The former Altour managing director will be responsible for building a "comprehensive programme” in the UK, which will offer ICs the same tools and resources available to their US counterparts. She will also oversee the recruitment of experienced travel advisors who can enhance the expertise of its tight-knit community. 

Speaking on her immediate goals, Baty confirmed that her primary focus is on establishing a robust infrastructure that mirrors the host agency’s US success. 

"My priority is to build out the strength in the company in the UK to make sure that we've got all the tools that we need," she said. “We’re not just tweaking the [existing] model, we’re doing it better.”

Baty emphasised that the agency does not work to specific membership targets, noting that while they already have a "handful" of UK advisors in process, the focus remains on quality and specialised expertise.

NousTravel operates as a support network rather than a traditional franchise, allowing agents to maintain their own branding and full business independence. 

Baty stressed that her leadership style will be democratic and collaborative: “I think it's just really concentrating on what our ICs want. We work very closely with them and we talk to them a lot. My job is to listen and provide what our ICs need.” 

“There is no point putting in place a programme that nobody wants. So my priority is to really know what their priorities are and making sure that we fulfil those." 

Practically, this support includes access to specialised hotel and entertainment programmes. While the agency is a member of Virtuoso, Baty noted they are building further "bespoke programmes geared to entertainment, media and corporate" to offer exclusive access and contacts not generally available through standard channels.

“We are thrilled to welcome Maria Baty as chief executive, UK and Europe,” said Barry Noskeau, co-Founder at NousTravel. “She is an exceptionally respected leader within the travel industry. Her deep understanding of building successful travel management companies and her commitment to supporting independent travel professionals makes her the ideal partner to lead our expansion into the UK and European markets.”