Gender inequality in the workplace is not a new phenomenon and the hotel industry appears to be working to reduce it. However, there is still a scarcity of women in the leadership of hotel groups, especially in positions that are perceived as male-dominated: general manager, executive chef, chief engineer and chief security officer.

This poster aims to present the findings of the first stage of a wider study exploring whether women seeking a career in these roles experience gender inequality, the type of discrimination they face, the coping strategies they deploy and the interventions needed to address this issue. This first stage looks at the industry position by employing a template analysis of the annual reports of sixteen major international hotel groups looking at organisational leadership (top-level commitment), policies and benefits, external engagement, and specific support for women. The findings will help in designing the interview stages that will follow.