An Interview with Kim Twiggs
The TIEWN Team sits down with Kim Twiggs, Associate Vice President of Market Development at DIRECTV, as she prepares to speak at the 2023 Women in Travel & Hospitality on March 2-3.
BLLA: Why are you excited to be a sponsor?
KT: DIRECTV is the largest provider of in-room entertainment in U.S. hotels*, so our passion for hoteliers and the hospitality industry is unparalleled. More importantly, the opportunity to couple this passion with the ability to support and elevate women in hospitality, business, and tech has become a top priority for me personally, as well as for our entire company. The mission of BLLA’s Women in Travel & Hospitality Conference aligns with DIRECTV’s cultural pillars – We Care. We Challenge. We Deliver – and we are excited to be part of the transformation taking place to bring more female leaders together to maximize our impact on the industry.
*Source: May 2022 International Data Corporation (IDC) Business Television Forecast Study
BLLA: Why is it important for women in travel, tourism, and hospitality to gather in person annually?
KT: While we learned during the pandemic that we are certainly capable of being successful and delivering results in a virtual environment, there is something magical that happens to teams – and for women in particular – when we can gather in person. There is an underlying spirit of trust, community, and authenticity that forms in person, which enables us to explore new ideas, innovate, and create space for possibilities that just can’t be replicated in a virtual setting alone. And in an industry that is experiencing change faster than we’ve ever seen it before, it is so important to leverage those benefits of togetherness to unlock the next great wave of innovation and possibilities in travel and hospitality.
BLLA: What is the mission statement of your company?
KT: DIRECTV’s mission is to aggregate, curate, and deliver entertainment with our exceptional and innovative services.
BLLA: What is your philosophy of travel & hospitality in the new age?
KT: So many people are relying on travel and hospitality to escape and refuel from the increasing amount of stress they’re experiencing in their lives. It is more important than ever for travel, and in particular, the hotel guest room, to be a source of respite and relief, an experience that ignites joy and alleviates stress, and one that inspires great memories along the journey. For DIRECTV, we want to help ensure travelers have the best in-room guest entertainment to contribute to that experience.
That means bringing the same experience they have at home into the guest room through one seamless, easy-to-use, easy-to-navigate interface. Whether someone is traveling for business or leisure, in-room entertainment is a core feature and amenity for guests, and we want to help ensure that they have a great experience and an enjoyable stay.
BLLA: The theme of this year’s conference is “Finding Your Circle of Influence.” What does this mean to you?
KT: I was recently reflecting on the idea that the most important ‘work’ we do isn’t making our sales quotas, the number of meetings we attend, or analyzing spreadsheets of data. It’s fostering connection in our work environments, creating and nurturing relationships that contribute to business results, and empowering those around us to help leave the department, the company, the industry, the broader community… better than we found them. We are fortunate to live in a time where it’s possible to initiate and make change, especially as women. “Finding My Circle of Influence” means using my years of corporate experience as a woman in hospitality and tech to meaningfully connect with other colleagues, both male and female, to hopefully help make this place (and the people in it) a little bit better.