{"id":4091,"date":"2026-09-05T18:28:37","date_gmt":"2026-09-05T16:28:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/?p=4091"},"modified":"2026-09-09T16:59:38","modified_gmt":"2026-09-09T14:59:38","slug":"teresa-garcia-women-in-tourism","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/en-primera-persona\/teresa-garcia-talento-femenino-turismo\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cFemale talent must also have a place where decisions are made.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Tourism is an industry largely driven by women, who are present across virtually all its subsectors and professional levels. However, access to senior management positions and to the spaces where major decisions are made remains one of the sector's ongoing challenges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Association of Women Executives in Tourism Companies (ASEET) brings together women in decision-making positions from a wide range of fields, including travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, restaurants, airlines, tourism organisations and communications. It promotes leadership, training, professional networking and greater female representation in tourism management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Sinergia Sk\u00e5l, we spoke to Teresa Garc\u00eda, president of <strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.aseet.es\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">ASEET<\/a><\/strong>, on leadership, talent, equal opportunities, the younger generation and the changes the tourism sector needs to make in order to fully harness the potential of those involved in it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">1. Teresa, ASEET brings together female executives from virtually all areas of tourism. What role does the association play today, and what are its main objectives?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>ASEET\u2019s main role is to raise the profile of women within the sector. It acts as a catalyst for change, whilst also collaborating on charitable projects that focus primarily on supporting women and children.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">2. The tourism sector has a significant female presence in its workforce. However, this reality is not always reflected in top management positions. Why does this disparity persist?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The reasons why women do not reach certain positions are varied, and stem from a range of factors that are deeply entrenched in the sector; hence the importance of us all being aware of this and doing our bit to change these figures.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">3. Would you say that in recent years there has been a real change in women&#039;s access to decision-making spaces, or is there still a long way to go?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>As with any evolutionary process, there have been significant changes in the proportion of women participating in these areas; however, there is still some way to go, and true equality will only be achieved when we no longer have to talk about figures and percentages.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">4. When we talk about female leadership, is there really a different way of leading or should we simply talk about different leadership styles regardless of gender?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Based on my experience, I am more inclined to believe that what actually exists are different leadership styles, rather than a gender-based leadership model, which is ultimately a form of bias that contributes to stereotyping rather than reflecting reality.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">Answer: It contributes a great deal, because common challenges can be viewed from very different perspectives. We therefore try to address shared objectives from different angles and explore a range of possible solutions. This greatly enriches both the association and each of its members.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This is particularly true because common issues can arise from a wide variety of perspectives, so we try to tackle shared objectives from different angles and using a range of possible alternatives. This greatly enriches the association and each of its members.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"474\" src=\"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gala-aseet-1024x474.webp\" alt=\"ASEET executives during the Butterfly Effect Charity Gala\" class=\"wp-image-4105\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gala-aseet-1024x474.webp 1024w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gala-aseet-300x139.webp 300w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gala-aseet-766x355.webp 766w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gala-aseet-18x8.webp 18w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/gala-aseet.webp 1250w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Representatives of ASEET during the Butterfly Effect Charity Gala, an initiative linked to the social and solidarity commitment of the association.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">6. One of the challenges for any sector is attracting and retaining talent. What are the new generations of professionals demanding, and what should tourism companies change to become attractive to them?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>A well-established career path and opportunities. I believe the industry\u2019s greatest challenge is to highlight the importance of working and building a career in an industry that accounts for more than 12 % of GDP. The professionalisation of the sector is one of the major challenges.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">7. Work-life balance, career advancement, and access to management positions continue to appear in the debate on equality. Where do you think the main barriers lie today, and what measures are actually working?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The argument that women give up their careers for the sake of work-life balance has been a recurring theme used to shift the blame for a lack of career progression onto women. However, the reality is very different, and as I have mentioned, there are many factors that influence this outcome; the solution lies in acknowledging this and all of us playing our part in changing the figures.