York St John University student scoops runner up in national tourism awards

York St John University graduand Ava Greening has scooped joint runner up in a prestigious national tourism award. 
 
Ava, who has just graduated from York St John with a first-class honours in Tourism and Destination Management, was a runner up in the 2025 Tourism Management Institute (TMI) Tourism Student Inspiration Awards. 

The annual awards recognise student contributions to the tourism industry by showcasing their work, and illustrating how they make an impact in the evolving world of travel and tourism. 
 
Ava scooped the TMI Tourism Student Inspiration Award for her presentation on ‘The Key Outcomes & Tangible Benefits of My Internship Experience’, based on her business development internship with AJ Hackett International, a global company offering adventure experiences. The internship included Ava spending a number of months in Cairns, Australia, getting on-site experience in adventure tourism. 
 
Her work involved undertaking market and destination research for Hong Kong and the Ocean Park theme park, as well as developing ideas for community engagement.  

“It’s super cool to see my work recognised at a national level – I honestly thought that I wouldn’t stand a chance!” said Ava. 
 
“I learnt so much through the internship and on-site experience – everything from collecting and analysing international consumer, market and competitor research data to support investment growth opportunities, to delivering tailored project plans for business-to-business proposals. 
 
“My course at York St John University definitely helped me with learning how to write up and communicate my work experience in a professional way to showcase my skills and contributions.” 

Professor Brendan Paddison, Dean of York Business School at York St John University, said that while Ava’s award-winning work was completed outside of her course requirements, the studies and the skills she developed on the course played a key role in preparing her for this achievement. 

“Ava has been an outstanding student, graduating with first-class honours, and showing exceptional leadership and communication skills,” said Brendan.  
 
“This award is a testament to her ambition, creativity and drive to make a real impact in the tourism sector. She has shown herself to be highly adaptable, resilient under pressure, and deeply passionate about tourism, particularly in the adventure tourism field.  

“At York St John University, we place a strong emphasis on connecting classroom learning with real-world practice. Ava’s recognition for her internship experience demonstrates how our Tourism students are encouraged to apply their academic knowledge to industry settings, preparing them to thrive in diverse career paths. We look forward to seeing Ava continue to make her mark on the industry.” 
 
TMI President Kathryn Davis said that Ava’s work effectively demonstrated how she had added value to both the business and the destination. She mentioned that judges were also impressed by her wish to use the presentation to inspire other students to ‘move beyond their comfort zone’.

“Ava delivered an outstanding, well-researched and structured presentation linked to her impressive internship experience,” said Kathryn. 

“This included a very clear explanation of the market and destination research she undertook which demonstrated a solid understanding of key concepts. 

“Overall, this was a very engaging presentation based on Ava’s impactful professional internship where she clearly delivered value to both the business and the destination which will undoubtedly enhance her employability. We are delighted to award her ‘joint runner up’ in the TMI Tourism Student Inspiration Award 2025.” 

York St John University is playing an important role in facilitating tourism collaboration across the city. In 2024, a new 8-year tourism strategy for York was officially adopted by the City of York Council, following research conducted by York St John’s Business School.    

In July 2025, the University hosted the Tourism: Our Voice conference, the first national conference to put people and purpose at the heart of the visitor economy. Organised by Good Organisation, a York-based Community Interest Company, it was supported by York St John University’s Institute for Social Justice and York Business School.      

Learn more about our International Tourism and Hospitality Management BA (Hons) course at York St John University, and how to apply through clearing.