It’s the morning after the night before and the awards have been and gone. Which means we can finally share the 2018 Women in Travel winners with you!

This inspirational night was one to remember, with some truly amazing women winning in each category.

Champagne was popped and celebrations were had once we announced our long list of finalists and winners – who all deserve a world of praise and recognition for the work they do every day.

The future of Australian travel is being shaped by these incredible women, and they deserve much more than just one night of applause.

But we sure did make the most of it.

Intrepid’s Zina Bencheikh delivered some words of wisdom all the way from Morocco to the crowd, before keynote speaker Ann Sherry captivated the crowd with an inspirational speech.

And then it was time to announce the highly-anticipated winners! Check them out below.

Aviation

Finalists:

• Ana Marcelo – ANA – All Nippon Airways (The Walshe Group)
• Caitlin Malone – Virgin Australia Airlines
• Elizabeth Hutchison – Air New Zealand
• Felicity Brown – Chinta Air Tours

Winner: Felicity Brown, Chinta Air Tours

Corporate

Finalists:

• Andrea Stidwill – Corporate Traveller
• Anita Nguyen – Stage & Screen Travel Services
• Jessica Anscombe – Corporate Traveller
• Jessica Roberts – AccorHotels
• Julia Taylor – Carnival Australia
• Sue McEvoy – FCM Travel Solutions
• Suzanne Watson – Travel Counsellors

Winner: Jess Anscombe, Corporate Traveller

Cruise

Finalists:

• Caroline Handisides – Carnival Australia
• Jayne Andrews – Carnival Cruise Lines
• Natasha Faithfull – Cruiseabout

Winner: Natasha Faithfull, Cruiseabout

Employer of the Year

Finalists:

• American Express Global Business Travel
• Affordable Car Hire
• Carnival Australia
• Excite Holidays
• Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings
• Spencer Travel
• GTI Tourism Pty Ltd
• The Walshe Group
• Helloworld Travel
• Wendy Wu Tours

Winner: Carnival Australia

Entrepreneur of the Year

Finalists:

• Gayle Dawson – Destination Dance
• Jacqui Walshe – The Walshe Group
• Karen Coates – Travel Counsellors
• Louise Brock – She’s My Travel Agent
• Maxine Wiggs – Resource
• Rhonda Burton – TPTG Global Pty Ltd, The Perfect Travel Group Pty Ltd and The Perfect Wave Maldives Pty Ltd
• Uschi Howard – The Travel Compass
• Wendy Wu – Wendy Wu Tours

Winner: Jacqui Walshe, The Walshe Group

Hotel

Finalists:

• Brooke Michielin
• Emma Woodward – Hyatt Regency Sydney
• Sharon Cauldwell – Next Hotels & Resorts

Winner: Emma Woodward, Hyatt Regency Sydney

Male Champion of Change

Winner: Drew Martinez, Intrepid Group

Marketer of the Year

Finalists:

• Adelle Clements – G Adventures
• Chloe Jones – Princess Cruises
• Emma Prineas – Wendy Wu Tours
• Geraldine Boyer – Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour
• Jayne Andrews – Carnival Cruise Lines
• Lisa Ronson – Tourism Australia
• Sue Elliot – Gate 1 Travel
• Vanessa Richards – Excite Holidays

Winner: Vanessa Richards, Excite Holidays

Mentor of the Year

Finalists:

• Julia McLean – TravelManagers Australia
• Juliet Hudson – International College of Management Sydney
• Kellie Browning – TravelManagers Australia
• Lena Tan – Flight Centre Tailor Made
• Melissa Elf – FCM Travel Solutions
• Rachael Harding – Trafalgar
• Tina McIntosh – Busabout
• Vickie Lancefield nee Hebbard – Excite Holidays

Winner: Tina McIntosh, Busabout

PR of the Year

Finalists:

• Abbey Sands – GTI/New Caledonia Tourism/New York State
• Anne Wild – Anne Wild & Associates Pty Ltd (AWA)
• Emma Prineas – Wendy Wu Tours
• Kate Parker – Intrepid Group
• Lyndsey Gordon – P&O Cruises

Winner: Abbey Sands, GTI/New Caledonia Tourism/New York State

Retail

Finalists:

• Elizabeth Ellis – Cherrybrook Travel
• Felicite Danis – Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour
• Leisa Davis – Helloworld Travel Biloela & Gladstone
• Louise Dann – Hunter Travel Group

Winner: Leisa Davis, Helloworld Travel Biloela & Gladstone

Rising Star of the Year

Finalists:

• Adelle Clements – G Adventures
• Amy Foyster – Intrepid Group
• Colleen Lacey – Travelmanagers Buddina
• Elizabeth Anne Brumpton – Wendy Wu Tours
• Jenny Gray – Intrepid Group
• Jody Wong – Excite Holidays
• Julianne Powell – Intrepid Group
• Laura Jade Hallion – Monday Agency
• Patricia Hanson – Intrepid Travel
• Sasha Tsibulya – The Travel Corporation
• Tracy King – MTA Travel
• Trixie Kennedy – Qantas Holidays (Helloworld Travel)

Winner: Jenny Gray, Intrepid Group

Road and Rail

Finalists:

• Jenny Lorkin – Avis Budget Group
• Kylee Kay – Asia Pacific Travel Marketing Services
• Lisa Miller – Hertz Australia

Winner: Lisa Miller, Hertz Australia

Sales Person of the Year

Finalists:

• Amy Elise Hallett – Topdeck Travel
• Angela Middleton – Insight Vacations
• Chriss Perry – Travel Partners
• Cynthia Gole – American Express Global Business Travel
• Donna Jones – Travel Counsellors
• Elizabeth Hutchison – Air New Zealand
• Emma Jones – Mantra Group
• Fran Gildon – Collette
• Marie Cecile Heritage – Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour
• Martine Nunes – Oceania Cruises
• Rachael Harding – Trafalgar
• Shoana Bannister – Wendy Wu Tours
• Sue McEvoy – FCM Travel Solutions
• Taryn Welsh – QBE Insurance

Winner: Rachael Harding, Trafalgar

Social Media

Finalists:

• Angela Diamant – Carnival Cruise Line Australia
• Danielle Kirk – Contiki Holidays
• Lizzie Mulherin – Intrepid Travel
• Lyndsey Gordon – P&O Cruises

Winner: Danielle Kirk, Contiki Holidays

Technology

Finalists:

• Barbara dos Santos – Excite Holidays
• Daniela Versick – Carnival Australia
• Davinia Simon – Adobe Systems Pty Ltd
• Ingrid Picard – Amadeus
• Juanita Kumaran – Stage and Screen Travel
• Mary Thapa – Travelport

Winner: Ingrid Picard, Amadeus

Tourism Board

Finalists:

• Caitlin Malone – Virgin Australia Airlines
• Lisa Ronson – Tourism Australia
• Rebecca Lennox – Airline Rep Services

Winner: Lisa Ronson, Tourism Australia

Wholesale

Finalists:

• Alexandra O’Connor – Insight Vacations
• Amanda McCann – Collette Travel
• Debra Fox – APT Travel Group
• Donna Lawrence – World Expeditions Travel Group
• Katrina Barry – Contiki
• Kim Knight – Qantas Holidays/Viva! Holidays
• Nadine Jones – CIE Tours
• Susie Potter – The Africa Safari Co

Winner: Katrina Barry, Contiki

Power List

Winner: Melanie Waters-Ryan, Flight Centre Travel Group

CONGRATULATIONS EVERYONE!