New figures from C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment show that men earn more than women across the sector.

The issue is particularly stark at senior levels where male executives (those in roles paying in excess of £40,000) earning 6.43% or £3,474 per year more than females in similar positions.

Over the past year, the gender pay gap for travel executives has actually widened from a difference of 4.63% in 2014.

Salaries were much more even in those jobs paying below £40,000. There was still a pay gap of 0.99%, meaning that the average male worker in the industry earns £20,994, or £206 more than their female counterparts.

Similarly, the typical male travel consultant takes home £17,464, which is 0.54% more than the average woman in the same role, while male business travel consultants receive an average salary of £21,864, which is 0.92% more than their female colleagues.

However, the research also found huge differences in terms of the gender split of those being placed in new roles.

Women accounted for 71.69% of all those securing new standard travel positions in 2015, but 68.18% of higher-paid executive roles were awarded to men.

This split has widened in the past year, with 2014 seeing 67.28% of all standard roles going to women and 58.97% of executive positions going to men.

Barbara Kolosinska, director at C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment, said: “We have to question why men are securing far more executive roles in the industry than women and why they are also being paid significantly more.

“Of course, many women give up opportunities to further their careers in order to focus on motherhood, and this gender imbalance certainly isn’t an issue that solely affects travel. But with such a high percentage of women working in this industry, it is alarming that we are still handing so many of the highest profile positions to men.

“We have a wonderful opportunity in this industry to take a stand and be an example to others by reducing and, potentially, eliminating the gender pay gap altogether.”