Seven individuals were shortlisted for the accolades, with the winners announced at last night’s (7 July) Travel Pride celebration in London, which saw almost 100 LGBT+ people and allies working in travel come together to celebrate diversity and inclusion.
The awards were presented by Travel Pride event partners including Attraction World Group, Florida Keys and Key West, WeTravel as well as TTG Media.
The Travel Pride Champions 2023:
- Amy Skelding, Senior Partner, FINN Partners
- Kristy Dawson, Manager, Maritime Early Careers & Professional Development, Carnival UK
- Miranda Simms, Well-being & Inclusion Lead, Tui UK & Ireland
- Nicky Yates, National Retail Engagement Manager, Attraction World
Amy Skelding was praised for her tireless work championing diversity, equity and inclusion in travel, making it central to everything she does, resulting in a profound impact on individuals and clients worldwide. She has also helped champion female empowerment. Skelding was described as a true ally who continues to campaign for change.
Meanwhile, Kristy Dawson received high praise for being laser-focused on significantly increasing gender diversity in early careers at Carnival UK. Utilising support and guidance from female role models, she designed a female-led recruitment campaign to positively spotlight female mariners, resulting in the latest cohort of 2023 cadets featuring 40% females, a dramatic rise from a 2019 to 2022 average of 15%!
Miranda Simms received several nominations for “completely shifting the direction in the DEI space” for Tui, co-founding the first ever Caribbean and African network group. Through her passion and drive for inclusion, Simms also created a series of podcasts with colleagues who are neurodivergent, delivered training on micro-aggressions at a conference of 200+ colleagues and provided colleagues a voice to share their experiences.
Elsewhere, Nicky Yates was noted for having been born in the year the Pride movement started, meaning equality is in her blood! An active contributor to her company’s committee which sets about creating a fairer workspace and environment for all, Yates was praised for spearheading support for her local Pride and for “continuing to champion diversity, equity and inclusion in everything she does.”
The 2023 Travel Pride Champions shortlist:
- Amy Skelding, senior partner, FINN Partners
- Kristy Dawson, Manager, Maritime Early Careers & Professional Development, Carnival UK
- Miranda Simms, Well-being & Inclusion Lead, Tui UK and Ireland
- Parker Smith, Account Director, LGBTQ+ and Entertainment at Belmond
- Nicky Yates, National Retail Engagement Manager, Attraction World
- Alison Pearson, Senior Partner, Inclu Travel
- Harry Wales, Luxury Travel Consultant, Travelosophers By Harry Wales