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">8. Digitalization and artificial intelligence are rapidly transforming tourism. Can these tools also contribute to generating new professional opportunities and more open leadership models?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>It is clear that AI is set to transform the world in which we work today, bringing greater efficiency and simplifying processes, with significant improvements in the time and workload we will be able to manage, thanks to tools that will carry out most of the work we currently do. New ways of working will require new leadership models, with much more streamlined management structures that will call for more humanistic management qualities, as there will be tools capable of handling the technical aspects.&nbsp;&nbsp;<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">9. ASEET places special importance on professional relationships and networking. To what extent are trusted networks still a necessary tool for professional advancement and generating business opportunities?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Professional relationships are ultimately what help us reach agreements and build trust. Similarly, it is these networks that help us progress both personally and professionally.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"990\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Aseet-5may26.webp\" alt=\"Teresa Garc\u00eda and Mercedes Tejero during an ASEET meeting\" class=\"wp-image-4106\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Aseet-5may26.webp 990w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Aseet-5may26-300x176.webp 300w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Aseet-5may26-766x449.webp 766w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Aseet-5may26-18x11.webp 18w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 990px) 100vw, 990px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Teresa Garc\u00eda with Mercedes Tejero during an ASEET meeting. Professional relationships and networks of trust are one of the pillars of the association.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">10. The association also maintains a strong commitment to social responsibility and solidarity. Why do you believe this commitment should be part of a business organization&#039;s activities?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>ASEET\u2019s commitment to social responsibility stems from the idea of giving back to society a part of what we have received.  And that is a great deal. I believe that, both at a corporate and a personal level, committing to causes that go beyond your own needs and objectives opens your eyes to many other realities, helps you grow, and makes you recognise everything you\u2019ve already achieved as an organisation and as a person. The saying that you get back much more than you give is true, even if it cannot be measured in monetary terms.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"377\" height=\"580\" src=\"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-Gala.webp\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-4110\" srcset=\"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-Gala.webp 377w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-Gala-195x300.webp 195w, https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/Foto-Gala-8x12.webp 8w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 377px) 100vw, 377px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Teresa Garc\u00eda during the Butterfly Effect Charity Gala, one of the initiatives linked to ASEET&#039;s social commitment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">11. <a href=\"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/destination\/\">M\u00e1laga and the Costa del Sol<\/a> They are home to a huge concentration of tourism businesses and professionals. From your perspective, what opportunities does a destination like this offer for fostering talent, leadership and new business initiatives led by women?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>All of them are destinations with local produce, infrastructure and a thriving business community characterised by a high level of professionalism. They have everything needed to ensure that the women who are already there, building their careers and businesses, are recognised. With the support of organisations such as Skal Costa del Sol to give them that visibility.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading has-custom-font-size\" style=\"font-size:20px\">12. Finally, if we look at tourism ten years from now, what would need to have changed for us to be able to say that female talent is fully represented, as a matter of course, in the sector's main decision-making spaces?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\"><em>May we all have played our part in driving this change by taking small steps that contribute to it.<\/em><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>El turismo es una industria construida en gran medida por mujeres, presentes en pr\u00e1cticamente todos sus subsectores y niveles profesionales. Sin embargo, el acceso a los puestos de m\u00e1xima responsabilidad y a los espacios donde se toman las grandes decisiones contin\u00faa siendo uno de los debates abiertos del sector. La Asociaci\u00f3n de Ejecutivas de Empresas [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4109,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[17],"tags":[93,90,50,94,97,95,98,92,96,91],"class_list":["post-4091","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-en-primera-persona","tag-aseet","tag-asociacion-de-ejecutivas-de-empresas-turisticas","tag-asociacionismo","tag-ejecutivas-del-turismo","tag-igualdad-de-oportunidades","tag-liderazgo-femenino","tag-liderazgo-turistico","tag-mujeres-en-el-turismo","tag-talento-femenino","tag-teresa-garcia"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4091"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4091\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4444,"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4091\/revisions\/4444"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4109"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sinergiaskal.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}