The Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) is celebrating Compliance & Membership Supervisor Gina Dounis, who has clocked up 30 years of supporting Australian travel businesses.
If you’ve run a travel business in Australia over the past three decades, chances are you’ve spoken to Dounis, who’s at the heart of the ATIA Accredited program, Australia’s largest accreditation scheme for travel businesses with 1,100 members across 1,700 locations.
She first joined the association in 1990, back when it was known as AFTA, and returned on 3 June 1996. She’s been a constant ever since, helping thousands navigate compliance requirements, accreditation processes, industry changes and the everyday realities of running a travel business.
Her tenure also spans some of the biggest shifts the industry has seen: the move from fax machines to email, the evolution of accreditation programs and the upheaval of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How ATIA is marking the milestone
The peak body for Australia’s $70.6 billion travel industry, fresh from securing travel agencies’ exclusion from a proposed aviation ombudsman scheme, publicly thanked Dounis for her three decades of dedication to the businesses and professionals that make up the sector.
ATIA CEO Dean Long said: “Gina is one of the most respected and recognisable people in Australian travel. There would be very few members who haven’t picked up the phone and spoken to her at some point during their careers.”
“Gina has supported generations of travel professionals and has become part of the fabric of our industry. Her contribution to Australian travel cannot be overstated.
“On behalf of ATIA, our board and members across the country, congratulations to Gina on this remarkable milestone and thank you for 30 years of dedication to our industry.”
