Speakers:
Ben Bouldin, VP EMEA RCL | Royal Caribbean
Claire Stirrup, Senior Sales Director, EMEA | Celebrity Cruises
James Beagrie, Managing Director | Meon Valley Travel
John Sullivan, Head of Commercial | The Advantage Travel Partnership
Explore the agenda for The Advantage Conference 2024, featuring a varied programme of plenary and breakout sessions tailored to the current and future travel landscape and delivered by industry experts and evocative speakers. Plus, an informal social programme to maximise networking opportunities.
Delegates transfer information
Please note delegates will need to organise their own transfers when arriving in Cancun.
Our friends at Holiday Extras have confirmed that Advantage Conference delegates can use the following link for transfers and parking, prices are already discounted by 20%. Visit the link to use the applied discount.
Conference delegates can use the following link for their travel insurance and they will receive a 30% discount.
Our friends at Blacklane have kindly provided us with a discount code for delegates travelling to and from the station/airport (UK only). Bookings need to be placed through the Blacklane Website or App. Valid for two rides per participant Bookings can be placed until 31 May 2024. Details here.
Delegate Registration
Registration will be open in the hotel lobby and will re-open on Thursday morning in the conference centre.
This event is by invite only.
Held at Convention Centre, meeting room
This event is by invite only.
Held at Helios, TRS Coral Hotel
Welcoming first-timer delegates and solo attendees to The Advantage Conference.
Held at the Aurum, TRS Coral Hotel
A warm welcome awaits as we join together for the start of The Advantage Conference 2024.
Held at beach area, TRS Coral Hotel
Registration & arrival coffee
Held at Convention Centre, Lobby
Morning Plenary Sessions
Held at Convention Centre, Ballroom
Speaker: Julia Lo Bue-Said
Advantage CEO Julia Lo Bue-Said kicks off The Advantage Conference 2024, welcoming members, partners and friends of Advantage to the event.
Speaker: Sarah Whiting, Channels Solutions Lead | Thrust Carbon
Julia will welcome Thrust Carbon’s Sarah Whiting to the stage who will walk us through how we have embraced travel as a force for good in the planning of The Advantage Conference 2024.
Speaker: Lauri Reishus, President and Chief Executive Officer | ARC
ARC’s Lauri Reishus believes in travel’s power and potential to connect the world. With major geopolitical events and economic uncertainty shaping the travel landscape in 2024, Lauri will share how travel businesses can navigate these challenges and opportunities. She will also detail the work ARC is undertaking to prepare travel agencies for the future of airline distribution.
Speaker: Natalie Campbell, Co-CEO | BELU
2024 London Mayoral candidate, social entrepreneur, and CEO – take your pick. Natalie Campbell takes great pride in disrupting business as usual, encouraging clients, investors and, latterly voters to put inclusion and purposeful travel at the heart of their decisions. Drawing from her exciting and varied career Natalie shares tangible takeaways on how you can disrupt your organisation refocusing with passion and purpose.
Speakers: Natalie Campbell | Lauri Reishus | Julia Lo Bue-Said
Our host and moderator David Meade hosts a fireside talk with Julia, Natalie and Lauri, further exploring the pace, passion and purpose they offer and their varying perspectives on sustainability, business with purpose and the dynamic and changing global political landscape.
Coffee Break
Held at Convention Centre, Lobby
During this time delegates will be able to choose to attend either the business travel plenary sessions, or leisure travel focused breakout sessions.
Business Travel Plenary Session
Held at Convention Centre, Ballroom
Speakers:
Carmen Smith, Manager of Global Travel & Expense Services | Immunocore
Emma Stevenson, Director of Global Sales | HotelREZ Hotels & Resorts
Ian Jones, Associate | Temoji
James O’Donnell, Key Partnership Director | Eton Travel Management
Strawberries & Cream, Morecambe & Wise, and Posh & Becks - all remarkable partnerships; if you knew the secret formula, you would bottle it and make your fortune! January 2024 saw the re-birth of the Advantage Business Travel Symposium hosted in London, during which we put relationships under the spotlight to explore how TMCs, corporate buyers and travel suppliers can establish those critical perfect partnerships. During this session, we will bring to life the output from that session as we delve even deeper into what makes the perfect partnership.
Speaker: Jack Ramsay, CEO | TripStax
We exude passion for what we do, but we’ve lost our ability to create art for the people we serve. Join Jack Ramsey, CEO of Tripstax, as he explores how the industry can better use technology to untangle its disorderly underpinnings and give the supply chain a fresh and vibrant palette to create the future of business travel art.
Speakers:
Ian Jones, Associate | Temoji
Natalie Campbell, Co-CEO | BELU
Peter Snowdon, Director of Commercial UK | TAG
Susan Lichtenstein, Vice President of Sales | HQ
The first and last mile and how to capture the data and spend have long befuddled TMCs and corporate buyers alike. During this live gameshow-style session, we’ll be quizzing our three panellists to get to the core of the issue, exploring technological solutions, the role of national and local government in infrastructure, and the benefits and outcomes of successful carbon reporting in this area.
