Kalukanda House Founder Dee Gibson Wins “Woman Leader in Hospitality” Award

We’re proud to share that our founder, Dee Gibson, has been named “Woman Leader in Hospitality” at the International Women in Travel and Tourism Awards 2025 — a prestigious accolade from the social enterprise Women in Travel CIC, recognising her visionary work of blending soulful travel, cultural exchange, and social impact in Sri Lanka.

The judges praised Dee’s “commitment to the full spectrum of intersectionality in her pursuit of equity for women in her region,” adding:

“Dee is the epitome of someone making a real difference and impact on a local, national and global level. She is a global role model, inspiring the next generation of women and diverse people to follow her lead.” — Stuart W. Greif, Forbes Travel Guide & IWTTA Judge

Since launching Kalukanda House, Dee has redefined what luxury travel can be — connecting guests with authentic Sri Lankan culture, and championing local creatives, artisans, and female entrepreneurs through initiatives like The HERA Project.

100% of experiences booked through Kalukanda House directly benefit local suppliers.

This award also honours Dee’s wider work as Chair of the Sri Lankan charity Their Future Today, co-founder of the Women in Travel Collective, and host of the podcast “Sri Lanka: Modern Perspectives from an Ancient Melting Pot”.

Kalukanda House continues to grow as a design-led coastal retreat offering bespoke wellness, creative and cultural experiences — just steps from Weligama’s surf beach.

“Being the winner in this category is a needle shifting moment for me, my team and my business. We have proven that grass roots efforts where innovative ideas incubate do in fact create meaningful impact. We have worked hard to build a business with people at the core. In an increasingly divided world, travel is the key that promotes kinship across cultures and shows the truth of other lands. Bringing travellers and locals together with a circular economy in mind serves us well, and I am grateful that the judges recognised our efforts, thank you. I am honoured to be in a room of colleagues who are nominees and finalists in the IWTTF 2025 Awards from around the world, if we can join the dots between us, we will collectively show ‘how’ travel is a vital force for good and global harmony.” – Dee Gibson.

Judges included leaders from across the industry, from brand names such as Not in the Guide Books and Diamond Air International to UK travel industry companies such as FINN Partners, the Travel Connection Group and Atkin Jones Ltd, media representatives such as Skift and Forbes and recruitment companies such as Gail Kenny and Antella Recruitment. Reflecting Women in Travel CIC’s work championing Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Female Leadership, and Allyship, the award categories recognised both businesses and individuals for their awareness, achievements, initiatives and progress in the DEI space.

Alessandra LoTufo Alonso, Founder and Managing Director of Women in Travel CIC and IWTTF said: “Every year of the IWTTF Awards I am increasingly impressed with the quality and variety of the nominations, and I am so proud to recognise and celebrate all of our deserving winners and finalists. Many of our winners are unsung heroes and change- makers in the DEI space, whose work is often under-valued or under-recognised and yet is having real impact. In the spirit of Women in Travel CIC, we are shining a light on this great work, as it is more vital than ever for us to celebrate every step that brings us closer to a more inclusive, equitable and diverse industry.”