MISSION AND VISION
OUR MISSION
The SUITSUIT Foundation’s mission is to strengthen the social and economic position of women in the travel and tourism sector.
We support projects that enable women to earn their own income, develop skills and confidence, build businesses and gain a more equal position within their communities and the tourism economy.
We do more than provide financial support. Where possible, we also seek to raise the profile of projects, give stories a platform, build long-term partnerships, draw attention to structural inequality and help travellers understand the influence of their choices.
“We give back to the world we love to travel in.”
OUR VISION
We believe that travel can, and perhaps should, be a reciprocal force. Travel can help women who travel become more independent and self-confident. At the same time, tourism can give women in destinations access to employment, income, entrepreneurship, education and a greater voice in society.
However, this positive impact does not happen automatically. Tourism can also lead to exploitation, economic dependency, inequality, the loss of local culture and pressure on nature and the living environment. Meaningful travel therefore calls for thoughtful choices.
Our vision is a travel and tourism sector in which:
- women participate on equal terms;
- local women are not limited to operational roles, but can also be owners, entrepreneurs, decision-makers and leaders;
- income is shared more fairly between women and men;
- more income remains within and directly benefits local communities;
- development is led by local communities themselves;
- travellers understand that their travel choices have an impact;
- economic, social and environmental sustainability are in balance.
EQUALITY AS THE STARTING POINT
This vision calls for a way of working that puts equality at its heart. The women and organisations we work with know what their communities need. They have the knowledge, ideas, talent, resilience and entrepreneurial spirit.
What is not always readily available is access to financial resources, education, markets, technology, networks, visibility and equal opportunities. This is where the SUITSUIT Foundation seeks to make a meaningful contribution: by supporting locally developed plans and helping to remove barriers.
To us, empowerment is not about deciding what women need. It is about listening, recognising existing strengths and supporting their ambitions. This avoids dependency and creates space for independence and change that is led from within the community.