Women in Travel CIC

Women in Travel CIC Connecting diverse Female+ talent to employment and enterprising opportunities in the Travel Industry

22/09/2026

✨ What an incredible evening celebrating the IWTTF Awards 2026! ✨

We were delighted to come together at Union House, Utrecht, to celebrate this year’s finalists and winners, with the Awards Ceremony proudly sponsored by Interrail.

The evening was a celebration of the people and organisations driving meaningful change across our industry through impact, innovation, inclusion and inspiring leadership. 🌍💫

A huge thank you to our sponsors, partners, finalists, winners and everyone who joined us and helped make the evening so special.

And, if you missed it… here are the IWTTF Awards 2026 winners! 🏆

🏆 Woman Leader for Impact and Inclusion — Individual Corporate Category

Joint Winners:
• Natalie Lyall-Grant — Head of Positive Impact, Jacada Travel
• Stroma Cole — Professor of Tourism and Human Rights, University of Westminster & Co-Director, Equality in Tourism

🏆 Woman Leader for Impact and Inclusion — Entrepreneur Category

Shailza Sood Dasgupta — Co-Founder, Homestays of India

🏆 Woman in Tech and AI

Veerle Witte — Founder & CEO, Travel Diaries

🏆 Ally for Social Impact and Community

Kerrie Bartholomew — Account Director, Clear Marketing International

🏆 DEI Courage and Resilience

Rederij Lampedusa

🏆 Inclusive Business Practice

Community Homestay Network of Nepal

🏆 Inclusive Workplace

a&o Hostels

🏆 Special Jury Award — Outstanding Contribution (Individual)

Klaudija Janzelj — General Manager, Tourplan Europe

🏆 Special Jury Award — DEI Pioneer (Company)

Intrepid Travel

Congratulations to all our 2026 winners and finalists. Your work, commitment and leadership are helping shape a more inclusive and impactful future for travel and tourism. 👏🌍

17/09/2026

🎉 A huge round of applause for the winners of the IWTTF Awards 2026! ✨🏆

🏆 Woman Leader for Impact and Inclusion -
Individual Corporate Category Joint Winners

• Natalie Lyall-Grant
Head of Positive Impact - Jacada Travel

• Stroma Cole
Professor of Tourism and Human Rights,
University of Westminster, and Co-Director, Equality in Tourism

🏆 Woman Leader for Impact and Inclusion - Entrepreneur Category
• Shailza Sood Dasgupta - Co-Founder, Homestays of India

🏆 Woman in Tech and AI
Veerle Witte - Founder and CEO - Travel Diaries

🏆 Ally for Social Impact and Community
• Kerrie Bartholomew,
Account Director - Clear Marketing International

🏆 DEI Courage and Resilience
• Rederij Lampedusa

🏆 Inclusive Business Practice
• Community Homestay Network of Nepal

🏆 Inclusive Work Place
• a&o Hostels

🏆Special Jury Award
Outstanding Contribution (Individual)
• Klaudija Janzelj - General Manager, Tourplan Europe

🏆Special Jury Award
DEI Pioneer (Company)
• Intrepid Travel

What an incredible evening celebrating the people and organisations making a real difference through impact, innovation and inspiring leadership.

A heartfelt congratulations to all our winners and finalists — your achievements are truly remarkable, and your passion continues to inspire our global community. 👏👏

We’d also like to extend our sincere thanks to our amazing sponsors for their continued support, with a special thank you to Interrail, sponsor of the IWTTF Awards Ceremony at Union House Utrecht.

And, of course, thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a memorable and unforgettable celebration! 💫

Here’s to the achievements, ideas and leaders shaping the future. Congratulations to all! 🥂✨

✨ Moments that Matter. Stories that stay with us.Tomorrow at IWTTF Europe, we’re bringing five inspiring women, five tho...
17/09/2026

✨ Moments that Matter. Stories that stay with us.

Tomorrow at IWTTF Europe, we’re bringing five inspiring women, five thought-provoking prompts and five minutes each together for a powerful storytelling session.

🎤 Monika Lewicka — Founder, empowered.travel & empowered.climbing
🎤 Shivya Nath — Travel Writer & Founder, Climate Conscious Travel
🎤 Gracia Tenda — Independent Tour Guide, Amsterdam
🎤 Paula de Keijzer — Managing Director, Estivant Vakanties
🎤 Samira El Hachioui — Managing Director, Education For All Morocco (EFAM)

Five voices. Five perspectives. Five moments that matter.

