The Challenges of Working in the Travel Industry as a Black Woman

BY IMANI BASHIR via https://www.cntraveler.com/

We spoke to three women about working in an industry without much visibility. 

Black women have charted a travel path that includes everything from exploration and expatriation to building luxury businesses and high-quality experiences. However, the travel industry has much work to do when it comes to supporting and honoring Black women, even while the reality of Black people traveling the world and doing dynamic things across the industry is nothing new. As industry professionals and Black travelers continue to hold the industry accountable by showing up and speaking out, we spoke to three Black women in travel—a pilot and two business owners—about visibility, equality, and growth in their respective corners of the industry.

“You carry all Black pilots with you”

Isi Collins is a first officer pilot working at an airline in Lagos, Nigeria. Yet back when she completed her flight training in the United Kingdom and the United States, she realized that finding opportunities as a newly trained pilot would be a challenge.

“The aviation industry is estimated to have only 7 percent women pilots and I’ve seen estimates at around 2 percent for Black pilots. So for Black women, I’d imagine that to be…

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