blacks in travel & tourism

What blacks in travel & tourism does

Blacks in Travel & Tourism (BTT), founded in 2020, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit initiative of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance, Inc. (CHEA), headquartered in Washington, DC. The organization operates a membership-based platform focused on advancing Black representation, professional development, and business growth within the U.S. travel and tourism industry. BTT serves a hybrid audience composed of small Black-owned travel and tourism businesses, individual Black tourism professionals, students, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), convention and visitors bureaus, and corporate travel industry partners. Its programming addresses systemic barriers to entry, supplier access, and career advancement across the $1.2 trillion U.S. travel industry.

BTT's core portfolio includes the Black Tourism Talent Directory (a matchmaking platform connecting Black talent with industry opportunities), the Black Speaker's Bureau, the Diversity Tourism Academy (DTA) offering online masterclasses such as the DEI Deep Dive Masterclass and Tourism Business Enhancement & Readiness Masterclass, the IPW Co-Op Supplier Program (a partnership with U.S. Travel Association providing subsidized trade show access), and the Future of Black Tourism E3 Leadership Conclave. The underlying technology stack is a conventional online membership management platform with virtual event delivery, webinar hosting, and directory/matchmaking functionality. Strategic distribution partnerships with Brand USA, Destinations International, Tourism Cares, and the Carlson Family Foundation extend BTT's reach into industry, government, and foundation channels.

The business model combines recurring membership dues ($100–$2,500 annually across five tiers), tax-deductible donations, event registration and sponsorships, fee-for-service diversity consulting, and cooperative program fees. The go-to-market motion is community-led and event-driven, supplemented by direct membership sales via the website. The organization is led by Founder & CEO Stephanie M. Jones and governed in part by a National Advisory Board of senior industry executives.

Name

blacks in travel & tourism

Legal name

Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance, Inc.

Website

https://blacksintourism.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Blacks in Travel & Tourism (BTT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit initiative that operates a membership platform, talent directory, training academy, and signature events to advance Black representation, professional development, and small business growth within the U.S. travel and tourism industry.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Washington

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Fees: Annual membership dues ranging from $100 (individual/professional) to $2,500 (corporate), providing access to directories, events, educational content, and member benefits.
2. Donations and Contributions: Tax-deductible donations to support the 501(c)(3) non-profit mission of providing access and growth opportunities for small Black travel and tourism businesses.
3. Event Registration and Sponsorships: Registration fees for signature events, summits, and forums with sponsorship opportunities for partner brands to align with BTT's programs.
4. IPW Co-Op Supplier Program Fees: Co-op supplier participation fees for small Black tour operators to attend IPW trade show at reduced investment through partnership with U.S. Travel Association.
5. Diversity Consulting Services: Fee-for-service consulting engagements with organizations for tourism development, DEI planning, multicultural marketing strategy, and stakeholder engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Blacks in Travel & Tourism (BTT) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit membership organization that operates programs, platforms, and events to advance Black talent, businesses, and professionals in the travel and tourism industry. Its core offerings include a tiered annual membership program, the Black Tourism Talent Directory matchmaking platform, the Diversity Tourism Academy training platform, the Black Speaker's Bureau, signature convenings like the Future of Black Tourism E3 Leadership Conclave, and the IPW Co-Op Supplier Program providing subsidized access to industry trade shows.

Product overview

Blacks in Travel & Tourism (BTT) / National Black Travel & Tourism Collaborative is a signature initiative of the Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance (CHEA), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Washington, DC. BTT is not a single product company but rather a membership-based professional organization offering a portfolio of programs, services, and platforms. Its core products include the Black Speaker's Bureau (speaker matchmaking), Black Tourism Talent Directory (professional matchmaking directory), Future of Black Tourism E3 Leadership Conclave (leadership convening), IPW Co-Op Supplier Program (trade show access), and the Diversity Tourism Academy (training platform). The Diversity Tourism Academy encompasses the DEI Deep Dive Masterclass and Tourism Business Enhancement & Readiness Masterclass as sub-products. Supporting offerings include Educational Webinars, the Cultural Heritage Summit, Consulting Services, and the Black Travel & Tourism News blog. All offerings are tied together through a tiered membership program spanning Individual/Professional ($100), Supplier/Small Business ($200), Association/Non-Profit/NGO ($500), DMO/CVB/Tourism Board ($1,500), and Corporate ($2,500) levels.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Black Tourism Talent Directory: Official matchmaking tool for the travel and tourism industry connecting Black talent with business growth, internship, career, media, and speaker opportunities.
• Diversity Tourism Academy (DTA)
• IPW Co-Op Supplier Program
• Black Speaker's Bureau
• DEI Deep Dive Masterclass
• Cultural Heritage Summit

