour guides for inbound tourism and corporate events.
Jane Sun, CEO of Trip.com Group, said, “The tourism industry employs more women than any other sector, yet many still face barriers to career advancement. Through initiatives like The Mulan Project, we are committed to creating more employment and entrepreneurship opportunities, upskilling women, and fostering gender equality.”
Beyond urban tourism, Trip.com Group is also encouraging the participation of women in tourism by driving rural women’s employment through sustainable tourism initiatives. The Country Retreats programme, which aims to drive rural revitalisation, has helped create thousands of jobs for local women, providing them with stable incomes and career growth opportunities.
One success story is Xi Xi, a Gen Z female innkeeper, who has worked in various rural lodges across Anhui, Henan, Fujian, Sichuan, and Weizhou Island. Through dedication and perseverance, she helped to build a thriving business, gaining recognition among travellers who return to experience local culture, whale-watching, and eco-tourism.
(Photo by DH Tang/Pexels.com)
Since 2023, The Mulan Project has helped create over 20,000 female job opportunities, with further expansion planned in 2025 to enhance career pathways for women in tourism.
Source: Trip.com Group
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