We can’t wait to hear the stories, experiences and insights these incredible women will bring to the stage — and discover the moments that have shaped their journeys, challenged their thinking and inspired their work.

🔥 IWTTF Europe is tomorrow. And this is one session you won’t want to miss.

📅 Thursday, 17 September 2026
📍 Dotslash, Utrecht

See you tomorrow! ✨

🎤 IWTTF Europe conference is tomorrow - and we’re delighted to welcome Jane McFadzean! 🌍✨Jane is Senior Director, Global...
16/09/2026

🎤 IWTTF Europe conference is tomorrow - and we’re delighted to welcome Jane McFadzean! 🌍✨

Jane is Senior Director, Global Sustainability at Trip.com Group, where she is driving sustainability initiatives, building impactful partnerships and helping integrate environmental and social priorities into the company’s global growth and innovation.

With 20+ years of experience across travel, tourism and media, Jane has held senior leadership roles at global brands including Expedia, Disney and Microsoft, leading award-winning initiatives with Tourist Boards around the world.

Since joining Trip.com Group in 2024, she has brought her wealth of experience to one of the industry’s most important challenges: how can travel continue to grow while creating positive impact for people and the planet?

Jane also serves on the Board of the Scottish Tourism Alliance, bringing a valuable industry perspective to the future of tourism and hospitality.

Tomorrow, Jane will join the conversation on “Leadership in Times of Uncertainty: Why Inclusion Is the Smart Thing – Not Just the Right Thing to Do.”

With uncertainty shaping the world around us, this timely discussion will explore why inclusive leadership isn’t simply about doing the right thing — it’s about building stronger, smarter and more resilient organisations for the future.

🔥 One day to go. We can’t wait to hear Jane’s insights, and to welcome you to IWTTF Europe!

📅 Thursday, 17 September 2026
📍 Dotslash, Utrecht

See you tomorrow! 👋✨

Learn more at www.iwttf.com

🌍 Tourism’s potential for positive impact has never been greater — and neither has the scrutiny.As travellers become mor...
15/09/2026

🌍 Tourism’s potential for positive impact has never been greater — and neither has the scrutiny.

As travellers become more informed, selective and values-driven, the question is no longer simply where we travel, but what our travel makes possible.

At IWTTF Europe, Lola Akinmade, award-winning Visual Travel Storyteller & Founder of Geotraveler Media, will moderate a powerful conversation with:

🎤 Kavita Kooijman — Brand Lead, Interrail
🎤 Jo Geneen — Director of Engagement & Impact, Travalyst
🎤 Manuel Ferreira — Head of Programme Management & External Communications, TUI Care Foundation

Together, they’ll explore what it takes to create a genuinely future-fit travel product, one that connects people, supports communities, celebrates culture and creates meaningful economic impact.

Because in a world of AI-curated itineraries, overtourism fatigue and increasingly disconnected experiences, travel has an opportunity to be more human, authentic and transformative — not simply transactional.

📅 Thursday, 17 September 2026
📍 Dotslash, Utrecht

🎤 IWTTF Europe is just days away - and we’re excited to introduce another of our fantastic speakers!Meet Martine Conings...
15/09/2026

🎤 IWTTF Europe is just days away - and we’re excited to introduce another of our fantastic speakers!

Meet Martine Conings, Hotel Director at NH Noordwijk Conference Centre Leeuwenhorst, one of the Netherlands’ largest conference hotels, with 513 rooms and 123 meeting spaces.

With 25+ years of experience at Minor Hotels, Martine has progressed from intern to Hotel Director, building a career rooted in people, leadership and a passion for developing hospitality talent.

Her commitment to inclusive workplaces, talent development and creating opportunities for diverse talent is truly inspiring. Under her leadership, NH Leeuwenhorst was named Best Hospitality Training Company 2024/2025, recognising its strong commitment to developing the next generation of hospitality professionals.

At IWTTF Europe, Martine will join the panel “From Allyship to Action: Designing Travel That Works for Everyone”, bringing her valuable perspective on what it takes to turn inclusion from intention into meaningful action.

