International Women's Day
2026
What if travel didn’t just change you, but gave something back?
Meaningful travel – by women, for women
Travel has the power to open worlds. It broadens your outlook, invites self-discovery and creates connection. For many women, travelling is truly life-changing. It represents freedom, independence and the space to grow. But what if travel could be more than a personal journey? What if, with every step you take, it could also help create opportunities for women around the world?
On 8 March 2026, the 115th edition of International Women’s Day will be celebrated worldwide. This year’s theme, Give To Gain, invites us to rethink what travel can mean. Not only as something that enriches us personally, but as a force that can create lasting value for the women who live and work in the places we visit.
What if travel didn’t just change you, but gave something back?
Meaningful travel – by women, for women
Travel has the power to open worlds. It broadens your outlook, invites self-discovery and creates connection. For many women, travelling is truly life-changing. It represents freedom, independence and the space to grow. But what if travel could be more than a personal journey? What if, with every step you take, it could also help create opportunities for women around the world?
On 8 March 2026, the 115th edition of International Women’s Day will be celebrated worldwide. This year’s theme, Give To Gain, invites us to rethink what travel can mean. Not only as something that enriches us personally, but as a force that can create lasting value for the women who live and work in the places we visit.
What does Give To Gain really mean?
Give To Gain is more than a slogan. According to the official theme explanation, it’s a mindset rooted in generosity, collaboration and reciprocity. The idea is simple yet powerful: giving is not a loss, but something that multiplies. When individuals, organisations and communities are willing to give, opportunities, support and visibility for women grow.
Giving takes many forms. It’s not only about financial contributions, but also about sharing time, knowledge, resources, education, training, networks and visibility. Together, these acts create an environment in which women can develop, strengthen their position and thrive. International Women’s Day emphasises that real, sustainable progress comes from this spirit of generosity and cooperation. Giving is never one-directional. When women flourish, communities become stronger, more resilient and more inclusive — and that impact reaches far beyond one individual.
Meaningful travel: a movement on the rise
This way of thinking mirrors how many women travel today. Travellers are no longer satisfied with simply seeing and experiencing; they want to understand, connect and contribute. The desire for meaningful, value-driven travel is growing. Global travel trend reports looking towards 2026 confirm this shift: personal values and social impact are becoming just as important as destinations themselves. Many travellers want to experience local life authentically, rather than observing it from the sidelines.
And yet, for many, this intention remains just that. Research by Origin of Wonder shows that 74% of travellers actively seek meaningful, educational experiences — while fewer than 10% feel they truly find them. Not due to a lack of willingness, but a lack of clarity. Where do you begin? Who do you support? And how can you be sure your choices actually make a difference?
Travellers are no longer satisfied with simply seeing and experiencing; they want to understand, connect and contribute.
The women behind the journey
Those questions lead us to the people who make travel possible in the first place. Behind every destination, experience and encounter are individuals keeping the industry moving — and the majority of them are women. According to UN Tourism, women make up around 54% of the global workforce in the travel and tourism sector. They work in hotels, transport, hospitality and local initiatives — often in the very places where travellers feel most connected.
Despite this, women remain underrepresented in leadership and entrepreneurship roles and are more likely to work in lower-paid positions. The contrast is striking. An industry built on women’s labour does not always reward them equally. If we want travel to be truly reciprocal, it calls for more conscious choices — choices that not only include women, but actively empower them.
The women behind the journey
Those questions lead us to the people who make travel possible in the first place. Behind every destination, experience and encounter are individuals keeping the industry moving — and the majority of them are women. According to UN Tourism, women make up around 54% of the global workforce in the travel and tourism sector. They work in hotels, transport, hospitality and local initiatives — often in the very places where travellers feel most connected.
Despite this, women remain underrepresented in leadership and entrepreneurship roles and are more likely to work in lower-paid positions. The contrast is striking. An industry built on women’s labour does not always reward them equally. If we want travel to be truly reciprocal, it calls for more conscious choices — choices that not only include women, but actively empower them.
Giving back, in real ways
For many women, this awareness becomes tangible through personal experience. Travel can change your life. Marjolein Aartsen, PR & Partnership Manager at SUITSUIT, knows this well. “After finishing secondary school, I was just 18 when I went travelling for five months. First with a friend, later on my own. It was my first long, far-away journey and it taught me so much about myself. Travelling made me independent and gave me confidence. What stayed with me most were the encounters with other women. I often stayed in local homes and learned so much about their culture and outlook on life. But I also became very aware of the contrast between wealth and poverty.”
Those experiences sparked a strong desire to give something back. “Two years ago, while travelling through Indonesia, I discovered the Coral Catch project. It’s a training and scholarship programme supporting Indonesian women in protecting and restoring coral reefs. Based on Gili Air, it brings together female empowerment, nature, diving and tourism. It truly felt like a sisterhood. And most importantly, it helps these women build a future through work and positive financial change. I knew I wanted to support that.”
The SUITSUIT Foundation
Coral Catch was later submitted to the SUITSUIT Foundation, where Marjolein is closely involved through her work. The foundation raises funds and invests in initiatives that strengthen the position of women within the travel and tourism sector. Thanks to a donation, four women were able to progress to divemaster level through Coral Catch — contributing to coral reef restoration while building their own economic independence.
“It means so much to me to be able to give something back in this way,” Marjolein shares. “The energy that comes from helping others — and what it gives you in return — is hard to describe. When you travel, ask yourself: what can I give back here? There are so many ways. That awareness is what makes travel truly meaningful.”
Ways to support women while you travel
Rethinking travel:
the SUITSUIT vision
At SUITSUIT, we believe in a travel world where every woman can grow — at home, on the road and at the destination. Travel has the power to offer perspective, build confidence and connect people. But it also calls for awareness of the women and places that make it possible. This belief shaped our purpose: empower women through travel, and led to the creation of the SUITSUIT Foundation.
As an independent foundation, it invests in initiatives that support women in the travel and tourism sector, through education, entrepreneurship and wellbeing projects. Each year, SUITSUIT donates 10% of its net profit to the foundation. In doing so, we aim to contribute to a travel world where giving and growth go hand in hand. Because when women thrive, the impact reaches far beyond a single journey.
