Travel Counsellors goes beyond at Annual Global Conference

The highlight of our events calendar, the Travel Counsellors Annual Global Conference, took place at Manchester Central Convention Complex from Friday 22nd – Sunday 24th November 2024.

The three-day event marked one of the largest hosted by a travel company in the UK and featured inspiring presentations, a diverse array of celebrity and motivational speakers, and valuable networking opportunities with over 220 suppliers in attendance.

A star-studded occasion

Renowned celebrity host, Vernon Kay, marked his triumphant 10th return appearance, and the event featured its largest-ever lineup of external speakers including human rights award winner Lurata Lyon, Olympian and sports scientist Greg Whyte OBE, stress and wellness podcaster Alice Law, former Chief Business Officer of Google X Mo Gawdat, futurologist Tom Cheesewright, perfumer and entrepreneur Jo Malone CBE, G Adventures Founder Bruce Poon Tip, and entrepreneur Sara Davies MBE. Additionally, performance poet Tony Walsh captivated the audience with a bespoke poem handcrafted for Travel Counsellors and its customers.

The event also featured spectacular entertainment, with performances by the phenomenal Ibiza Symphony Orchestra, Ellie Sax, Abba Revival, and Nile Rodgers, who delivered an intimate set and spoke on Sunday.

Celebrating success and looking ahead

Under the overarching theme of ‘30 Beyond,' our conference celebrated a record-breaking year of shared achievements while looking ahead to new opportunities as our community continues to grow. CEO, Steve Byrne, reiterated the importance of community, and how we’re invested in delivering the very best combination of the human touch and digital customer experience which empowers our business owners to craft enriching tailor-made travel experience and build lasting relationships with their customers.

Steve Byrne, CEO of Travel Counsellors, commented: "Our success is rooted in the strength of our community and our commitment to caring for our people, our customers and our valued supplier partners through the bespoke travel experiences we create. By combining cutting-edge technology with the power of the personal, human touch, we’re empowering our community to grow, be the best they can be and make a lasting difference in the lives of others. Together, we are building a future and a community where meaningful connections and shared achievements are at the heart of everything we do which ultimately will drive our success.”

Key announcements and takeaways

Over the weekend, delegates were introduced to the latest advancements planned for the upcoming year, underpinned by a £16 million investment in technology. This investment sees the launch of a new AI-powered assistant, TC Co-Pilot, that integrates the best of internal and external content to help business owners deliver highly personalised solutions tailored to their customers' needs.

Another key innovation is The Interactive Quote, an advanced planning tool with a suite of destination content developed following the acquisition of Planisto. This innovative feature, already trialled within the community, is set for a global rollout in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, marketing efforts will focus on leveraging human stories across social media to strengthen personal branding.

Furthermore, the partnership with entrepreneur Sara Davies MBE will continue to grow, with her leading a series of virtual coaching sessions over the upcoming year designed to help Travel Counsellors scale and grow their businesses.

In addition, there were £150,000 worth of prize incentives won across the weekend and every Travel Counsellor has received a personalised video highlighting their achievements across the year to share on social media.

We’d like to say a huge thank you to our headline sponsors: Accor Hotels, Atmosphere Hotels and Resorts, Celebrity Cruises, Inside Travel Group, Intrepid Travel, Seabourn, and Visit California.

Are you ready to join a travel franchise where community is everything, and where you’ll be given the tools, technology, and support to be your best? 2025 promises to be a very exciting year for Travel Counsellors, and you could be a part of it! If you want to get a better feel of what we’re all about, book onto one of our upcoming Discovery events to learn more about our award-winning platform in a no-pressure environment. See what we’ve got coming up and book your place today.