INTERNATIONAL. The Moodie Davitt Report is delighted to announce that entries are now open for the sixth edition of the Travel Retail Superstars Awards, recognising outstanding employees across the airport, airline, downtown and cruise sectors.
The awards complement the Food & Beverage (F&B) Superstars Awards, which are held alongside the annual Airport Food & Beverage (FAB) Conference & Awards.
Once again, the Travel Retail Superstars Awards will celebrate the frontline and behind-the-scenes heroes and heroines whose dedication, expertise and passion have helped drive the industry forward over the past year.
Entries are open until 16 November, with the winners to be revealed in January 2027.
Hosted by The Moodie Davitt Report, this event is run in partnership with an advisory committee of human resource and training specialists who help shape and judge the awards.
The judging panel will be led by The Moodie Davitt Report Founder and Chairman Martin Moodie.
Joining him is highly regarded business leader and entrepreneur Sally Alington, Founder and CEO of Ethos Farm Group of Companies. Alington returns to the awards with extensive industry experience across airports, airlines, retailers, travel retail, hospitality and leisure.
Her frontline experience has shaped Ethos Farm’s people-first philosophy, which places employees at the centre of brand advocacy, organisational culture and customer experience (CX) strategies.
Under Alington’s leadership, Ethos Farm has expanded its operations across the UK and USA and earned a number of industry accolades. These include 12th place in The Sunday Times 100 Fastest-Growing Private Companies, as well as recognition among the UK’s Top 100 for Women, Wellbeing and Great Place to Work.
Alington has also been a finalist in the EY Entrepreneur of the Year awards and is an everywoman Ambassador. In 2023, she was named UK everywoman Next Level Entrepreneur of the Year. She is also a long-standing member of Women in Travel Retail (WiTR+).
Joining the panel once again is Jilly Brocklebank, Founder of Recruit GTR and an influential voice across the travel retail industry.
Brocklebank spent 11 years at World Duty Free, gaining extensive experience across human resources and operations while developing a deep understanding of travel retail and its people.
She later joined The Estée Lauder Companies, where she led large teams and further developed her expertise in talent acquisition and recruitment strategy.
Since founding Recruit GTR in 2018, she has advised travel retail businesses and professionals on recruitment, talent and career development.
The Travel Retail Superstars Awards 2026 categories
Star Team – An award that celebrates teams who have pulled together, working seamlessly, enthusiastically and effectively, while inspiring each other and those around them. It recognises teams who have gone beyond the call of duty, together, to make a difference and to get the job done to the highest standard.
Star Individual – This award recognises people who everyone loves to work alongside and encounter in the workplace. For those individuals who always show up both for work and for others, who strive to walk the extra mile, who display integrity and passion, and who communicate with sincerity, friendliness and conviction.
Innovation: Team or Individual – This award is for those who have provided a difference to the business through offering innovative ideas that have been adopted (especially company-wide), and have led to increased efficiency, improvements, profitability or enhanced customer service.
Humanity, Leadership & Inspiration: Team or Individual – An award that celebrates those who have shown that leadership is an action, not just a position, and who encourage good citizenship through compassion and empathy and responsibility.
Women in Travel Retail Superstars – Introduced to the Travel Retail Superstars Awards in 2025, the category recognises the critical role women play across the wider travel retail ecosystem (the same individuals remain eligible for recognition in other award categories).
* For each of the categories, there are awards for four separate regions: Americas, Asia Pacific, Europe, and Middle East & Africa. That offers 16 award opportunities.
If your team member, or team, deserves star treatment, please help to highlight and give due recognition to them by nominating here.
The written summary component of entries should not exceed 800 words in total and should cover events that have taken place between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026.
More details on Travel Retail Superstars entry requirements are available on the website. An administration fee of £79 + VAT per submission is payable via the portal. ✈
