The tour operator hosted 30 of its Kindred members at a lavish retreat on Wednesday night (30 September) in celebration of the VIP club’s first anniversary.

The gathering saw advisors from all over the UK check into Estelle Manor in Oxford for two days of activities, dining, workshops and networking.

Attendees enjoyed a champagne reception followed by a three-course meal in the property’s Glasshouse, as well as a game of padel and a round of Polaris buggy driving.

Speaking to TTG Luxury, Greg Thurston, Head of Trade Sales UK at Audley Travel, said the event served to recognise and celebrate its most loyal agent partners.

“Quite honestly, we won't look at this purely on its own for ROI,” he said. “Certainly, we would hope people come away from the event feeling more engaged with Audley, but it’s really just about getting people together and celebrating our partnership.”

On the first evening of the event, Audley handed out awards to 11 members of the invitation-only club.

Sarah Kennedy of Soar & Explore, who was recently profiled by TTG, took home The Connection Award after “working well with Audley’s sales team and receiving strong feedback from its specialists".

Trisha Lester, Ashdown Travel's Head of Retail, received The Collaboration Award, having impressed the operator with her “marketing engagement and promotion of the brand".

Meanwhile, Hannah Vincent, founder of Select Travel, was given the The Celebration Award in recognition of her “advocacy” for Audley on her social media platforms.

Thurston also shared multiple key updates about Kindred, which launched in September 2025 as a way of rewarding its top trade partners.

The community has since grown from 40 to 50 agents, all of whom have proven themselves as strong supporters of Audley.

A huge benefit of Kindred membership, according to Thurston, is its events programme. Advisors are invited to exclusive experiences, such as Northern Belle journeys and dinner at The Hut on the Isle of White, while also enjoying priority consideration on fam trips.

Thurston acknowledged these events are significant investments, but believes they are crucial to maintaining relationships with Audley’s top agents.

“As you can imagine, these are relatively chunky events,” he said. “But these are our best agents, without a doubt, so it's a no-brainer to invest in the partnership.”

Audley Travel has also launched a Q4 trade booking incentive, which offers agents the chance to win a £20,000 bespoke holiday voucher – double its 2025 reward – along with a runner-up spot on a 2027 Egypt agent experience trip.