Stroma Cole, Professor in Tourism and Human Rights and Co-director of the University’s new Destinations and Experience Research Centre (DEX), has been named in TravelPulse’s Most Influential Women in Travel list for her work advancing gender equality across the industry.
Each year for the past six years, the online magazine TravelPulse has curated a list of the Most Influential Women in Travel in an effort to ensure that the achievements of women do not go unnoticed. This year's selection process involved a rigorous review of nearly 400 nominations from industry peers, highlighting the key achievements, initiatives and innovations of women across the travel sphere, and Westminster’s Professor Cole was named among this year’s honourees.
Professor Cole joined the University of Westminster in 2021 and has researched extensively on the connections between gender, water rights and tourism. Her research highlights the importance of sustainable practices when analysing the complex relationship between tourism and water resources. Her work advocates for equitable water distribution, ensuring that tourism development does not compromise local communities' access to essential resources.
Beyond her research, Professor Cole is the Co-director of Equality in Tourism, a charity dedicated to promoting gender equality within the tourism sector. Her efforts have been pivotal in addressing disparities and growing inclusive practices in tourism development, focusing on empowering women and marginalised groups.
She also leads on FUTOURWORK, a Horizon Europe project that aims to transform the future of work in tourism and hospitality. The three-and-a-half-year programme was launched in January 2025 and is currently researching and promoting inclusive social dialogue in order to create a more equitable and sustainable future for European tourism and hospitality workers.
The initiative seeks to bring systemic change to how labour issues are addressed across the industry through directly engaging with workers, employers and social dialogue organisations through a range of activities, including surveys, interviews, storytelling initiatives and multi-stakeholder learning dialogues.
Professor Cole said: “It's an honour to be included on this list. My work to improve gender equality in tourism is definitely a work in progress - there is still a lot to be done!”
Dr Stroma Cole’s research initiatives directly contribute to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 5: Gender Equality, 6: Clean Water and Sanitation and 12: Responsible Consumption and Production. Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Find out more about the Destinations and Experience Research Centre at the University of Westminster.
Learn more about Tourism and Events Management courses at Westminster.
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