WHY IT RATES: The Future Lights award goes to those who have made significant impacts in sustainability and DEI in their organizations. — Lacey Pfalz, Associate Editor, TravelPulse
The United States Tour Operators Association (USTOA) has announced the recipients of the 2025 USTOA Future Lights of the Tour Industry. This year’s honorees are celebrated for their leadership in advancing sustainability and diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within their organizations.
Launched in 2022 as part of USTOA’s 50th anniversary, the Future Lights of the Tour Industry program invites Active and Associate members to nominate colleagues who have made significant impacts within their organizations and communities by advancing responsible travel initiatives. The Future Lights of the Tour Industry program is one part of USTOA’s commitment to ensuring a responsible future for travel worldwide.
The 2025 Future Lights are Mathilde Six, Sales Manager & Sustainability Coordinator at Magic Travels, Øistein Nilsen, Director of Culinary at Hurtigruten, and Chief Purpose Officer Alexandra Michat at EXO Travel.
“It’s an honor to celebrate this year’s Future Lights of the Tour Industry,” said USTOA President and CEO Terry Dale. “I am in awe of how Mathilde Six, Øistein Nilsen, and Alexandra Michat are leading the way with their efforts to advance sustainability and DEI within their organizations.”
Dale added, “There was a rich field of nominations that included both Active and Associate Members this year, and for that, we are grateful. It is so inspiring to see how our members are actively supporting USTOA’s efforts to drive positive change.”
Meet the USTOA Future Lights
Mathilde Six, Sales Manager & Sustainability Coordinator at Magic Travels, led her company’s first successful sustainability certification for its UAE office at just 21, an impressive milestone for a 200-employee organization with more than 40 years of history. As a young professional within a global DMC, she navigated internal resistance to align local operations with broader sustainability goals, with a focus on supplier selection and product development. Today, Mathilde champions responsible tourism across Europe and the Middle East, promoting ethical practices through partnerships with travel agencies. She also advocates for sustainability, gender equity, and the empowerment of young professionals in tourism, driving change and inspiring the next generation of leaders.
As the Director of Culinary at Hurtigruten, Øistein Nilsen, has led the transformation of their culinary program into a platform for sustainability, local value creation, and cultural storytelling. Collaborating with regional producers and Indigenous communities, he champions short-traveled ingredients and creative, low-waste practices that highlight Norway’s Coastal Kitchen. Under his leadership, initiatives like the Towards Zero Food Waste program have introduced onboard composting and creative use of underutilized ingredients. These efforts strengthen local food systems, reduce environmental impact, and create an authentic dining experience that celebrates both place and purpose.
Chief Purpose Officer Alexandra Michat at EXO Travel has helped develop systems to measure carbon emissions and track experiences that create a positive impact on local communities and the environment across Asia. She also leads the EXO Foundation, advancing responsible tourism practices, supporting grassroots initiatives, and strengthening the connection between travel and community development. Her work focuses on building strong partnerships, engaging suppliers, and empowering teams to make responsible choices in their daily work.
“The Future Lights of the Tour Industry program is made possible thanks to the dedication and thoughtful efforts of our judges,” said Dale. “We are grateful for their support, and for the partnership of our program sponsor, Crum & Forster. USTOA is proud of successful collaborations like these across our membership.”
The judging panel for the USTOA Future Lights of the Tour Industry included Emma Cottis, General Manager of Business Systems at Goway Travel, Hege Vibeke Barnes, Managing Director at Innovation Norway USA, Greg Takehara, CEO at Tourism Cares, and Genevieve Lawrence, Chief Sustainability Officer at Way to B.
“Crum & Forster (C&F) is honored to support the USTOA Future Lights of the Tour Industry and congratulates this year’s award recipients for making a positive impact within the travel industry,” said Marc Flood, Senior Vice President, Business Development at C&F. “Crum & Forster believes in ‘doing good by doing well.’ We are passionate about affecting positive change within the communities where we live and work and are committed to creating custom travel insurance offerings to meet the unique needs of our clients.”
The 2025 USTOA Future Lights will be welcomed and acknowledged during the USTOA Annual Conference and Marketplace in National Harbor, Maryland from December 1-5, 2025.
For more information on the 2025 Future Lights of the Tour Industry and to see past recipients, visit USTOA.com/future-lights.
SOURCE: USTOA press release.
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