Vicki Annison is the Sales & Marketing Manager at Travel Time South Pacific, part of the Leisure Time Group based in New Zealand. Travel Time South Pacific is a DMC/receptive operator offering tailormade group tours across New Zealand and Australia. The company owns and operates a fleet of motorcoaches, providing quality transportation to a wide range of groups that explore New Zealand.

Vicki moved to New Zealand from the UK back in 2008. With a background in marketing and communications, she worked in the events industry for several years before moving into tourism. 

Her role within the Leisure Time Group has grown significantly over the last eight years, and she now manages a team looking after sales and marketing for several brands servicing international and domestic touring.

Vicki recently joined ABA, and she became interested in Women in Buses after attending a breakfast event during the SYTA conference where she was impressed by the discussions and genuine helpfulness of the WIB Council and members.

On June 24–25, 2026, nearly 20 Women in Buses members from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C., for the inaugural Women in Buses Fly-In, two inspiring days of advocacy, education, and networking.

The event kicked off with a BusPAC Reception, where attendees had the opportunity to meet and engage with Members of Congress, including Representative Laura Gillen (D-NY-04) and Representative Dina Titus (D-NV-01), and their staff in a more informal setting before taking to Capitol Hill the following day. The reception welcomed several Members of Congress and congressional leaders, giving attendees the opportunity to begin building relationships and discussing issues important to the motorcoach and group travel industry.

On June 25, participants headed to Capitol Hill for congressional meetings, where they shared firsthand stories about their businesses and advocated for policies that support safe, reliable passenger transportation. For many, it was their first experience participating in a legislative fly-in.

"Attending my first Women in Buses Fly-In, I wasn't entirely sure what to expect," said Erin Sullivan, CFO of Bloom Tour & Charter Services. "Having an expert [Callie Hoyt, ABA SVP, Public Affairs and Government Relations] with us to guide the conversation completely transformed the experience. It gave us the confidence and direction we needed to truly engage on the most pressing topics facing our industry today."

Pam Martinez, Vice President of Human Resources and Risk Management at DATTCO, Inc., echoed that sentiment, saying simply, "This experience exceeded my expectations."

Amanda Koelker, Sr. Director, NCAA at Shorts Travel, credited the preparation and support provided throughout the event. "Callie [Hoyt] did a great job of preparing us for both the BusPAC fundraiser and congressional meetings," she said. "Our group leader was a great resource to have with us and helped facilitate our conversations while making sure everyone had an opportunity to contribute."

Beyond the advocacy, attendees consistently highlighted the value of connecting with fellow Women in Buses members, exchanging ideas, and learning from one another. The inaugural Fly-In demonstrated the impact of bringing women leaders together to advocate with one unified voice for our industry.

Thank you to everyone who participated and helped make this first Women in Buses Fly-In such a success. We are already looking forward to next year.

Be sure to check out more photos from the Women in Buses Fly-In below and relive some of the memorable moments from our time on Capitol Hill!