“She Is Tourism.” (The Tourism Mom Rant)

If tourism were a person, she’d be exhausted.

Not because she’s weak. Because she’s been holding it all together for years.

She’s the one who boosted your tax base, revived your downtown, and got your kids home for the holidays by working behind the scenes while you tagged a photo of your cocktail.

She planned the press trip. She soothed the board. She updated the spreadsheet. She created the strategy AND printed the name badges.

She handled the crisis, the cancellation, the influencer tantrum, and the mayor’s 3AM “quick question.” And you know what she got?

A pancake breakfast.

Maybe a mug that says “World’s Best Team.”

This week, the posts will flood in. Stock photos. Buzzwords. “Tourism is essential” graphics in muted blue.

And she’ll politely heart them, because she always shows up.

But I want to say something a little louder.

She. Is. Tourism. And she deserves more than muffins in the breakroom.

She deserves respect. She deserves leadership that sees her, listens to her, and doesn’t make her choose between her job and her humanity.

Because let’s be real: The women in tourism—especially the ones on the inside of DMOs, hotels, and CVBs—are the ones who’ve been:

• Keeping the grant pipeline open

• Reviving downtowns with no staff

• Hosting FAMs while grieving miscarriages

• Rebuilding after wildfires, hurricanes, pandemics, layoffs

• Hitting their numbers and still apologizing for not doing more

And still, they’re invisible.

We act like they’re replaceable. We call them “passionate” so we can underpay them. We tell them it’s not personal—then steal their best ideas and give credit to someone louder in a blazer.

Let’s just call it what it is.

Tourism isn’t fluffy. It’s not extra. It’s not “women’s work.” It’s the damn economic backbone of your town, and you’ve let the backbone bend until it cracked.

And this week? We're supposed to celebrate with... hashtags and a croissant?

Nah. Not this year.

This year, we say it with our whole chest:

She fought for this industry.

She showed up when the men quit.

She found her own seat at the table and built a chair for someone else.

She made this shit WORK.

So no, she doesn’t want another e-card. She wants actual credit. Actual space. Actual pay. Actual power.

And maybe—just maybe—she wants a break.

💥 To the women who are tourism:

We see you. We love you. And this Mother’s Day week? We raise our glass to you.

Not just because you're nurturing. But because you're a damn warrior.

You’re not just someone’s mom. You’re the mother of movements. The mother of downtown revival. The mother of tourism strategy, crisis response, community healing, and future building.

And you’ve done it all while people acted like your title was “assistant.”

Not today.

Happy National Travel & Tourism Week. And Happy early Mother’s Day to every woman holding the economy, the industry, and her whole damn team together with no applause and a planner full of magic.

You don’t need flowers.

You need a raise, a nap, and a room full of people who finally understand:

She. Is. Tourism.