The much-anticipated Travel Weekly Women in Travel Awards are back for 2026, with entries opening today.
Now in their ninth year, these prestigious awards celebrate the women making an outstanding contribution to the Australian travel industry.
This year’s theme, ‘Never Too Much’, is a celebration of ambition, authenticity and taking up space. Think Vogue-inspired glamour, bold self-expression and owning every part of who you are.
The awards are open to women at every stage of their career. All you need to do is demonstrate excellence, dedication to the travel industry and a commitment to driving positive change.
Entry is completely free, so there’s nothing to lose and everything to gain. We’ve also introduced a new nomination feature, making it easier than ever to shine a spotlight on an exceptional woman deserving of recognition. Individuals can be nominated to enter the awards by their peers but will still need to complete the awards themselves.
New for 2026 are the Travel Advisor of the Year and Unsung Hero categories, alongside updated criteria for Business Development Manager (BDM) and Reservation Executive/Manager of the Year.
Here is the full list of categories:
- Aviation
- BDM of the Year (NEW)
- Cruise
- Employer of the Year
- Entrepreneur of the Year
- Executive Leader of the Year
- Male Champion of Change
- Marketer of the Year
- Mentor of the Year
- PR of the Year
- Reservation Executive / Manager of the Year
- Rising Star of the Year
- Sustainable Practices Champion
- Tour Operators / Wholesaler
- Tourism Board / Representative of the Year
- Travel Advisor of the Year
- Travel Tech
- Unsung Hero (NEW)
- Woman of the Year
The key dates for the awards are as follows:
Monday 20 July – Entries open
Friday, 25 September – On-time entries close
Friday, 2 October – Late entries close
Tuesday, 3 November – Last chance for early bird tickets
Wednesday, 4 November – Finalists announced
Wednesday, 2 December – Awards night
Winners will be revealed at our glamorous awards ceremony at The Ivy, Sydney. The evening will also see the unveiling of the 2026 Women in Travel Power List and the crowning of the 2026 Woman of the Year.
Entry criteria, nomination details and the full list of 2025 winners are available now on the Women in Travel website HERE.
Ready to strike a pose? Enter today.
For sponsorship enquiries please email Hoda@travelweekly.com.au.
