The Council of Australian Tour Operators hosted almost 200 travel industry professionals at its CATO IWD 2025 Lunch in Melbourne yesterday with guests incorporating yellow into their attire symbolise joy, resilience, hope and empowerment.
CATO Board Director Ingrid Berthelsen emceed the event, which began with Women’s Resilience Centre Ambassador Judy Pridmore’s introduction. CATO was able to contribute financial support to the centre, thanks to attendees.
Headline speaker Olympic gold medallist Noémie Fox inspired the crowd by sharing her journey of determination and resilience, followed by a Q&A session.
While Yellow Falcon Founder Ashleigh Conwell could not attend in person due to Cyclone Alfred, she captivated the audience with a virtual presentation on ‘Owning your Story’, focusing on overcoming grief and loss, rediscovering joy and staying true to personal values.
CATO Managing Director Brett Jardine paid tribute and expressed his appreciation for the support of board members, brand partners and speakers at the CATO IWD 2025 event.
“I am immensely grateful for the support of our Board members, particularly Ingrid Berthelsen, Yvette Thompson and Julie King, who went above and beyond to elevate this year’s event and bring to life the theme of ‘Emotional Resilience’,” he said.
“The powerful presentations by both Noémie and Ash left an indelible mark on all attendees.
“CATO is incredibly thankful to the following partners who came together as ‘Brands for a Cause‘ – Chimu Adventures, Collette, Destination Canada, Globus family of brands, G Adventures, Intrepid Travel, Julie King & Associates, On the Go Tours, NIB Travel and The Travel Corporation.
“Their unwavering support was pivotal in bringing this event to fruition and driving positive change within the travel industry and beyond,” he said.
For more info, head to cato.travel
