The inaugural Women in Travel Awards is just round the corner and will recognise women who have achieved success in the industry as well as their contribution through leadership and innovation.

We are chuffed to have received close to 200 fantastic entries for these inaugural awards, with winners to be announced at the Women in Travel Awards gala cocktail event on 17 November at the Ovolo Woolloomooloo Sydney. Make sure you grab Earlybird tickets now – it’s running out fast!

Travel Weekly are also indebted to the elite panel of Judges, who used their expertise and gave up hours to score entrants fairly and without bias. Without the time and effort of these 39 individuals, we would not be able to produce the final list of finalists.

Congratulations to all the finalists (in alphabetical order). Please note, some categories have additional finalists due to tight scores!

Aviation:

Anca Sbenghe – Lufthansa, SWISS and Austrian Airlines

Felicity Brown – Chinta Air Tours

Gai Tyrrell – Hawaiian Airlines

Nicole McMahon – Virgin Australia

Roheena Gidwani – Malindo Air

Corporate:

Cherie Drummond – Corporate Travel Management

Leanne Ralston – Spencer Travel

Melissa Gillman – Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Rebecca Crosbie – Global Travel Management

Employer of the Year:

American Express Global Business Travel

Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Excite Holidays

Flight Centre Travel Group

Globenet Travel

GTI Tourism

InterContinental Hotels Group

Klick Communications

The Travel Corporation

The Africa Safari Co.

Entrepreneur of the Year:

Bella Tipping – Kidzcationz

Emily Warbrick- Snowscene

Gayle Dawson – TravelManagers

Lisa Pagotto – Crooked Compass

Nadine Jones – Jones & Co Collection

Rachel James – Bestjet

Reena Tory – Mantra Wild Adventures

Renee Welsh – Booking Boss

Sarah Anderson – GTI Tourism

Hotel:

Amelia Karcher – Ibis Adelaide

Amery Burleigh – Sofitel Gold Coast Broadbeach

Megan Pechey – Mantra Group

Nicole Cheramie – InterContinental Hotels Group

Male Champion of Change:

Craig Owens – Cruise Office

Gaston Guernik – Excite Holidays

John Veitch – The Travel Corporation

Warren Payne – Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Marketing:

Justine Lally – APT Travel Group

Karen Cooke – Flight Centre Travel Group

Lee Siefken – InterContinental Hotels Group

Lisa Ronson – Tourism Australia

Lucy Piper – Intrepid Group

Meagan Maynard – Excite Holidays

Mentor of the Year:

Debra Fox – APT Travel Group

Dyan McKie – Intrepid Group

Jo Sully – American Express Global Business Travel

Joleen R Hurst – Accor Hotels

Kim McKay – Klick Communications

Meg Salter – Auridian Training & Consulting

Sarah Anderson – GTI Tourism

Sue Badyari – World Expeditions

Tracey Bremner – Globenet Travel

PR of the Year:

Jen McDermott – WE Buchan

Karena Noble – Voyages

Lauren Coughlan – Tourism New Zealand

Nicole Crowley – InterContinental Hotels Group

Rae White – The Travel Corporation

Retail:

Carly Hulls – Tour Radar

Chriss Perry – Travel Partners

Debbie Collins – Spencer Travel

Debra Carr – Helloworld Surrey Hills

Dr Rita Benckendorff-Malik – Tailor Made Travelling

Kim Mason  – TravelManagers

Maria Pandalai – TravelManagers

Penny Spencer – Spencer Travel

Robyn Davies – WOW! Travel

Rising Star:

Breeanna Perez – Globenet Travel

Gisela Bell – Excite Holidays

Kass Scarlett – Tui Marine

Kate Wickham – Contiki

Lauren Smith – Intrepid Group

Lucy Potter – TravelEdge

Madeline Georgiadis – Accor Hotels

Nidhi Menroy – CVFR Consolidation Services

Salesperson of the year:

Amanda Castle – Busabout, TTC

Deanna Varga -Australian National Maritime Museum

Felicity Allan – Malaysia Airlines

Mary-Jane Devine – Fusion Marketing

Melissa Elf – FCM Travel Solutions

Susan Haberle – APT Travel Group

Social Media:

Caroline Brunel – GTI Tourism

Katherine Ong – Erdigroup Hotel Collection

Marie Sulda – Kaleidoscopic Travel

Melaine Banyard – Champagne Travel

Natalie Siagian – Contiki

Technology:

Gemma Sherwood – Intrepid Group

Kaylene Shuttlewood – Travelport

Michelle Beveridge – Intrepid Group

Narelle Smythe – Carlson Wagonlit Travel

Rachel James – Bestjet

Renee Welsh – Booking Boss

Tourism Board:

Anne Morris – GTI Tourism

Mona Tannous – Sultanate of Oman Tourism

Stephanie Sng – Japan National Tourism Organization

Sarah Seddon – Destination Melbourne

Wholesale:

Alex O’Connor – Insight Vacations

Alison Mead – Collette

Fiona Dalton – Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection

Simla Sooboodoo – Hands On Journeys

Susie Potter  – The Africa Safari Co

*Marketing finalists will be released on Friday.

Also a huge thank you to all our judges: Adrian Pinotto, Aida Osta, Áine Leonard, Ainslie Hunt, Alex O’Connor, Amber Wilson, Andrea Robinson, Andrew Macfarlane, Ann Sherry, Anna Guillan, Barry Mayo, Carole Cooper, Christian Hunter, Deb Corbett, Debra Fox, Fiona Dalton, Gai Tyrrell, Gil McLachlan, Ginni Post, Jacqui Walshe, Joana Bonto, Julie King, Julie Primmer, Julie Reid, Karen Christensen, Karin Sheppard, Lisa Akeroyd, Lisa Ronson, Lynne Clarke, Melissa Schembri, Michelle Black, Nicole Backo, Penny Spencer, Rachel Argaman, Robyn Nixon, Sarah Anderson, Sarah Built, Sarina Bratton and Tom Manwaring.

Congratulations to all the finalists! We look forward to celebrating with you on the 17th at the Ovolo Woolloomooloo. Buy tickets now.