TravelManagers 2022 conference kicks off in Sydney

The TravelManagers 2022 conference has kicked off today with the theme ‘TOGETHER’ uniting the company after 1,126 days since its last conference.

Kicking the conference off was the CEO of House Of Travel, TravelManagers’ parent company, Joe Araullo with the opening address to the 170+ PTMs in attendance.

Araullo congratulated the company for its performance over the pandemic, citing its relatively high staff retention and progress as travel gets back to its normal levels. Araullo noted that August 2022 was TravelManagers’ best August on record and its 8th best month ever.

Following Aruallo in the welcome address was the executive general manager of TravelManagers Michael Gazal, who commended all the PTMs who made their way through the pandemic and praised TravelManagers’ working from home model.

Gazal shared stories of PTMs who undertook different employments during the pandemic, rangning from gym instructors to truck drivers to health workers at COVID centres.

The keynote speaker, Amanda Stevens, a renowned thought leader on the customer experience, followed Gazal, drawing on a wide variety of topics, including the rise of working from home, travel consumer behaviours and attitudes, the importance of fostering personal relationships in business and a personal anecdote about her health that had many in the room emotional.

Amanda Stevens speaking at TravelManagers2022 | Instagram/travelweeklyau

“Amanda is a brilliant speaker with extensive experience in consumer psychology and marketing,” Gazal explained.

“In addition to once again providing the opening address, we are thrilled that she has also agreed to take on a new role as our first-ever MC. We know that she will ensure the conference is the right mix of business and fun for a post-COVID celebration.”

Stevens went on to introduce Toni Ambler, the managing director of The Travel Corporation ANZ who discussed what TTC Tours has to offer PTMs.

The remainder of the conference will include four PTM speakers accross the two-day event, along with Gavin Smith, VP & MD of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd for ANZ, who is scheduled to appear as a special guest speaker and a duo of NPO speakers: Sandra Leslie and Sandra Reucker, who jointly manage TravelManagers’ day-to-day supplier relationships.

During the conference, Gazal said attendees will have the opportunity to attend workshops and a supplier trade show, as well as take part in an open-forum discussion. There will also be a review of 2020 and 2021, including the ongoing development of the newly launched ‘TravelManagers Customer Fund’ (TCF).

More on the agenda includes a cruise debate, speeches from Qantas, Amadeus, 2021 Sports Hall of Fame inductee Jana Pittman, and Grant Campbell from TCF.

Maria Miller, who is a representative for Parkes, NSW, is attending her thirteenth TravelManagers conference.

“It has been so long since we have all been able to get together,” Miller said.

“I always walk away from the conference feeling rejuvenated, motivated and ready to take on whatever may come my way. It’s a wonderful way to catch up with the TravelManagers family, share experiences and have a lot of fun at the same time.”

Featured Image: Grant Campbell speaking at TravelManagers 2022

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