Women-Owned International Tour Operators Making Strides
Every year, International Tour Operators (ITOs) bring thousands of runners to marathons around the world. For runners, this is their chance for guaranteed entry into some of the iconic marathons, including the TCS New York City Marathon. Several ITOs are founded and managed by women, most of whom say their passion for this industry is travel and helping runners fulfill their dreams.
"Women are empathetic and supportive of exhausted runners.”
ITO runners from Finland pose at the finish line in NYC.
Paula Vetikko founded Vetikko Travel, an International Tour Operator (ITO) in Finland, in 2011. Her work in the ITO industry started in 1989 when her manager at a company where she worked as a business travel consultant asked her to be a tour guide for the New York City Marathon. She’d never been to NYC and didn’t even know how long a marathon was, but her excitement for the runners crossing the finish line left a life-changing impression on her.
“The atmosphere of the NYC Marathon is like nothing else.”
Although she’s not a runner herself, she enjoys seeing the “happy runners” crossing the finish line and likes hearing their stories. “Every runner has a story to tell. No matter their background.”
She said it was rough during the pandemic when marathons were canceled. But by spring of 2022, she was back on the road bringing runners to the Berlin, London, and New York City marathons. And just this month, she brought runners to the Tokyo Marathon.
When asked if she thought more women should consider working in the ITO field she said, “why not! Women are empathetic and supportive of exhausted runners.”
“Women have an important place in this field of tourism and sports.”
Ana Luisa Molina (pictured above in the middle directly behind the flag) founded International Marathons Inscriptions Chile (IMICH), a family-run tourism company that has been organizing tours for over 25 years bringing runners to the Berlin, Chicago, and London marathons, to name a few.
“One of the [most memorable] experiences happened in 2001 with the attack on the Twin Towers,” she said. “We had two large groups, one to New York and the other to Washington. The perseverance and strength of the marathon demonstrated the greatness of the city of New York.”
She got her start in the ITO industry when in 1996, she organized a tour group for the Paris Marathon. Then in 1997, she brought 50 runners to the New York City Marathon and has been organizing tours to the New York City Marathon ever since.
“The most gratifying thing is knowing that I have made many people happy and helped [to] promote sport in the world.”
When asked if she thought more women should consider working in the ITO field she said, “Oh yes of course! I think that women have an important place in this field of tourism and sports.”
Her son, Lucas Goycoolea M., said working with his mother has been an incredibly enriching experience.
“Sport has always been deeply ingrained in our family, with my father as a marathon runner and my mother who motivated us from a young age. There's nothing better than working with family on a shared passion.”
"Women bring a positive perspective to many jobs
After working at the Sydney Olympics in 2000, Fran Seton made the shift from a career in IT management into sports tourism, eventually creating RunFun Travel, an Australian ITO that brings runners to marathons all over the world. One of her most exciting memories is watching Shalane Flanagan win the New York City Marathon in 2017.
“To be at the finish line was an extraordinary moment and the roar of the crowd was unbelievable.”
For the New York City Marathon in 2016, she organized a group of runners that included Kathrine Switzer, a pioneer in women’s sports who made history when she ran the Boston Marathon in 1967 despite the race director’s efforts to remove her from the course.
“It's for moments like these that we do the job. Incredible moments that you don’t necessarily plan for but fall into place.”
Fran has also worked as a race-course measurer for the Sydney and Beijing Olympics and the Great Wall Marathon as well as courses in Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, and New Delhi. Her partner, Dave Cundy, was a marathon race director for many years and a course measurer who has made many connections in the running industry.
“We get to meet so many people around the world. All with a story and something unique to offer.”
When asked if she thought more women should consider working in the ITO field she said, “I think women bring a positive perspective to many jobs, be it the ITO field or anything else. It’s a great job for ‘people’ people and those who love to bring their own flair to the job.”