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Warm Welcome

Hotels, restaurants, attractions and other businesses across Baltimore are coming together to show the world that Charm City is committed to supporting and embracing diversity, equity and inclusion, and fostering a welcoming environment for ALL travelers, no matter who they are or where they come from.

 

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Program Overview

Here's how it works.

Step 1

All Baltimore-based businesses and attractions are invited to sign a pledge in which they commit to offering colleagues, community members and visitors a “Warm Welcome,” embracing all.

Step 2

Participating organizations will receive Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) training tools provided by Visit Baltimore and various subject matter experts, including:

  • A video training on DEI through the lens of race by well-respected DEI expert Dr. Kaye Whitehead, founding director of The Karson Institute for Race, Peace & Social Justice on the campus of Loyola University and host of “Today with Dr. Kaye” on WEAA 88.9 FM;
  • A Disability Inclusion and Etiquette Guide with valuable information provided by accessibility expert Melanie Hood-Wilson of Melanie Hood-Wilson and Associates;
  • And a 30-minute video conversation with Tramour Wilson and Amber Vanhorn-Bailey, experts from the Pride Center of Maryland (PCOM), about businesses can become more inclusive of the LGBTQ+/Same-Gender-Loving community.

Step 3

Participants are encouraged to review the materials with all members of their organization and incorporate them into ongoing staff training in order to receive a “Warm Welcome” toolkit that includes materials to display at their business and “Warm Welcome” buttons for staff to wear to show their commitment to the program.

Step 4

Visit Baltimore will support participants with additional inclusivity resources and training on an ongoing basis as appropriate.

Online Pledge

This is our commitment.

We welcome you. ALL of you.

Baltimore’s brilliant and rich culture is created by a mosaic of distinctive and diverse communities. By signing Visit Baltimore’s Warm Welcome Pledge, your organization as part of the tourism, hospitality and greater business community commits to embracing diversity, equity and inclusion through tangible and meaningful actions that support colleagues, neighbors and visitors alike.

By participating in the program, you pledge to:

  • Use supportive, affirming language
  • Inspire proactive allyship
  • Encourage productive dialogue about race and bias
  • Foster active listening and learning, including formal DEI training for staff and/or stakeholders

We remain steadfast in our goal to eliminate hate. Allyship and antiracism are a part of our DNA, and we want all those who come to Charm City to feel seen, heard and welcome.

2023 AFAR Travel Vanguard

AFAR Vanguard awardWe’re excited to share that we’ve been selected for the AFAR 2023 Travel Vanguard award recognizing the Warm Welcome program! First launched in 2016, this annual award celebrates travel brands making exceptional strides in sustainability, accessibility, diversity, and inclusion. Out of nearly 130 nominees, we’re proud to be chosen as one of seven organizations making travel a force for good by putting people—and the planet—first.

Participants

Join us!

Thank you to our partners who have pledged their commitment to making Baltimore a welcoming city for all. The work of diversity, equity and inclusion is ongoing and the pledge is just the start of important efforts taking place in every participating organization — efforts that include making time for continual learning, taking accountability for mistakes and always asking, “How can we do better?” We hope this program provides some of the tools and resources the industry needs to do this work with integrity, purpose and impact. Below is a list of participants to date.

Abbey Burger Bistro
After Midnight
American Visionary Art Museum
Andamento Studio & Gallery
Atlas Restaurant Group
Atwater's
Baltimore Black Heritage Tours
Baltimore Civic Fund
Baltimore Collegetown Network
Baltimore Convention Center
Baltimore Museum of Industry
Baltimore National Heritage Area
Baltimore Tourism Association
BAR 51 Mobile Bartending Concierge Service
Battle's Transportation, Inc.
Berries By Quicha
BlancNoir Bed & Breakfast
Bondhouse
B&O Railroad Museum
Brick & Whistle
Bromo Seltzer Arts Tower
Café 1908
Canopy by Hilton Baltimore Harbor Point
Capricia's Sweet Treats
Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA)
Charm City Pride 365 Inc.
Chase Street Accessories & Engraving
Chesapeake Shakespeare Company
City Cruises
Coven
Cuples Tea House
Dogwatch Tavern
Downtown Partnership of Baltimore
Earth Elements Soapworks
Economic Alliance of Greater Baltimore
Fairfield Inn & Suites Baltimore Downtown Inner Harbor
Fells Point Surf Co.
Flowers & Fancies
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Four Seasons Hotel Baltimore
Friends & Family
Full Sail Media
gaja
Greater Baltimore Committee
Greater Baltimore Cultural Alliance
Greedy Reads
Hampton Inn Baltimore Downtown Convention Center
Hiatus Cheesecake
Hilton Garden Inn/Homewood Suites Hotels
Holiday Inn Baltimore BWI Airport
Hotel Indigo
Hotel Revival
Hotel Ulysses
Hyatt Regency Baltimore
Idhini Inc.
Iron Crow Theatre
Kimpton Hotel Monaco Baltimore Inner Harbor
LB 1928
Lord Baltimore Hotel
Loyola University Maryland
LT Event Registrars
Maryland Center for History and Culture
Maryland Hotel Lodging Association
Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA)
Maryland Zoo
Max's Taphouse
Mayor’s Office of LGBTQ Affairs
MFG Toffee & Bark Company
National Aquarium
Pandora's Box
Pier 5 Hotel
Port Discovery
Pride of Baltimore, Inc.
R. House
Rachael's Dowry Bed and Breakfast
Reginald F. Lewis Museum
Remington Hotels
Renaissance Baltimore Harborplace Hotel
Rent-a-Tour Baltimore
ROOST Baltimore
Royal Sonesta Harbor Court Hotel
School 33 Arts Center
SNF Parkway, home of the Maryland Film Festival
Sodexo Live!
Sweet Bee Services
TBC Inc.
Ten Thousand Villages
Thames Street Oyster House
The Cube Co-work
The Ivy Hotel
The Positive PURGE People Corporation
The Seasoned Olive
Tru by Hilton - Baltimore
University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Visit Annapolis & Anne Arundel County
Visit Durango
Waterfront Partnership
Won and Done Life Enrichment Programs Inc.
Yeht Company

Visit Baltimore as the creator of this program intends to foster the continuing education of our industry in embracing all people. We reserve the right to modify the initiative and to adjust the participant criteria to ensure the integrity of the movement.

Testimonials

Hear from our Warm Welcome participants.

Glossary

Definitions of key terms in the pledge:

Diversity – the practice or quality of including or involving people from a range of different social and ethnic backgrounds and different genders and sexual orientations.

Equity – the quality of being just, fair and impartial.

Inclusion – the practice or policy of providing equal access to opportunities and resources for people who might otherwise be excluded or marginalized.

Allyship – making an intentional decision to work on behalf of and alongside members of a marginalized group.

Visit Baltimore Merch

Show off your Baltimore pride in style with t-shirts, hats and hoodies featuring the Visit Baltimore logo. Plus get your hands on our one-of-a-kind posters.