Clare Heads ITAA

The Irish Travel Agents Association has appointed former president Clare Dunne as its new CEO, following the retirement of Pat Dawson. She will assume the role at the start of July.

Paul Hackett, president of the ITAA, said:

“A leader in the Irish travel industry with over 40 years’ experience building a successful business, long lasting professional relationships and personal networks, Clare Dunne is a passionate advocate of excellent service, lifelong learning and leadership. Clare was a member of the ITAA Public Affairs committee who linked in with the Department of Transport and CAR to secure business supports for the travel trade throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The ITAA could not be in more capable hands.”

Having begun her career as a Reservations Agent with Aer Lingus, Clare commenced her agency experience with International Travel Bureau, proceeded to managing Griffin Travel in Dublin’s Dawson Street and then opened her own travel agency, The Travel Broker, in 1994.

She co-founded the Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE) in 2017 and served as chair from then until she handed over to a new committee in March 2023. Previously, she served as national president of Network Ireland, an organisation for women in business, the professions and the arts, having also spent a year as president of their Dublin branch. She is a member of the North Dublin Business Network and recently concluded her term as chair of Clontarf Business Association.