Neil Rodgers is not a man to keep his advocacy under wraps. At last year’s Women in Travel Awards, the Adventure World managing director turned heads in a glittering purple jacket, proudly throwing his support behind an industry movement he is passionate about.
As the 2025 Male Champion of Change, Rodgers has made it clear that advocacy is about considerably more than making an entrance.
“‘Never Too Much’ means refusing to settle for standard industry benchmarks when it comes to purpose, ethics, and equality,” he says. “Doing just enough to tick a corporate box is never acceptable.”
It is a philosophy that has informed the way Rodgers leads Adventure World, including a reshaping of its leadership structure that saw women take 80 per cent of roles across key business areas and four of five seats on its primary leadership body, The Axis.
The change was never about hitting a quota.
“For me, it is always simply who is the best person fit for the role,” he says. “I have never thought of being anything other than seeing the person and their qualities.”
“[the restructure] has measurably sharpened our strategy, heightened our team’s operational agility, and enriched our organisational culture.”
Empathy and persistence
One woman who has had a particularly profound influence on Rodgers’ approach to purpose and leadership is Jill Robinson, founder and CEO of Animals Asia, with whom Adventure World partners.
Robinson’s work to end bear bile farming and improve animal welfare across Asia has left a lasting impression.
“Jill’s tireless, courageous, and uncompromising fight…is nothing short of extraordinary,” Rodgers says. “What inspires me most about Jill is her ability to combine fierce determination with deep empathy and diplomatic persistence.”
“She doesn’t just call out injustice; she creates sustainable, long-term solutions and changes hearts and minds along the way.”
Working alongside Robinson, he says, has been “one of the proudest privileges” of his career and reinforced his belief that purpose must sit “at the absolute core of everything we do.”
An ongoing obligation
That same sense of responsibility extends to gender equality.
“Being recognised as a Champion of Change isn’t an award for past achievements – it’s an ongoing obligation,” Rodgers says.
“True advocacy isn’t passive; it requires intentional decision-making every day, whether that is advocating for equal pay, elevating the incredible female talent our industry has in this country and ensuring our executive decision-making reflects the diversity of our workforce.”
For Rodgers, the most rewarding part has been watching women in leadership roles shape Adventure World’s future “with complete authority and vision”, while becoming mentors and role models for the next generation of female travel professionals.
It is that kind of leadership – visible, intentional and generous – that the Women in Travel Awards celebrates. And for Rodgers, the opportunity to champion that change is something he is proud to stand behind.
“Beyond our internal business, seeing our leaders step onto industry panels, mentor emerging talent, and serve as visible role models proves that when you simply hire the best people based on their merits, the ripple effect extends far beyond your own organisation,” he said.
On-time entries for the 2026 Women in Travel Awards close Friday 25 September, with winners announced at The Ivy, Sydney, on Wednesday 2 December.
The awards are open to women at every stage of their career and entry is completely free.. All you need to do is demonstrate excellence, dedication to the travel industry and a commitment to driving positive change.
This year’s theme, ‘Never Too Much’, is a call for women to embrace ambition, authenticity and the confidence to recognise their own impact.
We’ve also introduced a shiny new nomination feature so that you can encourage an exceptional woman deserving of recognition. Those who have been nominated will still need to complete an application.
Enter or nominate here.
