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Interview

Headshot of Pebbleshore Travel owner Rachel Dartnall-Smith
Agent credits quirky secondary business for family booking boom
Rachel Dartnall-Smith's 'crystal pit' and climbing wall, where kids can root through semi-precious stones, has proved a perfect foil to her agency business
Woman with long blonde hair smiling against green background
Elegant Resorts’ new Chairman’s Club boss vows to solidify reputation as ‘leader in luxury travel’
Jessica Sharp, formerly of Carrier, is determined to elevate the luxury operator’s membership club
TravCorp group chief executive Andy Freeth
'Joining TravCorp has been like putting on an old pair of comfortable slippers'
Former dnata Travel Group, If Only and Classic Collection exec Freeth returned to travel with TravCorp last year; six months on, he tells TTG he has every intention of growing the group's new trade division in line with its investment
Smiling man wearing sunglasses and white shirt, F1 background
Sports travel agency to tap mainstream luxury market after ‘organic’ growth
Vedere Travel has undergone a ‘soft’ brand relaunch as it broadens its product offering
Three young people, two women and one man, dressed smartly
Luxury agency launches internship for breaking into 'unknown' industry
Top luxury travel firm Ellidore has launched a new training programme designed to “open up” the world of VIP travel management
Woman smiling
Top luxury cruise agent shares No.1 rule for booking success after 20th anniversary
Francesca Barone, founder of Elite Cruises, believes cruise agents can avoid unnecessary stress by implementing this one action
Five women smiling at camera
All-women travel club says ‘motherly energy’ has boosted supplier relations
The all-women travel collective has seen success by unapologetically embracing its feminine side
Explora Journeys' Tate Husband
New Explora Journeys boss believes hospitality CV can help cruise line achieve its 'new-to-cruise' goal
Tate Husband tells TTG what his professional life is like now he joined the cruise sector, an industry he never expected to work in
Large group of smiling people in hotel conference room
Alcohol-free travel club strikes chord with agents looking for night off booze
The Travelcohol-Free Club’s events have been attended by hundreds of advisors and suppliers over the past year
Headshot of Travelosopher travel agent Carl Hogan
Travelosophers homeworker Carl Hogan makes leap into retail with shipping container agency in 'recycled shopping village'
Carl Hogan said he's picked up on a 'great appetite' for face-to-face interaction in Abakhan Village, which has never had a travel agency before
Smiling middle-aged woman with long brown hair and a white shirt
‘No spas’ tool to help agents tap into ‘lucrative’ industry
The platform has been designed for advisors who wish to capitalise on the growth of the sustainable wellness travel sector
Smiling man in black t-shirt and black sunglasses
‘Use common sense!’ top agent calls out hotel practice that’s ‘alienating’ clients
Samuel Mond says hotels need to reconsider this practice if they want to retain clients
Smiling woman with red long hair and black turtleneck
Tour operator unveils ultra-luxury collection as agents drive top bookings
Inspiring Travel has created a new programme as part of its long-term strategy to boost its relationship with the trade
Sara Greene, brown-haired smiling woman standing in front of long dining table
Travel Counsellor reveals first client appreciation event has ‘already paid off’
Sara Greene invited more than 20 people to a restaurant meal in London last month as a gesture of gratitude for their ongoing support
Alchemist
Agency launches overseas training programme for industry newcomers
Alchemist Academy aims to give aspiring luxury travel consultants a pathway into this competitive sector
Photo of Leanne Edwards, head of sales at Olympic Holidays
'Agents had forgotten about us!': Olympic Holidays pushes peaks incentives and luxury fam to raise brand awareness
Olympic Holidays has revamped its agent engagement programme following some 'soul-destroying' feedback, head of sales Leanne Edwards tells TTG
leanne rees
'I want to mentor others': agent leaves top luxury brand to launch own business
Leanne Rees has left Swords Travel after two and a half years to pursue her dream of running her own company
Jonny Fielding with Northcoast's previous owner
JF Travel steps in to secure future of fellow Northern Irish independent
JF Travel's managing director Jonny Fielding told TTG he had been in talks with Northcoast Travel since September to ensure the agency continues to thrive on the high street
Jayne Alexander of Travellers' Tales
PR chief opens London travel agency with novel sales approach
Every book at Travellers’ Tales has been hand-picked so it can be matched to an itinerary
David Siewers
Azamara allocates extra $1 million to pay commissions in 2026 after flurry of new agent registrations
Azamara, which operates four ocean-going vessels, has enjoyed several record-breaking sales days over Cyber Monday and the week of Black Friday
Julie Coker
NYC Tourism targets budget-savvy visitors ahead of 2026 World Cup
The city is seeking to highlight its more affordable side as it prepares to host the FIFA World Cup next year
Denise and Sarah
‘I helped my best friend at Travel Counsellors work through breast cancer – then I was diagnosed too’
Denise Carter and Sarah Jennings were diagnosed with Stage 1 breast cancer after a routine mammogram last year. Now, they’re urging other women to get tested
Steven Woodley started his career in travel with Premier in the late-70s
'Meeting customers has always been the best part of the job,' says retiring agent of nearly 50 years
Pens, paper and the humble telephone were the travel agent's tools of the trade when Steven Woodley started his career in high street travel – he tells TTG the story of his career
carrier
Carrier announces European hotspot as 2026 overseas conference location
Carrier’s overseas conference and reward event for agents is to return to Greece in its third year, with the three-night event taking place at Daios Cove in Crete