Delegates can choose from one of the below two sessions, taking note of the session location:
Leisure Travel Focused Breakouts - Round 1
Held at Convention Centre, Breakout Room
With AI and ChatGPT constantly in the headlines, does AI have a place in your business? No matter the size of your organisation, the future of AI technology within the travel sector is sky high.
From automated enquiry handling and preference-based bespoke itinerary generation, AI technologies can be implemented to improve business efficiencies, enhance customer experiences, and just generally make life easier for both your teams and your customers.
Of course, this will come with its challenges and limitations. In this session, you can expect an expert-led discussion surrounding the capabilities and opportunities for AI, as well as important points to consider surrounding best practices and not getting ahead of ourselves – we’ll always need that personal (human) touch!
Held at Chic Cabaret & Restaurant
Speakers:
Ben Bouldin, VP EMEA RCL | Royal Caribbean
Claire Stirrup, Senior Sales Director, EMEA | Celebrity Cruises
James Beagrie, Managing Director | Meon Valley Travel
John Sullivan, Head of Commercial | The Advantage Travel Partnership
As business owners and senior leaders, juggling all aspects of a successful career alongside everyday life is a constant. Join four senior industry professionals, for an honest discussion about the experiences and challenges they have throughout their journeys both in and out of work.
Leisure Travel Focused Breakouts - Round 2
Held at Convention Centre, Breakout Room
Delegates can choose from one of the below two sessions, taking note of the session location:
Speakers:
Mark Corbett, Founder and CEO | Thrust Carbon
Sarah Whiting, Channels Solutions Lead | Thrust Carbon
This session is an invitation to shift your perspective on sustainability from simple, tangible changes to a robust strategy that aligns with the future of travel and hospitality. Discover how to transform your sustainability endeavours from abstract ideals to concrete, impactful actions, thereby setting new benchmarks for eco-conscious travel. Join us to learn how sustainability is not just an option but a strategic move that resonates with the next wave of travellers and positions your business at the forefront of the inevitable evolution in travel and hospitality.
Held at Chic Cabaret & Restaurant
Speaker: Andy Headington, CEO | Adido
You don’t need huge budgets to make digital marketing work for your travel business. In this talk, digital marketing expert Andy Headington from travel marketing agency Adido, will reveal what’s behind the digital marketing curtain sharing experience gained from over 20 years running a marketing agency. Andy will share insights from Google, and client successes, as well as provide tips and advice on how digital channels including social media, email and search engine marketing (SEM) can be used for maximum effect. Attendees will learn how to plan their marketing efforts more effectively and make the most from their time and budgets to get more bookings, and welcome new customers to their business.
At leisure.
Held at Isla Blanca self-serve
Held at Convention Centre, Ballroom
Coffee Break
Held at Convention Centre, Lobby
Held at Convention Centre, Ballroom
Time at leisure
This event is invitation only.
Held at Eclipse Bar
Held at Village Terrace, outside the wedding chapel
Your restaurant location can be found in the Need To Know section on your lanyard cards.
Arrival Coffee
Held at Convention Centre, Lobby
During this time delegates will be able to choose to attend the leisure travel plenary session or the business travel breakout sessions.
Leisure Travel Plenary Sessions
Held at Convention Centre, Ballroom
Speaker: Lisa Minot, Travel Editor | The Sun
With 25 years of experience in all aspects of leisure travel, Lisa Minot, Travel Editor from The Sun really has seen it all! With a breadth of experience from camping to five-star luxury, Lisa joins our moderator David Meade in conversation to discuss consumer trends, differing expectations of younger travellers and what members and partners can expect in the leisure travel space in the coming years.
With help on hand from moderator David Meade, Advantage’s Chief Operations Officer Paul Nunn gazes into the crystal ball and sees what cards the regulators are dealing the travel industry in the coming months and years. Paul will guide us through new regulations with insight and amusement in equal measure.
Speakers:
David Forder, Head of Marketing | The Advantage Travel Partnership
Ray Hazeldene, Co-Founder | Marketing Radar
Michelle Laverick, Commercial Director | Marketing Radar
We gather and store data with every transaction and interaction we process. But how can we use it to drive engagement and increase sales? Data experts Radar gives insights into how we can best use our customer data and insights in marketing to grow, win customers and build our organisations.
Speakers:
David Meade, Moderator
Claire Brighton, ATAS Director | ATAS
Claire Stirrup, Senior Sales Director EMEA | Celebrity Cruises
Simon McDermott, Business Development Manager UK and Ireland | Palladium Hotel Group
Our moderator David Meade, adopts a fictional role as travel agent, and takes a seat in the Shark Tank exploring opportunities within three key sectors of the leisure market: Cruise, Adventure & Touring and Luxury but at the end of it where does David place his money?
During this time delegates will be able to choose to attend the leisure travel plenary session or the business travel breakout sessions.
