C&M Travel Recruitment and C&M Executive Recruitment found that while females accounted for 64% of travel job placements in the first half of 2018, they only took up 25% of all executive positions, which are defined as those paying £40,000 or more per year.

Research also found women were appointed in 67% of all junior roles, paying below £22,000, and in 60% of senior jobs (with salaries between £30,000 and £39,999).

Barbara Kolosinska, director at C&M Travel Recruitment, said: “It’s disappointing that after so much publicity and attention in recent years, we are still seeing men significantly outnumber women when it comes to securing the most high profile jobs in our industry.

“This has to change and I’m sure it will over time, but among other things it will take a concerted effort from the current crop of female travel leaders to ensure they are role models and examples for the next generation to follow.”

In terms of the gender pay gap in travel between men and women – this was less pronounced than in other industries, according to C&M.

Females in entry-level travel roles earned an average of £18,487 per year, which was 2.2%, or £415, lower than their male counterparts’ average pay.

There was also a gender pay gap for senior positions with women earning an average of £32,375 – 1.3% lower than the average received by men in similar positions.

But women actually earned slightly more than men in “mid level” roles at £25,760, while there was only a tiny difference for executives with women earning an average of £50,717 – only £54 lower than the average salary for men.

“These figures suggest that the travel industry is well on its way to eliminating the gender pay gap for executive positions, which is clearly fantastic news,” added Kolosinska.

“However, until we see these wage discrepancies consistently eliminated across all levels of the industry, more work needs to be done.”