Introducing “Breakfast for Her”: Creating Space for Women in Inbound Tourism
There are some projects that feel special from the very first conversation, and Breakfast for Her is absolutely one of them. On Monday 26 January 2026, alongside the brilliant Mafalda Teixeira, COO of AC Group, I had the joy of officially launching our first Breakfast for Her event at AC Group’s London office.
What began as a shared idea over a conversation has now become a growing community for women in inbound tourism and I couldn’t be more excited about where this journey will take us. You can also read the UKinbound news feature on Breakfast for Her.
Why We Created Breakfast for Her
Mafalda and I both felt there was a gap for something a little different: a space designed specifically for senior women in inbound tourism, where the aim isn’t selling, pitching, or exchanging business cards, but genuine connection. Breakfast for Her is deliberately invitation-only and intentionally intimate. It’s about sharing experiences, celebrating each other, and offering support in a sector that can be both rewarding and demanding in equal measure.
Inbound tourism is full of incredibly talented women, yet many of us spend our days looking after teams, clients, and partners with very little time left to reflect, connect, or invest in ourselves. Breakfast for Her is our way of gently pressing pause and saying: let’s make space for us too.
Our First Gathering
Our inaugural breakfast brought together a fantastic group of senior female leaders from across the inbound tourism sector. We were joined by: Adele Godden, Sales Director at GTI; Ann Wilson, Head of Sales at Historic Royal Palaces; Laura Caparo, Senior Industry Engagement Manager at VisitBritain; Tomomi Echigo-Smith, Regional Head of Purchasing at MIKI Travel UK & Ireland; and Klaudija Janzelj, Managing Director Europe at Tourplan.
From the moment the first coffees were poured, the atmosphere felt different to a typical industry event. Stories flowed easily about career journeys, leadership challenges, personal turning points and the reality of juggling responsibility at work and at home. There were moments of laughter, honesty, and real vulnerability. Everyone contributed openly, and that openness allowed us to understand each other better in a very short space of time.
Not Networking! Community!
One of the things that mattered most to us was making it clear that Breakfast for Her is not another networking club. It isn’t about leads, pipelines, or quick wins. It is about community.
For me personally, it taps into everything I care about as a mentor and as a recruiter: representation, support, and creating environments where women can genuinely thrive. When women feel safe to speak openly about their experiences, challenges, and ambitions, everything changes not just for them, but for the teams and organisations they lead.
A Small Gift with a Big Message
Each guest left with a copy of Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez, very kindly sponsored by Rob Russell, CEO of AC Group. It felt like the perfect book to accompany the conversations we were having shining a light on the gaps that still exist, while also reminding us of our collective power to change things.
Breakfast and the venue were generously sponsored by AC Group, with additional support from Antella Travel Recruitment. Rob has been a massive supporter of bringing Breakfast for Her to life, from hosting the event to backing it financially, and we’re incredibly grateful for his allyship and belief in what we’re building.
Looking Ahead
The feedback from our first Breakfast for Her has been wonderful and it has only reinforced just how needed this type of space is within inbound tourism. Mafalda and I are already looking forward to our next event and to welcoming more women into this growing community.
Our hope is simple: that Breakfast for Her continues to be a place where women in inbound tourism can come together, feel heard, and leave feeling just a little more seen, supported, and energised than when they walked in.
If you’re a woman in inbound tourism and this resonates with you, or you’d like to learn more about future events, I’d love to hear from you.
Warm wishes,
Elena Ktori
Co-Founder, Antella Travel Recruitment
Co-founder, Breakfast for Her