Products and services

• Black Speaker's Bureau A speaker-matching platform that connects event organizers with vetted Black keynote speakers, panelists, and workshop facilitators for virtual and in-person meetings and events in the global travel and tourism industry.
• Black Tourism Talent Directory An online matchmaking directory that enables Black tourism and travel small businesses, professionals, students, and speakers to create profiles and connect with business growth, internship, career, media, and speaker opportunities in the travel and tourism industry.
• Future of Black Tourism E3 Leadership Conclave A signature convening program that brings together Black leaders in travel and tourism for business training, industry-specific education, economic empowerment, and leadership development, culminating with Industry Day in Washington, DC.
• IPW Co-Op Supplier Program A partnership with the U.S. Travel Association that provides small Black tour operators and suppliers with subsidized access to IPW, the industry's top U.S. travel trade show, to facilitate connections with domestic and international operators and press.
• Diversity Tourism Academy (DTA) A training platform offering masterclasses and professional development programs for small travel and tourism businesses, professionals, and destinations to build sustainable, inclusive businesses.
• Cultural Heritage Summit A signature industry event bringing together travel and tourism stakeholders around cultural heritage tourism topics.
• Educational Webinars A series of recorded webinars covering topics including DEI frameworks, multicultural marketing, COVID-19 recovery strategies, Black hospitality education, and DMO leadership, presented in partnership with Brand USA and Destinations International.
• Consulting Services Diversity consulting services offered by BTT's team of experienced consultants covering tourism development, local stakeholder engagement, cultural heritage tour product and itinerary development, multicultural marketing strategy and activations, Black traveler market research, and DEI planning and implementation.

Quantifiable outcome

• Small Black tour operators gain access to IPW trade show through subsidized Co-Op Supplier Program
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• U.S. Travel AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to offer small Black suppliers the opportunity to attend IPW, the industry's top travel trade show, at minimum investment through the IPW Co-Op Supplier Program. BTT and U.S. Travel Association work together to level the playing field for Black tour operators.
• Brand USAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry Day collaboration at the E3 Leadership Conclave where delegates met with top Brand USA officials. Supporting Black Business Enrichment session presented by Brand USA Global Marketplace. Partnership on promoting U.S. cultural heritage travel.
• Destinations InternationalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCo-presentation of DEI Framework to Enhance Corporate Culture webinar and masterclass. Strategic partnership for diversity and inclusion programming for destination professionals.
• World Tourism Association for Culture and HeritagestrategicStrategic or Co-development PartnerCHEA, BTT's parent organization, partners with World Tourism Association for Culture and Heritage to advance cultural heritage tourism initiatives.
• CheapOairstrategicGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership to launch Cultural Heritage Travel Page as part of CheapOair's Miles Away Blog, promoting Black cultural heritage travel destinations.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Tourism Cares: Non-profit focused on social impact and sustainability in the travel industry. Closely comparable as a tourism-focused non-profit offering grants and programming; Tourism Cares is also a BTT partner and the originator of the Diversity in Tourism Fund awarded to BTT.
• U.S. Travel Association: National umbrella organization representing all components of the U.S. travel industry. Comparable as a tourism trade body that partners with BTT (IPW Co-Op Supplier Program) and convenes industry stakeholders, but functions as a broader industry association rather than a Black-community-focused organization.

Broad incumbents

• Destinations International: The largest global trade association for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and convention and visitors bureaus. Comparable to BTT in serving DMOs/CVBs, and an active BTT partner on DEI programming, but operates at much broader industry scope rather than Black-community focus.
• PCMA (Professional Convention Management Association): Global association for the business events industry. Comparable to BTT in delivering professional development, education, and event programming to a defined industry workforce segment, though at much broader scope.
• Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA): Global trade association for the adventure travel industry. Comparable as a tourism trade association offering events, education, and community for tour operators and suppliers; ATTA's President & CEO also sits on BTT's National Advisory Board, signaling operational overlap.
• National Tour Association (NTA): Leading association for packaged travel professionals and tour operators. Comparable to BTT as a tour-operator-facing industry association with advocacy, education, and trade-show access components — analogous to BTT's IPW Co-Op Supplier Program and Diversity Tourism Academy offerings.
• SITE (Society of Incentive & Travel Executives): Global association for the incentive travel industry. Comparable to BTT as a niche tourism trade association providing education, events, and professional development to a defined industry segment.

Direct peers

• American Indian Alaska Native Tourism Association (AIANTA): National non-profit association dedicated to advancing Native American and Alaska Native participation in the travel and tourism industry. Highly comparable to BTT in structure (membership association, advocacy, professional development, cultural heritage focus) and mission (leveling the playing field for an underrepresented community in tourism).
• Roots Hospitality: Non-profit advancing Black leadership in hospitality and tourism. Comparable to BTT in narrow community focus (Black professionals in hospitality/tourism), advocacy, and professional-development programming, making it one of the closest direct peers in mission.
• AAHOA (Asian American Hotel Owners Association): Trade association advancing the interests of Asian American hotel owners and the broader hospitality industry. Comparable to BTT as a minority-focused hospitality/tourism industry association providing advocacy, education, networking, and supplier-development programming.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about blacks in travel & tourism