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How women in leadership roles are driving the tourism industry forward
Experts discussed the topic of female leadership on the Lighthouse Stage at ITB Berlin on Tuesday, 4 March 2025. Christina Verhaelen from DERTOUR presented the mentoring programme of the Travel Industry Club. HR expert Uwe Sieblist and travel and event organiser Steffen Butzko emphasised the value of diverse teams and the communication skills of female bosses. Organisational consultant Anne Rösener gave tips to prospective female managers: women often face doubts and the desire to please everyone.
Female leadership was the focus of the panel discussion
When Christina Verhaelen took on her first management role at DERTOUR, she would have liked to have had the support of a female mentor. She felt alone and - the higher up she got - foreign among her predominantly male colleagues. She has now helped to set up a mentoring programme at the Travel Industry Club, of which she is vice president. As head of a 35-strong team, she wants to use the programme to encourage women. Women often overthink situations and their outcomes. Instead, they need to communicate their ambitions clearly. Constantly making progress with the help of seminars and training courses is also essential.
Corporate culture at a glance
Anne Rösener recommends taking a close look at the interpersonal relationships at a future employer. As a team and organisational developer, the founder of the People Mind agency knows how different the working atmosphere can be . Many women, she observes, want to please everyone around them - and end up getting in their own way. She encourages women to take responsibility for the issues that will actually help them progress, to be aware of their own strengths and to play to them. A clear vision of their own future role in the company also helps.
Diversity as a strength
As an organiser of major sporting events for women and trips for singles, Steffen Butzkow works with many female colleagues. He appreciates their strong communication skills and their cooperative management style. The fact that they put more thought into their work was good for the company. This impression was shared by HR consultant Uwe Sieblist. There was clear evidence that mixed teams worked better. Some of his clients specifically wanted female managers, he said. However, women often still had to perform better in order to be recognised by men. Ultimately, it was important that the applicant fitted in with the team as a whole.