Opulent Travel hosted a birthday bash to mark its first year in business, inviting celebrity clients to join in the festivities, only to be joined later by Everton star Wayne Rooney and his wife Coleen.

The surprise visit from the footballing legend was a bonus, but the attendance of other famous clients was testament to how much they value the service from Opulent. And it meant the celebs – from TV presenters to Emmerdale actors – inadvertently became brand ambassadors for the Shrewsbury-based agency when their faces were splashed across the national press.

As we explore this week, brand ambassadors – whether as individuals or companies – have come into focus in the travel industry in recent years, especially in the cruise sector where tie-ups with household names, from Nobu to Phillip Schofield, have become commonplace.

At TTG, we also enjoy strong partnerships with companies and associations whose values we share, such as the everywoman in Travel Awards, which emulate TTG’s own championing of diversity and gender equality in the industry.

Nominations are now open for this year’s event, which for the first time celebrates female and male individuals who advocate gender equality in the travel industry.

Its launch is timely because, as Thomas Cook’s (male) chief executive admits, travel still has “much to do in the area of gender pay”. He also insists he is “determined to take meaningful action now”. The gender pay gap can only disappear when men champion the issue as vociferously as their female colleagues. Let’s hope Peter Fankhauser’s words inspire other like-minded ambassadors for change.