A luxury travel advisor has shared the genius idea that “started the momentum” for her award-winning business, Frangipani Holidays. 

Claire Masse was named New Luxury Travel Designer of the Year at the TTG Luxury Travel Awards 2025, after being hailed by judges for her “invaluable” customer service and “exemplary understanding of sustainability”. 

Despite being less than three years old, Frangipani Holidays is already a key player in the competitive family travel space.

Clients can expect a personalised concierge service, dedicated contact throughout their trip and of course, expertise from Claire, a mother-of-two and seasoned traveller. The figures are nothing to scoff at either; in 2024, her company achieved more than £400,000 in sales.  

Judges were particularly impressed, however, by Claire’s clever strategy for finding her “niche” clientele and the way she leveraged a number of innovative marketing ideas, such as exposing her business at the perfect event – the Barnes Children’s Literature Festival.

Held in south-west London every June, this educational fair hosts author workshops and is attended by thousands of people from across the UK. 

Crucially, it also provides a dedicated ‘Marketplace’ zone, exclusively for brands selling products or services specifically aimed at families. 

“When I started my agency, I created a strategy to target my ideal client,” Claire tells TTG Luxury. “I was thinking of highly-educated families with children, so I knew I had to find a place that attracted this type of customer. Barnes Children’s Literature Festival was that place.” 

After securing a stall at the event, Claire channelled her energies into creating a visually appealing exhibition. She used a simple yet striking stand, anchored by a Frangipani Holidays roll-up banner and green marquee. 

Rather than handing out leaflets to promote her business, however, she gained attendees’ attention by holding a travel-themed competition. Children were tasked with matching photos of different places to their correct location on a large world map, and if they got it right, they won a prize of a cuddly toy animal.

“I could talk to the parents while the kids were playing the game, and then take email addresses so I could stay in touch with them,” recalls Claire, before adding that the warm weather at the summer festival made it even easier to chat. 

“After the event, I received lots of enquiries and bookings. Many of my regular clients came from this event. This was really the machine that started all the momentum.” 

Claire also attributes “in-person” networking to the success of her agency so far: “I’m selling expensive holidays and people are buying from me as an individual, so it’s really important for me to get out there. It’s a case of first meeting in person and then staying in touch.”

Additionally, she regularly attends WIBN [Women in Business Network] meetings, where she connects with other female professionals who have a similar client base to her. “A lot of these women are lawyers and financial advisors, and they may refer me to their clients,” she says. “We all support one another.”