Uploaded March 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Around the world, a new kind of leadership is quietly transforming travel. Women founders and heart-led leaders are building tourism businesses rooted in collaboration, cultural stewardship, and ecological thriving. This session brings their stories. Inspired by Anna Pollock’s framing of “creating the conditions for life to thrive,” this session explores how values-driven leadership can catalyze regenerative tourism - moving beyond extractive growth models toward flourishing communities, ecosystems, and economies. This panel will be both inspirational and practical, combining powerful founder stories with actionable insights. We will invite the audience into a conversation about how we can scale this movement together.

Moderator:

Catherine Gallagher
Co-founder
Women Travel Leaders

Panel:

Azam Bahrami Barogh
Lecturer, Researcher, and Founder in the Middle East and West Asia Ecotourism Network
Middle East and West Asia Ecotourism Network

Megan Parkinson
European Hub Manager
The Long Run

Vanessa Marino
Founder & Managing Director
Amazon Emotions

Amanda Ho
Co-Founder & CEO
Regenerative Travel