Travolution Awards: Rising Star success stories

Don't miss out, nominations for this year shut this week

Ever wondered what entering and winning a Travolution Award might do for your career or your brand?

While many of the categories are brand specific, one of the hotly anticipated awards each year is the Rising Star category, sponsored by executive recruitment firm for travel and technology, Gail Kenny.

Those that have entered in previous years never wondered, they backed themselves and it paid off. 

Over the years we've rewarded special individuals that have "fresh thinking" whether they are at the beginnings of their careers or not, and watched as they go on to take new heights.

In 2019, Will Prosser at Tui lifted the prestigious trophy on the night, having started with the brand on its graduate programme back in 2012.

He had already progressed to head of global of mobile commercial, marketing & strategy (global) by the time he won and has continued to soar, now as the director of digital marketing & eCommerce for the past two years.

Tobie Bowdler, one of our now well-respected judges on the panel of experts that judge this category, won in 2021. 

In 2019, he joined the airline's team as product & campaign manager - partnerships for its holidays business. 

He then became web merchandising manager for the easyJet holidays arm where he continues to lead the success of its commercial site design. 

Bowdler fully embodies team orange and has even trained as cabin crew in 2024 and enjoys the occasional flight from London Gatwick (LGW).

2024's winner, Jordy Vernes, was a product owner at easyJet when she was nominated. By the time the awards had rolled around in November, she had already been promoted to product manager after just two years. 

Since winning, she has gone onto compound her excellence in the industry as she now leads the Qantas.com Book & Manage product portfolio, as a senior digital manager for the Australian national carrier.

Another rising star is last year's winner Boris Bijlstra, who founded his company Hubby eSIM, alongside co-founder Thijs van der Wijk, just three years ago. 

The B2B eSIM business that allows travel players to offer travellers access to data abroad as part of its services, already has a successful team which is growing and numerous big brands as clients to boot.

Laura Davis, director at Gail Kenny Recruitment, said: "We have been supporting the Rising Star now for almost 20 years.

"We continue to sponsor it because attracting and retaining great talent is key for continued growth and success - and we continue to champion the Rising Stars – because we believe in them as the future Leaders of the Industry."

"The award is measured across a number of elements including the nominee’s ability to demonstrate Leadership, performance, sector awareness and industry challenges, plus the impact their role has had on the business.

"In recent years the award has attracted a really wide range of nominees, in both the types of roles they are in and the businesses they work within – from Start Ups & Entrepreneurs, specialist business and established Brands," David said.

She added: "In an ever changing and continually challenging industry, this award is important to recognise and celebrate people, helping retain and attract talent into the sector."

Think this could be you? Don't leave it up to chance. This year's standout could be you.

Apply now, here. Nominations close this week, on Friday 18 September.