Mental health

Winter blues kicking in? Here's how to find joy at work

As many of us head back to work after an extended festive break, some are excited, buoyed on by our New Year’s resolutions, convinced that this year we’ll be healthier / happier/ insert your wish here!

But if you feel the gloom rising (perhaps you’ve got a long line of customers booking dream sunshine holidays whilst you’re stuck in the shortest daylight hours?) you might need to give yourself a little boost of joy.

‘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

'She was pure light': how Kuoni's Lauren King is honouring the memory of daughter Bebe, killed in the Southport attack

Bebe King was one of three children killed in the 2024 Southport attack – but her parents are determined to ensure her memory never fades

TTG Media names child bereavement network Bebe's Hive as 2026 fundraising partner

The Community Interest Company was set up by Kuoni trainer Lauren King to provide support for grief and traumatic grief after her daughter Bebe was killed in the July 2024 Southport attack

'I’ve never disclosed my diagnosis to a supplier': neurodivergent agents share the challenges of working in travel

Working in travel with a neurodivergence presents opportunities and creates daily challenges; three neurodivergent agents share with TTG how they learnt to make things work for them, and their clients

‘After losing our baby at 25 weeks, a family holiday helped us start to heal'

A week in Greece may not seem that life-changing but, as TTG’s Tom Parry explains, even a short break can begin to ease wounds of loss – and demonstrate the magic of the travel industry

Agent calls for greater suicide prevention support at work after own emotional journey

In 2023, Michael Gillies hit rock bottom – burnt out by losing his travel business, heavily in debt, he did the unthinkable when he felt he had nowhere else to turn. Now he’s recovered, he’s determined to make sure others who need it can access the right support

‘I booked a couple to Brazil – now they live there!’: 5 times agents changed their clients’ lives for ever

TTG has challenged readers up and down the country to share the best ways in which they had an impact on their clients, showing that travel agents can change lives for ever – not just for the duration of a holiday

TTNG: 'We believe male mental health needs same level of support as menopause'

The consortium announced several initiatives to help members’ male members of staff with their mental health at its conference in Bucharest

Abta LifeLine reveals it wrote off £78,000 in debt for travel staff last year

Abta’s charity arm, Abta LifeLine, helps travel professionals who are struggling financially to pay their debts

‘I have vascular dementia but I’m determined to keep selling holidays’

Jenny Jackson quickly realised that she ’absolutely loved travel’ after unexpectedly joining the industry in her late 40s, however some 27 years later she is wondering how long she can continue to sell holidays

Alcohol-free club for agents to shake up industry networking

It’s time for the travel industry to start accommodating non-drinkers, says Theo Hitchcock, regional MyLER manager for UK and Northern Europe at Little Emperors.

Tui to debut first sensory rooms for neurodivergent guests this summer

Tui is increasing its offering for neurodivergent travellers and their families at two Tui Blue properties this summer – the Tui Blue Nausicaa Beach hotel in Larnaca and Tui Blue Aura hotel in Ibiza

Travel agent shares Covid qualification that has clients 'going wild'

Karen Simmonds of Travel Matters decided to upskill during the pandemic to enhance her agency’s experience offerings

Jo Rzymowska: 'As a gay woman, how can I feel welcome in Donald Trump’s America?'

Having been Celebrity Cruises’ vice president and managing director, EMEA and now as a non-executive director at Hays Travel, I’m proud to support diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. And my partner Lynne and I have no desire to travel to the States in the next four years.

How travel advisors can offer alcohol-free travel for sober clients

Therapist Alexander Brown set up a travel agency for sober clients in 2022 after noticing a greater need to support those in addiction recovery

The great diversity and inclusion pushback: why it’s wrong and what you can do about it

Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives have been gaining traction in the travel industry, but the global climate has changed – so how can travel help keep these issues on the agenda?

Travel bosses urged to introduce cancer policy for employees

Many UK companies are not prepared to support employees living with cancer, says social enterprise.

10 things agents can do to properly wind down for the festive period

Try these top tips for a stress-free festive season from the Inclusive Travel Forum’s Savannah Wilson

The four-day week, and five other HR and employment challenges facing travel

Unfair dismissal, flexible working, neurodiversity and the four-day week were among an assortment of topical HR and employment issues leading the agenda at seminar hosted by C&M Travel Recruitment

Travel trade support group Back in Time for Bed names first board

Berry Consulting’s Julie Berry, Club Med’s Jemma Bridges, Celebrity Cruises’ Michael Young-Richards and DoSomethingDifferent’s Lucy Paterson will comprise the group’s first board

How three senior travel leaders learned to stop 'trying to have it all'

During an emotional and thought-provoking break-out session at the 2024 Advantage conference, Celebrity Cruises’ Claire Stirrup, Royal Caribbean’s Ben Bouldin and Meon Valley Travel’s James Beagrie shared their career ups and downs and how they found balance

'This is how you create a culture of care in the workplace'

Creating safe spaces to talk and listen might not incur any more cost than teabags and biscuits, but could mean the world to someone that needs to air an issue.

Industry spotlight: ‘This is how we look after our mental health’

These are the actions that some of our mental health champions in the travel industry have taken to improve their own wellbeing, in addition to supporting their colleagues.