Seminar

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Seminar

Agenda

14.00: Welcome, from April Hutchinson, editor, ttgluxury

14.10: Everyone’s an explorer: the quest to do something different
Presenter: Christina Franco, explorer, and head of the Voyager Programme, South Kensington Club

Hear about what motivates this global explorer, who has spent her whole life putting herself to the test and is aiming to be the first woman to walk solo to the North Pole. As well as exploring the four corners of the earth, Christina, who is based in London, is also establishing an innovative programme of talks and travels for members of this innovative new members club (SKC) and will talk knowledgably about her years of adventure and how she sees the growth in experiential travel.

+ Audience Q&A

14.45: Business as unusual: the picture for travel creators

Panel: Stuart McNair, founder & CEO, Luxury Travel Advisors; Jessica Hargreaves, founding director, The Beyond Travel Company; Tiffany Woodley, director, Myriad Travel

In this lively panel discussion, ttgluxury’s April Hutchinson will talk to a range of travel sellers about how they are trying to make changes in their business and understand what affluent travellers really look for and need from their travel creator. All founders or directors of their businesses, these three offer interesting insight into the frontline sale of travel – Stuart swapped from corporate to luxury; Jessica has just overseen a major change to the business; and from the high street – Tiffany has recently put the investment into changing her shop in Liverpool.

15.15: In conversation: Ian Neale, CEO of Quintessentially Lifestyle Europe, USA and the Quintessentially Travel Group

Q&A: April Hutchinson will talk one-to-one with Ian

With more than 25 years’ experience in the travel industry, Ian has a wealth of expertise in both the luxury lifestyle and travel sectors. He is an entrepreneurial pioneer with an impressive record of shaping and driving change in a variety of organisations. More importantly – he is passionate about travel and our industry. His role at Quintessentially means managing a team and strategy that looks after the potential travel requests of the 100,000 members of this trendsetting concierge company.

15.40: Afternoon tea break & networking

16.00: Customers come first: no matter how many legs they’ve got
Presenter: Gracia Amico, CEO, PetsPyjamas

Why would someone who held leading ecommerce roles in the high-flying world of fashion change direction to head up a company selling pet products? And what does it have to do with travel? This dog-loving and energetic ecommerce guru says no matter the sector, it’s excellence in customer service that counts, along with channeling some serious PR opportunities, staying relevant and understanding your clients, whether they have four legs or two! Understanding the power of the “hound pound”, PetsPyjamas now offers a range of travel, which has become the company’s most profitable channel.
+ Audience Q&A

16.30: How will customers buy in 2015/16? SEO opportunities from mobile to desktop

Presenter: Amo Sokhi, managing director of SEO agency, Polaris

With mobile search queries on smartphones now outnumbering those on tablets and desktops, it’s no surprise Google has changed its mobile search criteria, making the move to mobile even more imperative for travel businesses. But what actions in your digital strategy will make the most difference to your business? As an expert in SEO and digital strategy – this man knows the answers and will give an overview of how the landscape is changing.

17.00: The luxury landscape: What does it take to stay relevant?

Panel discussion: Chris Ward, commercial manager, Farncombe Estate; Lucy Clark, director of sales, Belmond’s Trains & Cruises + more TBC

April Hutchinson will talk to the panel about how luxury brands stay relevant, what luxury customers are looking for and the ways in which people are delivering it in an innovative and inspirational way. The panel will include experienced hotelier Chris Ward, who is charged with turning the enormous Cotswolds estate of Farncombe – owned by a wealthy Danish family – into a series of hotels and experiences that suit a range of travellers; and Lucy Clark, with a host of know-how in luxury travel and now a caretaker for some of the world’s most famous luxury experiences under the Belmond umbrella.