Women Leading Tourism 2025: An Event to Promote Female Leadership in Tourism

We had the opportunity to attend the third edition of Women Leading Tourism (WLT) at the Hotel Emperador, a gathering that brought together executives, professionals, and institutional representatives to discuss female leadership in the tourism sector and explore ways to move towards a more inclusive, diverse, and innovative industry.

Our CEO, Maite Rodríguez, actively participated in the event, reinforcing AV Medios’ commitment to equal opportunities and the promotion of female talent.

The day, chaired by Maribel Rodríguez, President of WLT, and opened with a welcome by Pilar Lanchas, Commercial Director of Hotel Emperador, highlighted the importance of sharing best practices and fostering an open debate on the current state of global tourism. Among the key topics discussed were the low representation of women in leadership positions and the persistent gender pay gap, which at the current pace would take 123 years to close. Despite these challenges, tourism remains a pioneering sector where female leadership can play a transformative role.

Technology, Creativity, and Sensitivity: New Drivers of Leadership

The event emphasized how technology, creativity, and sensitivity enhance female leadership. Discussions highlighted the importance of creativity, empathy, and managing multicultural teams, increasingly supported by artificial intelligence. Talent development was linked to training, trust, and adaptability, while female leadership was promoted through public policies, networking, and programs like Promociona, which supports the professional growth of women executives. Leaders also stressed the value of self-awareness, curiosity, support networks, and choosing environments that recognize and nurture talent.

Reflections from AV Medios: Purpose-Driven Leadership

Our CEO, Maite Rodríguez, shared her professional journey and how she has led transformation processes, team management, and business growth in traditionally male-dominated sectors. In just two years at AV Medios, Maite has driven the inclusion of female talent across all departments, emphasizing continuous training, communication, and people management as a true competitive advantage.

Her leadership style is grounded in discipline, self-awareness, and talent development, demonstrating that emotional intelligence can make a difference in environments dominated by more logical or technical approaches. Her advice for aspiring leaders: know yourself well, define a clear and measurable plan, and lead authentically.

Conclusion: Towards a More Inclusive and Innovative Tourism Sector

Women Leading Tourism 2025 served as a reminder that, despite progress, the tourism industry still needs to accelerate the presence of women in leadership positions. The combination of public policies, training programs, technology, and professional collaboration is key to closing the current gap and building a more inclusive, sustainable, and innovative sector.

We left the event with the conviction that sharing experiences, opening conversations, and supporting professional women are essential to creating a real impact within organizations and the tourism industry as a whole. Events like this inspire us to continue promoting human, creative, and transformative leadership, enabling more women to grow and reach positions of responsibility.