A commercial profile for a new phase of growth
Scenic Group has announced the appointment of Ana Sofia Ayala as Managing Director, Asia Pacific. She joins in mid-January and brings more than twenty years of international experience in travel, across cruising, tourism and commercial leadership.
The appointment comes at a symbolic moment. The Australian group is celebrating its 40th anniversary under the banner “40 Years of Innovation” and continues to grow across its three businesses: luxury river cruising, yacht cruising and touring.
Adam Armstrong, Chief Commercial Officer of Scenic Group, explained the choice. He said Ana Sofia brings strong international cruise experience, real commercial leadership and a clear understanding of what matters to the group’s customers and distribution partners. He added that, as Scenic enters a new phase of growth, her ability to connect brand, distribution, digital and customer experience will be invaluable.
Seven years leading the commercial division at Voyages Tourism Australia
Since October 2019, Ana Sofia Ayala has been Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer at Voyages Tourism Australia, which operates Ayers Rock Resort, Mossman Gorge Cultural Centre and the National Indigenous Training Academy. She leads the whole commercial function there: sales, marketing, brand, digital, revenue management, distribution, customer experience and the contact centre. Her team of 70 people covers five functions.
She rebuilt the company’s commercial model without interrupting trading and steered it through the pandemic. Voyages came out of that period with more direct sales, better margins, and gains in both conversion and loyalty. She also led the group’s digital transformation. The brand is no longer presented as a simple attraction but as an immersive destination built around culture.
Among other things, she launched cultural experiences created with the Aṉangu and Kuku Yalanji Traditional Owners. She was also named among Australia’s top 50 chief marketing officers (CMO50) in 2025 and 2026.
Eight years at Royal Caribbean, from Miami to Sydney
From 2011 to 2018, Ana Sofia Ayala worked at Royal Caribbean’s headquarters in Miami. There she led eCommerce, digital and social media for the cruise line across North America and international markets. Her work included building the sales strategy for pre-cruise purchases, the extras that guests buy before boarding. That channel is now worth around €860 million a year (more than US$1 billion).
She also made social media a sales tool in its own right by adding a real-time social listening unit to customer service. This work earned her several Travel Weekly Magellan Awards, in 2013, 2015 and 2016.
She then returned to Sydney as Director, International Project Development. For just over a year, she ran the commercial side of Royal Caribbean’s private destinations in Australia and the South Pacific, covering go-to-market, pricing and customer experience design.
Early career in Mexico, then Accor in Australia
Born in Mexico and now an Australian citizen, Ana Sofia Ayala holds a marketing degree from Tecnológico de Monterrey and also studied at the University of Queensland. She began her career in 2006 as marketing manager for a Mexican pet nutrition brand.
In 2008, she joined Accor, which has also taken to the sea with the sailing ship Orient Express Corinthian, as E-commerce & Marketing Executive for Australia. Over three years, she managed digital acquisition, distribution and yield for the group’s multi-brand portfolio, as well as OTA relationships and CRM programmes.
A pivotal moment in Asia Pacific
Ana Sofia Ayala sees her arrival as a turning point for the region. She described Scenic Group as an Australian success story, with extraordinary ships, journeys and teams, and said she was delighted to join in its 40th year. With new ships and destinations in the works, she said, this is a pivotal moment for Scenic in Asia Pacific.
Analysis – This appointment puts a specialist in distribution, digital and direct sales at the head of the region. It is a logical choice in a luxury cruise market that the big hotel brands are also entering, as Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection shows. Travel agents still play a key role, but direct booking matters more and more to margins.
At a glance by The Hospitality Tribune
Scenic Group appoints Ana Sofia Ayala as Managing Director, Asia Pacific
Joins in mid-January from Voyages Tourism Australia, where she spent seven years as Chief Revenue & Marketing Officer
Eight years at Royal Caribbean, building an eCommerce channel now worth over US$1 billion a year
Named among Australia’s CMO50 in 2025 and 2026
Appointment comes as Scenic Group marks 40 years in luxury river cruising, yacht cruising and touring
New ships and destinations in the pipeline for Asia Pacific