💬 “Allyship is no longer a ‘nice to have’; it is a leadership responsibility.”

It’s a powerful message, and one that perfectly captures the spirit of the conversation we’re looking forward to having at IWTTF Europe. Together, we’ll explore how we can build a more inclusive, accessible and welcoming travel industry that works for everyone.

📅 Thursday, 17 September 2026
📍 Dotslash, Utrecht

The countdown is on, we can’t wait to see you there! 🚀✨

www.iwttf.com

14/09/2026

🏆 Just 2 days to go

The countdown to the IWTTF Awards 2026 is officially on! 🌟

In just two days, we’ll be coming together to celebrate the incredible individuals and organisations who are driving positive change across travel, tourism and hospitality.

From Woman Leader in Impact & Inclusion and Woman in Tech & AI to DEI Courage & Resilience, Inclusive Workplaces, Inclusive Business Practice and Ally for Social Impact & Community, this year’s finalists represent the people and organisations helping shape a more inclusive industry.

And now, the big question is getting closer…

🏆 Who will take home an IWTTF Award in 2026?

We can’t wait to celebrate our finalists, honour their achievements and share this special evening with our incredible community.

📅 Wednesday, 16 September 2026
📍 Union House, Utrecht, The Netherlands

Let the countdown begin! ⏳✨

🔥 The Woman Travel Revolution: Solo, Savvy & UnstoppableWomen are changing the travel game, and the industry needs to ca...
14/09/2026

🔥 The Woman Travel Revolution: Solo, Savvy & Unstoppable
Women are changing the travel game, and the industry needs to catch up.

Women, particularly those over 50, are becoming one of travel’s most powerful growth engines. Financially independent, experience-hungry and increasingly focused on wellbeing, connection and purpose, they’re choosing solo adventures, women-only retreats and carefully curated journeys that deliver more than a holiday.

And the numbers tell the story. 📊

In 2025, women accounted for 54.6% of the global solo travel market, worth an estimated $549.78 billion, projected to reach $1.6 trillion by 2033.

Yet despite this enormous spending power, women remain underrepresented where travel decisions are made. They make up the majority of the industry workforce, but fewer than 8% hold C-suite positions in tourism.

That disconnect matters.

At IWTTF, we’re bringing together women who are living, shaping and challenging the travel revolution to explore what’s driving this incredible growth, and why putting women at the heart of travel’s decision-making is critical to unlocking the opportunity ahead.

🎤 Carolyn Ray, CEO & Editor, JourneyWoman
🎤 Gerda van ’t Land, Accessible Tourism Consultant & Ambassador, Founder, Buitengewoon Reizen & Freely Travel
🎤 Monique White, Editor, An Unstoppable Journey
🎤 Monika Lewicka, Founder, empowered.travel & empowered.climbing
🎤 Paula de Keijzer, Managing Director, Estivant Vakanties

📅 Thursday, 17 September 2026
📍 Dotslash, Utrecht

www.iwttf.com

🌍 What if the best travel stories aren’t about where you go, but who you meet along the way?Meet Shivya Nath, award-winn...
14/09/2026

🌍 What if the best travel stories aren’t about where you go, but who you meet along the way?

Meet Shivya Nath, award-winning travel writer, author and Founder of Climate Conscious Travel, and one of the inspiring panellists joining our “Moments That Matter” session at IWTTF Europe.

Shivya has spent nearly seven years living out of two bags, travelling slowly and spending time with local communities from Iran to Patagonia. Her work explores the powerful intersection of meaningful travel, local communities and climate action.

Her writing has appeared in BBC Travel, National Geographic Traveller and Lonely Planet, and she’s a recipient of both the NATJA and Lowell Thomas travel journalism awards.

Her latest book, Rootless and Restless, captures her slow-travel adventures in some of the world’s most remote places, while reminding us of something increasingly important in a divided world: travel can bring us back to our shared humanity.

✨ That perspective makes Shivya a perfect voice for Moments That Matter — a conversation about the experiences, encounters and connections that stay with us long after the journey ends.

We’re excited to hear her stories, insights and perspective in Utrecht.

📅 17 September 2026
📍 Dotslash, Utrecht

🎟️ Last-minute tickets available — join the conversation at iwttf.com


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