Jaklien van Melick supports the team with communications and marketing, using her extensive experience within the tourism industry to assist the organisation.

Originally from the Netherlands, Jaklien has worked in the sector for over 20 years, during which time she has lived and travelled to many countries across the globe. She has worked across a range of international private and public organisations, including non-profits. This has given her a dynamic and detailed understanding of the industry. 

She started working in tourism as a holiday representative for an inbound tour operator in New York City and continued working in customer service, airline pricing, and business development for two airlines. She also worked for TripAdvisor and for two outbound tour operators in content marketing and content production. Her most recent positions were with the United Nations World Tourism Organisation and the Austrian Tourism Board, working in destination development and marketing.

Her passion for travel and sustainable tourism is what brought her to Equality in Tourism. She believes that in order to achieve a sustainable future in the industry, gender equality needs to be a priority.