Last night, leaders from across the travel sector gathered to celebrate industry trailblazer and DEI advocate Jo Rzymowska, following her investiture at Windsor Castle, where she was formally awarded her MBE by Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal.
Ms Rzymowska – who is hugely popular amongst the Irish travel industry, also – was initially named as an MBE recipient last June – Former Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruises Great Jo Rzymowska Awarded MBE in UK Honours List | ittn.ie
The honour recognises Jo’s exceptional contribution to the travel industry over a 40-year career, and her enduring role as one of the sector’s most influential champions of diversity, equity and inclusion.
A familiar and highly respected figure across global travel, Jo’s career has spanned senior leadership roles at some of the industry’s most recognisable brands, including Thomas Cook, Disney Destinations and Royal Caribbean Group, where she served as Vice President and Managing Director EMEA for Celebrity Cruises. Alongside commercial leadership, she became widely known for challenging convention and placing people, culture and values at the heart of business success.
Throughout her career, Jo has played a defining role in advancing inclusive travel, from embedding inclusive leadership practices and sponsoring employee networks, to championing landmark initiatives such as Pride at Sea and the All Inclusive Photo Project, which set new standards for representation across the industry.
Following the investiture, Jo and her civil partner Lynne hosted a celebration dinner at Ognisko Polskie – the Polish Hearth, bringing together friends and colleagues from across travel, business, culture and the arts. Opened in 1939 as a social and cultural home for the Polish community in exile, the venue is where Jo’s parents first met after arriving in the UK as refugees fleeing Nazi Germany and Poland, offering a deeply personal and poignant setting for an evening rooted in shared values, connection and belonging.
Reflecting on the occasion, Jo Rzymowska MBE said:
“This has been one of those moments that stops you in your tracks. I’ve been incredibly lucky to work in an industry full of passionate, generous people and to celebrate this milestone surrounded by so many friends and colleagues meant everything. This honour strengthens my belief that inclusion, empathy and courage are not just values, they are essential to our future as an industry.”
Tributes on the night reflected both Jo’s professional impact and the personal respect she commands across the industry with speeches from Dame Irene Hays, Founder and Chair of Hays Travel, alongside long-standing friends and industry colleagues.
Dame Irene Hays added:
“Jo’s MBE is richly deserved and deeply inspiring. She has spent her career challenging us to think differently, lead more bravely and create space for everyone to belong. Her influence continues to shape our industry and we are incredibly proud to celebrate this moment with her.”
Now building the next chapter of her career through Jovolution Ltd, Jo continues to inspire change through leadership strategy, coaching and keynote speaking, while also serving as a Non-Executive Director at Hays Travel, where she helps shape both business strategy and the company’s approach to inclusive leadership.
Jo’s MBE, awarded in the 2025 King’s Birthday Honours, recognises a career defined by impact, integrity and leadership, and a legacy that continues to influence the future of travel. It also reflects a personal commitment to inclusion and belonging, shaped by her family history and her parents’ experience as refugees, a story that has profoundly influenced her life and career, and one she is now choosing to tell.
To learn more about Jo’s work, please visit www.jovolution.com.
