Gloria Bohan is the first recipient of ASTA’s (The American Society of Travel Advisors) newest honor, the Icon Award. ASTA, the foremost international organization for travel advisors, promotes inclusivity and social progress within the industry. President and CEO, Zane Kerby, and Dianna Rom, Windstar’s Vice President of Sales, presented Bohan the award in Saint Andrews, Scotland on October 18th.
The Icon Award, sponsored by Windstar Cruises, was given to Bohan for her role as a gender equality advocate. ASTA’s intention is to advance the careers of women in travel and to “honor female leaders who have demonstrated excellence in their respective roles, while simultaneously inspiring and empowering other women in the travel industry.”
Bohan has been widely known for her support of professional women throughout her career. She is the founder and CEO of Omega World Travel and Omega’s sister companies Cruise.com and TravTech. Omega is one of the top woman-owned businesses in the US, certified by the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council (WBENC) and the National Women Business Owners Corporation (NWBOC). Omega has a strong representation of women, comprising almost 75% of the overall staff and has been repeatedly recognized by DiversityBusiness.com as one of the top diversity businesses in the United States. Omega has also been honored with a Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise Award for exemplary businesses founded and run by minority and women entrepreneurs. In addition, while growing her global businesses, Gloria founded the Women’s Leadership Forum (WLF), providing mentoring and networking opportunities for women in travel.
Deemed “Business Woman of the Year” by Diversity Best Practices and “Entrepreneur of the Year” by Million Women Mentors, Bohan’s accolades illustrate her unwavering commitment to her peers. Both Bohan and Omega have a relationship with Million Women Mentors (MWM), an organization that encourages women in the STEM fields. With their program, Gloria has served as a mentor for a small, woman-owned technology company and Omega has been a MWM Entrepreneurship Initiative Sponsor.
