This Industry Doesn’t Need More Talent. It’s Already Here.
When we think about the Recreation, Tourism & Hospitality Industries, it’s hard not to feel inspired. This is one of the most vibrant, people-powered sectors out there, with team members from every background, every country, every walk of life. Diversity isn’t a talking point, it’s who we are. We bring our languages, our stories, our care, and our hustle to every shift. Maybe you’ve worked alongside a colleague sending money home while building a career here. Maybe you’ve learned something from a housekeeper with a Graduate degree, or been mentored by a line cook who trained in another country and brings their whole self to the kitchen every day. These stories aren’t the exception, they’re the norm. Every shift, every service, every smiling face reflects a patchwork of experiences that makes this industry feel full of possibility. It’s easy to assume that our industry has diversity figured out.
But if we pause and look a little deeper, another story begins to emerge.
A Closer Look at the Gap
While the sector boasts a wonderfully diverse workforce, we must face an uncomfortable truth: inclusion is still a challenge. Getting into frontline roles might look straightforward from the outside, but for many, especially those facing bias or seen as 'overqualified', just landing the interview can be difficult. And for those who do land the job, opportunities to grow and advance often remain just out of reach. As a result, the diversity we see on the front lines rarely makes it to the leadership table. A 2021 study by Hotelier Magazine looked at 645 C-suite roles across 83 foodservice and hotel companies in Canada and found that only 11% were held by visible minorities. The numbers drop even lower at the board level, at just 7%. Even in the hotel sector, which performed slightly better, only 14% of C-suite leaders came from visible minority backgrounds.
This pattern is what’s known as the sticky floor: the forces that keep those with intersecting identities in lower-level positions, with limited access to growth or leadership. While we often talk about breaking the glass ceiling, many haven’t even been given the opportunity to leave the ground floor. True inclusion also means economic equity, ensuring those at the margins aren’t just invited in, but paid fairly, trained consistently, and supported in their long-term growth. Women and gender-diverse folks, especially those who are racialized or newcomers, often remain concentrated in the most precarious roles, from part-time and seasonal jobs to positions with limited benefits or upward mobility.
What Is Holding Us Back?
It’s not always about explicit prejudices. What's harder to spot, but just as damaging, is unconscious bias. People naturally gravitate toward people who look like them, talk like them, or share their cultural background. It feels easier, safer. This tendency narrows the perspectives who are invited into the room and limits who gets opportunities to grow. Similarity bias often shows up in subtle ways, and it’s a natural human tendency. Too often, bias hides in plain sight. But when leaders choose to see it, they can start to dismantle it.
What Inclusion Really Takes
In recreation, tourism & hospitality, we pride ourselves on our welcoming nature. We anticipate visitor needs and create experiences that make people feel seen and valued. That same energy can transform our teams and our organizational processes, if we’re willing to use it.
Here are some practical ways to start shifting towards inclusion:
Build Comfort with Difference: Seek out stories from people who live outside your experience. Stay open, even when it’s uncomfortable.
Listen Deeply: Inclusion isn’t just about who’s in the room. It’s about whose voices are heard and respected when decisions are made.
Look for Quiet Leadership: Not everyone self-promotes, but many are quietly holding your team together. Notice them. Champion them.
Challenge Your Own Biases: Ask yourself who’s missing, who’s stuck, and whether you’re making space, or just maintaining comfort.
The Talent Is Already Here.
Our industry is powered by people and rich with talent. Many of our future leaders are already here: showing up, mentoring others, innovating on the floor. Inclusion is the key to unlocking the excellence that’s already in our midst. For some, growth looks like stepping into new leadership roles. For others, it means being seen, trusted, and supported in the roles they thrive in. Equity means creating space for both, and that’s something we can all help lead.
Let’s stop asking where the talent is.
Let’s start asking: What’s getting in the way?