A Call for Radical Change in Tourism & Beyond with Aradhana Khowala
Aradhana Khowala is a leading voice in sustainable tourism development, with her role as CEO of Aptamind Partners combining her data expertise with extensive experience to offer strategic consulting services to a range of organizations, including governments, businesses, and emerging destinations. She sits on multiple boards and currently serves as the Chairwoman of the Group Advisory Board of the Red Sea Global a first-of-its-kind regenerative tourism developer in Saudi Arabia. She has been recognized as one of the 100 most powerful people in global hospitality and one of the 25 most influential women in the industry by the International Hospitality Institute. Aradhana is a sought-after speaker at major events such as the UN, G20 Summit, and TEDx, connecting with political, business, and tourism leaders globally.
Aradhana is also a champion of diversity and inclusion, sharing her unique perspectives on sustainability, gender equality, and the importance of investing in femtech. She sheds light on the unequal representation of women in executive tourism roles and the lack of women-focused health research, using data to drive her arguments for change. She inspires Gen Z and millennials to make purpose-driven business decisions and serves as a role model for them.
The traditional view of sustainability as “not doing harm” to the environment is no longer enough. We must aim for a more positive impact, moving from sustainability to regenerative travel and tourism. This shift from “less bad” to “more good” is crucial to achieving a truly sustainable future and repairing the harm that has already been done.
The 2022 climate predictions are dire and immediate action is needed to prevent both human extinction and environmental destruction. In order to bring attention to this pressing issue, especially in regard to tourism, leaders must publicly speak out and engage the younger generation. Despite the dire circumstances, Aradhana is optimistic about the impact of these leaders, who are taking a stand to win the race for a better future.
The issue of gender equality in medical research is complex and requires self-reflection and understanding. As a brown woman in the tourism industry, Aradhana initially struggled with the idea of advocating for gender diversity, but ultimately realized her responsibility to speak up. Despite 54% of women working in lower ranks in the industry, only 4% are CEOs, highlighting the significant issue of a “concrete ceiling” that prevents women from advancing. She also highlights the underrepresentation of locals and women in management positions and the importance of ESG and benefiting local communities for business success. In the travel, tourism, and hospitality sector, 80-85% of all businesses are small, medium, and micro-enterprises, which only receive 15% of benefits, making it crucial to improve local communities’ quality of life.
To learn more, visit Aradhana Khowala’s site at Aptamind.com
Resources:
- Follow Aradhana on LinkedIn
- TEDx Talk: Don’t Be A Gender. Be An Airbender!
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