Business Travel Breakouts - Round 1
Held at Convention Centre, Breakout Room
With AI and ChatGPT constantly in the headlines, does AI have a place in your business? No matter the size of your organisation, the future of AI technology within the travel sector is sky high.
AI technologies can be implemented to improve business efficiencies, enhance customer experiences, and make life easier for your teams and customers. From automated enquiry handling and preference-based bespoke itinerary generation to GDS queue management and improved SLA reporting.
Of course, this will come with its challenges and limitations. In this session, you can expect an expert-led discussion surrounding the capabilities and opportunities for AI, as well as important points to consider surrounding best practices and not getting ahead of ourselves – we’ll always need that personal (human) touch!
Held at Chic Cabaret & Restaurant
Speakers:
Ben Bouldin, VP EMEA RCL | Royal Caribbean
Claire Stirrup, Senior Sales Director, EMEA | Celebrity Cruises
James Beagrie, Managing Director | Meon Valley Travel
John Sullivan, Head of Commercial | The Advantage Travel Partnership
As business owners and senior leaders, juggling all aspects of a successful career alongside everyday life is a constant. Join four senior industry professionals, for an honest discussion about the experiences and challenges they have throughout their journeys both in and out of work.
During this time delegates will be able to choose to attend the leisure travel plenary session or the business travel breakout sessions.
Business Travel Breakouts - Round 2
Held at Convention Centre, Breakout Room
Speakers:
Mark Corbett, Founder and CEO | Thrust Carbon
Sarah Whiting, Channels Solutions Lead | Thrust Carbon
In an era where “sustainability” can sometimes prompt more eye rolls than actionable steps, our session aims to cut through the chatter and tackle the fatigue surrounding one of today’s most pivotal topics. This workshop confronts the scepticism head-on, acknowledging the widespread sentiment that the conversation around sustainability has often been all talk and no action. We’ll dive into the so-called ‘eye roll topics’ and debunk the myths that make sustainability seem more of a buzzword than a business imperative. By focusing on the tangible benefits, we reveal how genuinely sustainable practices can not only enhance your business strategy but also drive revenue, attract talent, and foster loyalty among consumers and employees alike. Join us as we explore practical strategies for seamlessly integrating sustainability into your operations, proving that making a positive impact on the planet can also bolster your bottom line.
Held at Chic Cabaret & Restaurant
In today’s dynamic travel landscape, the role of travel management companies (TMCs) is rapidly evolving. With changing traveller expectations, technological advancements, and industry disruptions, TMCs are faced with the imperative to transform from traditional service providers to innovative partners offering Travel as a Service (TaaS). This session will explore this transformative journey’s strategies, challenges, and opportunities. This session will delve into the key drivers motivating the shift towards TaaS, including the rise of digital platforms, the demand for personalized experiences, and the need for seamless integration across the travel ecosystem
Coffee Break
Held at Convention Centre, Lobby
Morning Plenary Sessions
Held at Convention Centre, Ballroom
Speakers:
Andrea Caulfield Smith, Managing Director, Business Travel | The Advantage Travel Partnership
Kelly Cookes, Chief Commercial Officer | The Advantage Travel Partnership
Our Chief Commercial Officer and Managing Director, Global Business Travel take to the stage to give an update on what has been happening over the last 12 months, share their industry insights and update on plans for the year ahead.
Speaker: Simon Ferguson, Senior Vice President | Modaxo
Simon Ferguson, Senior Vice President at Modaxo, will address delegates on the major tech changes and trends impacting the global travel and business landscape and offer insights into how independent businesses can respond.
Speaker: Jamie McDonald, Keynote Speaker
Jamie McDonald is no stranger to adventure, having embarked on a series of record-breaking adventures, from cycling Bangkok to Gloucester to running across Canada, all while dressed as his alter ego – Adventure Man. Jamie’s fascinating story discusses his challenges with neurodiversity and how he has made this his superpower, at the forefront of his quest for adventure and raising vast funds for charity. Jamie will close the event with a rousing keynote session.
Time to reflect on the conference sessions so far, reminding us how important having Pace, Passion, and Purpose is for the future success of our industry.
Speaker: Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO | The Advantage Travel Partnership
Advantage CEO, Julia Lo Bue-Said, returns to the stage to draw the conference sessions to a close.
At leisure
Held at Isla Blanca self-serve
Delegates will participate in a range of sessions designed to support and give back to the local Costa Mujeres community. Find out more here.
Time at leisure
An evening of fine food and entertainment to round off this year's conference.
Held at Theatre, Village Mall
On the morning of Saturday 18 May, we are aware some delegates are extending their trip so the hotel has kindly organised a range of optional activities on-site at the Grand Palladium Costa Mujeres Resort and Spa that they will host. The activities will take place between 11:00 and 13:00, the options are:
For those who have registered, it’s time to enjoy a range of activities hosted by the hotel Meet in the hotel lobby.
Copyright ©2024 Advantage Travel Centres Ltd, Registered in England No. 4698963.
Registered office: c/o Regus, Eagle House, 167 City Road, London EC1V 1AW
