kabarsula Envoyage leaders on flexibility, mentoring and the legacy behind the model bandar SLOT INDONESIA

Envoyage’s support of the TIME Mentoring program builds on a business model that has, since its earliest days, been built around giving women in travel the flexibility to build careers on their own terms.

Astrid Richardson, global general manager of Envoyage, FCTG’s worldwide independent division and a past Women in Travel Awards Mentor of the Year winner (2017), says that legacy remains central to how the network operates today.

Talking to Travel Weekly in a break at Envoyage’s Summit 2026 in Cairns, held under the theme “Rise”, Richardson pointed to the South African business, whose general manager, Chantel Gouws, was Envoyage’s very first independent contractor.

“She’d had her baby and didn’t want to go into a shop anymore,” Richardson said. “She created it, and then, of course, slowly grew that business.”

The South African operation has since grown to around 300 advisors.

Richardson traced a similar story to Envoyage’s own Australian origins. The business began with the 2017 acquisition of Travel Partners, founded by Jeff Hakeem, in response to women leaving the industry.

It was a model he later extended to New Zealand through Travel Managers and it is now part of the Flight Centre Travel Group under its female-led Luxury and Independent Brands as Richardson and her colleague, director of operations Lisa Zahra, report to the division’s global managing director, Danielle Galloway.

“The core of it is that, and that just doesn’t really change,” Richardson said, adding the same demand for flexibility now extends well beyond women.

“So many men now want flexible workplace, too,” she said “But the foundation and the DNA is still alive and well throughout our business entirely.”

Zahra said the network continues to see advisors move from employment within member agencies into running their own businesses when ready.

“They’ve got that pathway to kind of go, well, I’m in Envoyage as an employee of one of our members, but then they can branch out and become an advisor and run their own travel business when it suits them,” Zahra said.

That pathway of experienced people backing newer entrants also underpins Envoyage’s push into formal mentoring. Richardson confirmed the TIME Mentoring program, sponsored by Envoyage and already running in New Zealand, will launch in Australia this year, with Canada to follow the same path. Richardson and global head of brand and marketing Allie Sparr are both mentoring under the program this year, a first for Richardson personally.

“It’s difficult from a time point of view,” she said, “but I did win Mentor of the Year though, actually, in the Women in Travel one year.”

Both leaders said Envoyage’s model – recruiting only experienced advisors rather than those new to the industry – means the network relies on member agencies to provide an aspirational, visible pathway for the next generation, particularly women weighing entrepreneurship against traditional employment.

“Hopefully we help make it look like a great career where you can control your income and be an entrepreneur,” Richardson said.

Think you’ve got what it takes to be a Women in Travel Awards winner?

The awards are open to women at every stage of their career. All you need to do is demonstrate excellence, dedication to the travel industry and a commitment to driving positive change.

This year’s theme, ‘Never Too Much’, is a call for women to embrace ambition, authenticity and the confidence to recognise their own impact.

The awards are open to women at every stage in their career and entry is completely free.

We’ve also introduced a shiny new nomination feature so that you can encourage an exceptional woman deserving of recognition. Those who have been nominated will still need to complete an application.

Enter or nominate here.