CATO unveils keynote speaker for 2024 International Women’s Day luncheon

CATO unveils keynote speaker for 2024 International Women’s Day luncheon
Edited by Travel Weekly


    The Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) has announced Aussie author, travel writer, environmentalist, and creative mentor, Nina Karnikowski, as the keynote speaker for its annual International Women’s Day (IWD) luncheon.

    This event is scheduled to take place in Brisbane on Thursday, 7th March at the Calile Hotel, a perennial fixture on lists of the world’s top 50 hotels.

    With a career spanning over a decade in travel writing, Nina Karnikowski has reshaped the narrative towards travel highlighting not only exploration, but also conservation and upliftment. Karnikowski’s body of work touches on the transformative power of travel in addressing pressing social and environmental challenges, offering a perspective on the positive impact that conscientious travel can influence on the world.

    Nina Karnikowski is the celebrated author of several highly acclaimed works, including the thought-provoking memoir “The Mindful Traveller,” as well as “Go Lightly,” “Make a Living Living,” and “The Writer Within.” Her insightful articles regularly grace the pages of esteemed publications such as The Sydney Morning Herald’s Traveller, The AFR’s Life & Leisure, Condé Nast Traveller, and more.

    This year, CATO has chosen the theme of “Our Rising Stars” for its International Women’s Day luncheon. The event will feature a dynamic panel discussion, bringing together a group of aspirational future female leaders from within the CATO membership. The focus will be on celebrating and empowering the emerging talent in the travel industry.

    Brett Jardine, managing director of CATO, expressed his excitement about the overwhelming response to the event, stating: “We sold out our initial allocation of tickets pre-Christmas, but have now been able to secure extra space to cater for demand. Additional tickets are now available, but we anticipate they will sell out quickly.”

    Nab a ticket here.

    Latest News

    • Tourism

    Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull departs

    Tourism Western Australia MD Carolyn Turnbull is departing the agency with effect from Friday May 10. Over the past three years, Turnbull played an instrumental role in driving growth, with one of the agency’s most significant achievements being the increase in visitor spend. Under her leadership, Tourism WA achieved a record breaking $17.7 billion in […]

    • Travel Agents

    DriveAway launches Brit-Euro Blitz campaign

    DriveAway has launched its Brit-Euro Blitz: Explore the UK, Europe & Ireland campaign, designed to inspire travellers to uncover the beauty and diversity of those destinations during May and June. The campaign arrives amidst a surge in popularity for destinations across the UK, Europe and Ireland, with year-to-date increases averaging around 30%. Notably, cities such […]

    • Road & Rail

    Fly and Stay Free with the Great Southern

    Great Southern’s Fly and Stay Free special offer will have travellers taking in the views along the east coast between Adelaide and Brisbane next summer. This bright orange locomotive chases the summer sun, sharing the incredible coastline with those who want to experience it by train. The journey reflects the best of Australia, from charming […]

    • Tourism

    Sober travel and TikTok guide Australian Gen Z trips

    Gen Z travellers prefer to limit alcohol when overseas and have an increased reliance on TikTok when planning a trip, according to a report by StudentUniverse, the world’s largest online travel retailer for young people. The State of Student & Youth Travel Report for 2024 delved into the latest travel sentiments amongst those aged 18-25 […]

    • Tour Operators
    • Tourism

    TTC: Deals are driving up demand for September trips

    The latest market research from TTC Tour Brands shows interest in international leisure travel remains high for 2024, with 77 per cent of Australians over 18 still planning trips this year. Notably, 28 per cent of those travellers are eyeing September for their journeys. Europe continues to be the most popular destination, with 68 per […]

    • Aviation

    Qantas ‘working urgently’ to fix app data leak

    Qantas is looking into customer reports that passengers have this morning been able to access other passengers’ personal information on the airlines app. X user Lachlan posted that he was able log into different accounts every time he opened the app. My @Qantas app logs me in to a different person each time I open […]

    • Hotels

    Revamped Wailoaloa Beach hotel opens as Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa

    Crowne Plaza Fiji Nadi Bay Resort & Spa is open and ready for bookings after the first phase of a multi-million-dollar transformation. Part of IHG Hotels & Resorts’ premium collection, the transformation has seen the completion of 106 guestrooms showcasing contemporary interiors reflective of the premium Crowne Plaza brand and is a first for the […]

    • Luxury
    • News

    Kamalaya Koh Samui clinches clutch of wellness awards

    Kamalaya Wellness Sanctuary & Holistic Spa has so far clinched five prestigious awards in 2024, including being inducted into the ‘Hall of Fame’ at the World Spa & Wellness Awards in London. Founders of the Koh Samui sanctuary and spa John and Karina Stewart expressed their heartfelt gratitude for the awards. “We are profoundly honoured […]