This October, we welcomed over 165 of our travel industry clients, friends and peers for a day of insightful and though-provoking speaker sessions, food and drinks and of course, plenty of networking – giving us all a chance to celebrate not only where our industry has been, but more importantly, where it is heading.
Our overarching theme this year was The Xeinadin travel Lounge and throughout the sessions we focused on the 3Ts of travel: technology, transformation and trailblazing – not just as buzzwords but as actionable strategies that travel business owners need to efficiently integrate into they business strategy in order to stay ahead. It was an absolute pleasure to gather in one place, once again, such a fantastic group of trailblazers and decision-makers from across the travel industry.
We spent the afternoon hearing from inspiring speakers, all experts in their fields, on various subjects, from AI to fintech to politics and investor interest. Here are the highlights:
Priya Lakhani OBE, Founder & CEO CENTURY Tech
AI Everything, everywhere, all at once – a fantastic session that explored the current landscape and potential of AI as we demystified the technology. The talk addressed the essential skills to thrive in a world where we are living with, working with or building AI, while touching on how to create an AI strategy to take advantage of the technology and mitigate against the risks.
As we find ourselves on the brink of a new era in travel, where digital innovations are reshaping the way we connect with our customers, from AI-driven personalisation to seamless, immersive experiences, the tools at our disposal are greater than ever, and it is our responsibility to harness them to elevate the travel experience.
Luke Johnson, Co-Founder, Risk Capital Partners – Travel: the great return
A fireside chat between our Partner and Head of Travel Jonathan Wall and one of Britain’s most renowned investors, Luke Johnson, discussing Luke’s views on the current state of the travel industry, his past and current travel industry investments and the wider economic and business landscape. Luke provided us with an inside look into what it is like investing into the travel industry.
Beyond Transactions: Fintech’s Travel Adventure
Beyond Transactions: Fintech’s Travel Adventure – Panel discussion moderated by Immy Spence, Head of SME at Airwallex, with guests Guy Coles, Commercial Director at New Generation Ski & Snowboard School, Sam Clark, Co-Founder and director, at Experience Travel Group, and Tannah Matus, CFO at, Secret Food Tours.
We were absolutely delighted to have Airwallex as our headline supporter for our summit this year, and partnering with them meant that we could bring to the forefront a thought-provoking panel discussion that explored the intersection of fintech and travel, focusing on how fintech companies are entering the travel industry, offering attractive deals to travellers, and the impact of super apps on the traditional travel landscape.
Luke Petherbridge, Director of Public Affairs, ABTA – Political change and 100 days of Labour; what it all means for the UK Travel Industry
So far, 2024 has proved to be a year full of political and economic change, not only in the UK but across Europe as well and with the US election coming soon, no doubt a further shift will be noticed. Luke’s session gave our delegates an outlook of the current political and economic landscape, zooming in on what the first 100 days of Labour Government has meant to the Travel industry.
We also heard from our fantastic sponsors who always provide great sessions that give delegates undeniably useful nuggets of industry insights. And of course, this event would not have been possible without their continued support and them showing up for us year after year.
We have for many years supported two amazing travel industry charities, UK focussed Family Holiday Charity, and JustADrop providing safe water to millions that don’t have. This year we were delighted to welcome back The Family Holiday Charity, a truly inspiring organisation that joined us on the day to shine a light on how we can all work together as a travel sector to support more families facing tough times to enjoy the life-changing impact of a break.
Last but of course not least, our internal team of experts also took the stage to give delegates quick updates in areas such as R&D, VAT, Audit and Regulatory, Corporate Finance.
A wonderfully inspiring day all ‘round – a room full of leaders driving change, those who dare to challenge the status quo and trailblaze new paths in various niches of the travel industry, be it sustainability, efficiency, or innovation. We’re always grateful to be surrounded by the ones reimagining travel, creating more sustainable solutions, and fostering new partnerships that will define the future of our industry.
And above all, we’re grateful to be part of a platform that offers an opportunity not only to learn from one another but to spark fresh ideas that will help us collectively shape the next chapter in travel.
Read more about our Leaders in Travel Summit in the press…
Travel sector ‘becoming attractive’ to private equity after Covid recovery | Travel Weekly
Audley Travel considers sale as investors return to sector – Travel Gossip
Air tax likely to rise ‘slightly above inflation’ – Travel Gossip
Simpson Travel plans to expand into Spain and Portugal – Travel Gossip
