Adventure tour operator Explore had appointed Jae Hopkins as marketing director.
Hopkins has previously held marketing director roles at Exodus Travels and Eurotunnel and most recently helped to found disruptive start-up Ultimate Travel Club, a members’ club for commission-free travel.
She starts at the company in the newly-created role on January 4.
Explore managing director Michael Edwards said: “I’m delighted to welcome Jae to the team at what is a pivotal time for the business.
“Jae brings a wealth of experience both within and beyond the travel industry, and a passion for mentoring and development.
“We look forward to 2022, a year in which adventure travel, and particularly active holidays, are increasingly in demand.”
Hopkins, a mum of three teenage boys, said she was particularly attracted to the company because of its commitment to sustainable travel. She also has an interest in gender parity at leadership level and wider diversity in the workplace.
Explore, which is part of the Hotelplan group and celebrated 40 years of operation earlier this year, was a founding signatory of the Glasgow declaration along with the Hotelplan Group and has launched a Climate Action Plan.
Hopkins said: “I’m delighted to be joining Explore as travel starts opening back up.
“As reviews, and the recognition shown by Which? and the wider industry shows, I’m joining a customer-centric team that knows how to provide fantastic experiences.
“It’s exciting to be able to tell people about that as travel returns – I know potential customers will be ready to seize the opportunity for adventure, and now appreciate the mental and physical benefits of that more than ever before.”
Hopkins has also been personally involved in a range of adventure travel trips, including climbing Kilimanjaro, convincing 22 friends to join her to walk up North Africa’s highest mountain Toubkal and 27 friends to climb three peaks in the Picos de Europa and, just before the pandemic, 11 friends to trek to Everest Base Camp with her.