2026 Faces of Women in Travel
The future of tourism is in good hands. Across destination sales, group travel, tourism marketing, and hospitality, a new generation of women is bringing fresh perspectives to an industry built on relationships and connections. In this edition of Faces of Women in Travel, we meet five women who are building careers by staying curious, embracing authenticity, supporting one another, and rethinking what it means to serve today’s traveler.
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North Little Rock Tourism
Shelbey Morris, Sr. Manager of Sales and Partnerships
Shelbey Morris went from an administrative role at Arkansas Tourism to Senior Manager of Sales and Partnerships at North Little Rock Tourism in just a few years, and she credits her time at the state level with changing how she sells. In this interview, she explains what group planners now want from a destination beyond hotels and meeting space, and what destinations have to do differently to win that business and keep groups coming back.
Mount Hope Estate & Winery
Nicole Boyer, Group Sales Manager
Nicole Boyer calls herself a shy introvert, yet she’s built a 15-year career in group sales, first with American Music Theatre and now as Group Sales Manager at Mount Hope Estate & Winery. In this interview, she shares why listening beats pitching, how volunteering at industry events changed her career, and the one piece of advice she keeps coming back to (even after years of hearing that bus groups are dying out).
Visit Atlantic City
Kiara Davis, Tourism and Community Affairs Manager
As a lifelong Atlantic City resident and now Tourism and Community Affairs Manager at Visit Atlantic City, Kiara Davis pitches her hometown to group planners in a way no brochure can. In this interview, she shares what groups miss when they stop at the Boardwalk and casinos, what she’s learned about raising her hand before feeling ready, and where she sees the biggest opportunities for group travel in the next few years.
Grapevine, Texas
Heather Egan, Director of Leisure & International Sales
Heather Egan has worked in media, at CVBs, and in sales, and now as Director of Leisure & International Sales for Grapevine, Texas, she refuses to treat what she does as simply “sales.” In this interview, she explains what travelers expect today that they didn’t 20 years ago, why she doesn’t count a group choosing Dallas as lost business, and the advice she wishes someone had given her when she started.
Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau
Annie Jirapatnakul, Global Tourism Sales Manager
Annie Jirapatnakul, Global Tourism Sales Manager at the Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau, has watched more than a decade of change in how international and group travelers pick where to go. In this interview, she explains how Philadelphia is keeping up with travelers who want to experience a place rather than just see it, and why her life as a dog mom has her watching one of travel’s fastest-growing trends.