Interview

International Women's Day: ‘Women are juggling more responsibilities than ever,' says Tui’s head of retail

Starting out as a 16-year-old apprentice some 32 years ago, Kirsty Frith probably didn’t assume she’d rise up the ranks of travel become head of retail for Tui.

Throughout her career, leading some of Tui’s largest flagship stores and holding regional, divisional, and national leadership roles, she has witnessed first-hand how the industry, and the pressures on women, have changed.

Specialist's 'crazy few days' as Middle East crisis strands clients – and wife – in Dubai

Matt Callaway has been working hard to get clients home while balancing his own family worries after his wife became stranded in Dubai following US and Israeli military action in Iran

Luxury agents share their powerhouse outfits for high-net-worth client meetings

From signature hats to scarlet power suits, these six luxury travel designers know how to make a statement

'We'll chart a path together with traditional travel agents': the AI that can now book – and fix – holidays on its own

'We want to make sure our partners see that while this is something disruptive, it's an opportunity to get ahead rather than be left behind,' Sabre's product management VP Brad Johnson tells TTG

Beyond the rivers: Riviera Travel reveals plans for long-haul travel domination

Agents will know Riviera Travel well for its river cruise portfolio, but not so much for its long-haul products. Can you share more about this?

Riviera Travel actually started life as an escorted tour company, so long-haul travel is very much part of our DNA. While our river cruises have grown significantly over the years, we’ve continued to invest heavily in developing a wide-ranging and expertly curated long-haul programme.

New Hoseasons director urges agents to give brand 'another look' as it seeks to shed 'cheap and cheerful' reputation

Newly appointed director of owner success and growth Michelle Baillie is encouraging agents to 'take another look' at the brand's website to see its luxury offerings for themselves

The enquiries Travel Counsellor Katharine Totoni turns away: ‘Everybody's idea of luxury is different’

Travel Counsellor Katharine Totoni believes turning away the 'wrong' enquiries, from price-match requests to budget breaks outside her niche, has strengthened her business and her rapport with clients

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

'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

Beverley Travel to up focus on tailor-made and luxury business with fifth shop in 'affluent' suburb

The new store is just a 20-minute walk from the agency's original shop

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

Ashdown Travel unveils luxury store rebrand targeting Knutsford’s affluent market

The agency's owners have rebranded its Eden Luxury Travel operation as Ashdown Travel to 'widen' the store's offering for its clients in Cheshire – some 200 miles from Ashdown's Surrey and Kent shops

'I was trolled for my accent after my video went viral – but then the enquiries started flooding in'

Travel Counsellor Leander Lynch refused to delete a video tour of Manchester airport’s private terminal after online bullies mocked her voiceover – she tells TTG how she found the strength to stand up to them, and why it's paying off

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

How a theatre trip set one Not Just Travel agent on a path to achieving £3 million in sales – from just one MSC Cruises sailing

Vikki Coffey had only been a Not Just Travel agent for a matter of months when she decided to take a leap of faith and flag a potentially lucrative idea with the agency's head office team – here's what happened

'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

Marella Cruises boss praises 'strength' of third-party agent sales after 'record-breaking' year

Chris Hackney confirmed more than 1,200 third-party agents made a Marella Cruises booking in 2025 as the line achieved a record-breaking year

'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

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

Returning agent uses TikTok to land biggest bookings of her career

Shortly after returning to the industry in August, Staffordshire-based homeworker Lisa Phillips decided to set up a TikTok account – and she hasn't looked back since

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

Craig Travel's third branch off to 'mind-blowing' start, boss says

The agency secured funding from Jet2holidays' Scale Up Your Street initiative to open the new branch, which complements its shops in Workington and Cockermouth

Agent signs up for 1,000km all-women charity rickshaw rally across India

Not Just Travel consultant Jo O'Connell, who will complete the challenge with her sister Lisa, told TTG that when the email seeking entrants popped into her inbox, she didn't think twice

Agent brings coffee shop-come-travel agency back from the brink

Pebbles Travel founder Martine MacDonald and her husband Andy have turned a struggling travel agency-coffee shop combo into a local favourite – here's how they did it