Stage and Screen Travel has elevated long-time executive Wonitta Atkins to General Manager Australia, marking a leadership shift as the business enters its next phase of growth.
Atkins steps into the role after nearly a decade with the travel management company, part of Flight Centre Travel Group, during which she has built her career across account management and operations.
Her appointment reflects what the business calls its “Brightness of Future” philosophy – a commitment to growing leaders from within.
A leader shaped on both sides of the business
Atkins’ connection to Stage and Screen began long before she joined the company. In senior sales and marketing roles with Mirvac Hotels & Resorts and Accor, she worked closely with the team as a client, an experience that ultimately drew her in.
“I saw something different in how this company operated,” Atkins said.
“The attention to detail, the problem-solving under pressure, the genuine partnership approach. I wanted to be part of building that from the inside.”
After entering the business as an Account Manager, Atkins progressed to Head of Account Management and then to Head of Operations.
Along the way, she led significant industry responses – including coordinating travel and broadcast logistics for Australian networks covering the passing of Queen Elizabeth II in 2022.
Under her operational leadership, Stage and Screen was named NTIA Most Outstanding National Travel Management Company in 2023, achieved 98 per cent client retention, and delivered the highest Great Place to Work uplift across FCTG at 20 per cent.
Backed by global leadership
Global Managing Director of Stage and Screen Travel Services, Tiziano Galipo, said Atkins’ promotion is the natural next step.
“Wonitta embodies what Brightness of Future means in practice,” Galipo said.
“She first experienced our service as a supply partner and was so impressed that she joined us. Nearly a decade later, she’s built an extraordinary track record across every role she’s held. As we celebrate 30 years and look to the next chapter, there is no one better to lead us.”
Setting up the next chapter
Atkins takes the reins at a time when Australia’s entertainment and sporting sectors continue to scale, driving demand for travel partners able to navigate multi-country productions, tours, and live broadcast operations.
“I’ve had the privilege of experiencing Stage and Screen from both sides, first as a supply partner, and then as part of this team for nearly a decade,” she said.
“As we set the stage for the next 30 years, the opportunity ahead is about evolution, not revolution. We’ll continue championing innovation, developing our people, and delivering the kind of exceptional outcomes that made me want to work here in the first place.”
Atkins holds a Bachelor of Business in Hotel Management from Victoria University, majoring in Marketing and Human Resources, and has been recognised with multiple Flight Centre Travel Group global and general manager awards.