Women and non-binary individuals make up a significant portion of the tourism workforce, yet they remain underrepresented in leadership and ownership. wmnsWORK, founded by Iris Serbanescu in 2022, is closing this gap by providing the first tourism-specific accelerator program designed to support women and non-binary entrepreneurs in the early stages of their business journeys. The award-winning 12-week accelerator program equips participants with the education, mentorship, and community needed to navigate entrepreneurship with confidence. Covering key topics like financial planning, marketing, sales, and regenerative tourism, wmnsWORK helps participants build sustainable, successful businesses. Since launching, the program has supported over 50 entrepreneurs, with a growing network of industry mentors, advisors, and corporate partners. To expand its impact, wmnsWORK is developing e-learning courses tailored for businesses beyond the startup phase. By broadening access to specialized education, the company is ensuring that more women and non-binary entrepreneurs have the tools to thrive in tourism.
The wmnsWORK Origin Story
Iris Serbanescu is no stranger to the challenges of breaking into a male-dominated industry. Before founding wmnsWORK, she spent a decade working in adventure, luxury, and travel tech, leading partnerships at TourRadar and managing trade development at Bannikin. Her passion for gender equity in tourism stems from personal experiences of inequity, misogyny, and the barriers women face in leadership. As a member of the LGBTQ+ community and an advocate for inclusive business spaces, Iris has been recognized as one of Travel Pulse’s Most Influential Women in Travel and was featured in the Game Changers: Women Disrupting Hospitality and Tourism report. She also founded By Iris Representation, a B2B sales agency promoting niche tourism experiences to the North American travel agent market. Through wmnsWORK, Iris is building a supportive, empowering space where women and non-binary entrepreneurs can step into leadership roles, take risks, and bring their full selves to the table.
How wmnsWORK Is Making A Positive Impact
wmnsWORK is tackling gender disparities in tourism by supporting women and non-binary entrepreneurs at a critical stage of their business journeys. While women make up 55% of the industry’s workforce, they hold fewer than 20% of managerial roles and less than 8% of board positions. By providing education, mentorship, and access to a supportive community, wmnsWORK is closing this gap and fostering a new generation of diverse tourism leaders.
The program has already supported over 50 entrepreneurs, many of whom focus on serving women, BIPOC, and LGBTQ+ travelers, groups often overlooked in mainstream tourism. Through partnerships with organizations like the IGLTA Foundation, TourRadar, and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, wmnsWORK provides scholarships to ensure that financial barriers don’t prevent promising entrepreneurs from participating. Approximately 35% of each cohort receives financial aid, making the program accessible to those who need it most.
Beyond the accelerator, wmnsWORK’s expanding e-learning platform will allow more tourism entrepreneurs to gain industry knowledge and confidence at any stage of their business. By focusing on long-term economic empowerment, the program is ensuring that more tourism businesses are built with inclusivity, sustainability, and financial resilience at their core.
How You Can Support wmnsWORK
wmnsWORK is building a more equitable tourism industry by empowering women and non-binary entrepreneurs with the tools to succeed. You can support their mission by sponsoring a scholarship, partnering as a mentor or corporate supporter, or sharing their work to amplify their impact.
