Equality in Tourism has opened applications for the 2026 Gender Equality Champion of the Year Award, marking the fourth edition of its global initiative recognising organisations pioneering gender-equal practices within the tourism and hospitality sector.
During the 2025 ceremony, presented at ITB Berlin, winners were crowned in two categories. South American travel operator Responsible Travel received the Travel & Destinations award, with judges highlighting the organisation’s strong public commitment to gender equality and the way this principle is embedded across its operations. Nepalese social enterprise Community Homestay Network secured the Accommodation award, earning praise for transparent and comprehensive gender equality initiatives, covering areas of disaster risk reduction, climate risk and gender awareness training.
Sri Lanka’s first women-led hotel, Amba Yaalu (Mango Friends) Kandalama, received special recognition as a promising venture showing a notable potential to make a significant impact in the future.
The annual award is currently the only recognition of its kind on a global platform. Equality in Tourism confirmed that applications are now being accepted ahead of the 26 January 2026 deadline. The award will once again be presented at the world’s leading tourism trade fair, ITB Berlin, with details of the 2026 sponsorship to be announced at a later date.
For the upcoming 2026 edition, the judging panel will again comprise respected specialists in gender and tourism, who will assess applicants based on the measurable impact of their gender equality initiatives. Equality in Tourism emphasised that the award continues to serve as a respected benchmark for progress in the sector.
Dr Stroma Cole, Professor in Tourism and Human Rights at the University of Westminster and Co-Director of Equality in Tourism, encouraged organisations of all sizes to apply, noting that each year the award receives high-quality entries showcasing “incredible ways applicants are creating change for women in the industry” and emphasising that contributions to gender equality “are valuable and deserve recognition.”
Previous winners have reported that the application process itself provides a meaningful framework for assessing and developing internal gender equality practices. “We had long been fostering a gender-equal environment in our workplace and in the communities we work with. However, it wasn’t until the application process that we took the crucial step of solidifying our commitments by properly documenting them, such as with a comprehensive gender equality policy,” said Aayusha Prasain, CEO of Community Homestay Network. “Beyond this, receiving the award reinforced our belief in the power of gender equality, especially in supporting the empowerment journey of women entrepreneurs, and gave us more resolve to drive change,” she added.
Equality in Tourism also announced the upcoming release of a new podcast episode next week, focusing on the impact of the award and highlighting the achievements of previous champions. The organisation is an international non-profit dedicated to advancing equality across the global travel and tourism industry through awareness-raising, change facilitation and recognition of best practice.
