Travel Counsellors hosted its largest global conference to date in Manchester over last weekend, welcoming a record 2,100 delegates from around the world.
Some 35 Irish Travel Counsellors, along with the nine Cork head office crew, represented the biggest delegation from Ireland.
Cathy Burke, Managing Director of Travel Counsellors Ireland said: “One of the stand out moments for us was when Emer McDermott from Westport, Co. Mayo, accepted her award for Top Travel Counsellor Ireland”.
The three-day event, held at Manchester Central Convention Complex, featured inspiring presentations, a diverse array of celebrity and motivational speakers and valuable networking opportunities with over 220 suppliers in attendance. Headline sponsors included Accor Hotels, Atmosphere Hotels and Resorts, Celebrity Cruises, Inside Travel Group, Intrepid Travel, Seabourn, and Visit California.
Renowned celebrity host Vernon Kay marked his triumphant 10th return appearance, and the event featured its largest-ever line-up 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, MadHen, Abba Revival, and Nile Rodgers, who delivered an intimate set and spoke on Sunday.
Under the overarching theme of ‘30 Beyond,’ the event marked a record-breaking year of shared achievements while looking ahead to new opportunities as the community continues to grow.
CEO Steve Byrne reiterated the importance of community and looking after each other, and how the company is invested in delivering the very best combination of the human and digital customer experience to craft tailor-made travel experiences that enrich lives, builds lasting customer relationships and empowers business owners to reach their full potential.
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.
