Travel's must attend event for connection, insight and influence
Session topics
Speaker and session details will be added as they are announced, with new information published regularly in the lead-up to The Travel Convention. Check back soon for the latest updates.
ABTA Spotlight - the road ahead
Mark Tanzer, Chief Executive, ABTA
ABTA’s Chief Executive, Mark Tanzer, explores the central
theme of this year’s Travel Convention, ‘Managing Uncertainty with Confidence’
- offering his insight on the sector and how ABTA and its members are managing
the changing travel landscape.
The world in flux
Lewis Goodall, Political journalist, author and broadcaster on LBC
Lewis Goodall is a journalist, broadcaster and author known for sharp political analysis, investigative reporting, and compelling storytelling. As co-presenter of chart-leading podcast The News Agents on Global Player, which reaches around 5 million downloads a month, and weekend presenter on LBC, he is one of the UK’s most recognisable voices in political journalism and current affairs.
In Madeira, Lewis will deliver a sharp, agenda-setting perspective on a world under pressure and the forces likely to shape the next 12 to 24 months. Drawing on his work across The News Agents and LBC, he will unpack the political, economic and social currents influencing public mood, business confidence and risk, helping travel leaders better understand the landscape their customers, investors and teams are navigating in an increasingly uncertain world.
Managing uncertainty with confidence
Eleanor Winton, Foresight and Innovation Specialist
Eleanor Winton, founder of strategic foresight consultancy
Foresightfully, will explore how leaders can navigate uncertainty with
confidence and approach disruption with curiosity rather than caution. In a
world where uncertainty has become the operating environment rather than a
passing storm, she will examine why leaders need to develop new skills and
greater confidence to thrive. Drawing on her experience advising boards and
leadership teams across multiple industries, Eleanor will explore the thinking
traps and blind spots that can hinder strategic decision-making. Through
examples of innovation in uncertain times, she will challenge delegates to get
curious, think differently about the future and identify new opportunities for
growth and change.
AI, skills, and the future of work
Natalie Campbell MBE, Social entrepreneur and Chair, Workforce Development Trust
We were once given a simple formula for success: work hard, build strong relationships and deliver a great product or service. Today, that formula is being reshaped by AI, changing customer expectations and the growing demand for new skills. For leaders, the challenge is no longer simply keeping pace with change but helping their people navigate it with confidence.
In this session, social entrepreneur and Chair of the Workforce Development Trust, Natalie Campbell MBE will explore what future-ready leadership looks like in an era of rapid transformation. Using AI as a thread throughout, she’ll examine how leaders can build cultures of curiosity, adaptability and continuous learning, while developing the uniquely human capabilities that technology cannot replace. The organisations that succeed will be those that empower people and technology to thrive together.
The new business of reassurance
Robbie Hodges, Trend strategist
As travel leaders navigate uncertainty, so do the travellers they serve. AI, economic volatility, and climate disruption are reshaping how consumers make decisions, who they trust and what they expect from brands. Faced with growing complexity, people are increasingly seeking guidance, reassurance, and control.
Presenting for consumer trends firm, TrendWatching, trend strategist Robbie Hodges will explore the new rules of consumer influence in an age of uncertainty. Drawing on a proprietary trend framework and global innovation database, he will reveal how shifts in behaviour, trust and expectations are creating opportunities for travel brands to help consumers move from uncertainty to confidence – and earn lasting loyalty as a result.
Burglar for hire: security breaches and the human element
Jenny Radcliffe, "The People Hacker"
Renowned social engineer and award-winning cyber security expert Jenny Radcliffe will be addressing delegates at this year's Travel Convention. Known as "The People Hacker", Jenny is a professional "burglar for hire" who has spent her career testing the security of organisations by bypassing systems through psychology, persuasion and social engineering.
Jenny will explore how the human side of security can be both a weak point and a strength for organisations. She will discuss how the psychology of businesses, teams and individuals can be exploited by criminals to breach defences and gain access to systems, data, finance and personal information. Through an anecdote-driven, high energy talk, Jenny will expose our human vulnerabilities and share practical steps individuals and companies can take to better protect
themselves.
Leading through uncertainty
Garry Wilson, CEO, easyJet holidays
Jacqueline Dobson, President, Barrhead Travel
Shaun Moreton, CEO, On the Beach
In this session, Garry Wilson, CEO of easyJet holidays; Jacqueline Dobson, President of Barrhead Travel; and Shaun Moreton, CEO of On the Beach, will explore what leadership looks like when certainty is in short supply. Drawing on their own experiences of steering businesses through periods of uncertainty, change, growth, and transformation, they will discuss how they make decisions under pressure, maintain clarity when information is incomplete, and create confidence across their organisations even when the future remains unclear.
The conversation will examine the realities leaders face when markets shift unexpectedly, customer expectations evolve rapidly, or external events threaten carefully constructed plans. How do leaders avoid becoming overly cautious or reacting too quickly? How do they balance short-term responses with long-term strategy? And how do they communicate in ways that keep teams focused, engaged and resilient?
Scaling smarter: Putting AI to work for customers
Matt Callaghan, COO, easyJet holidays
At the Convention, we’ll be featuring three AI case studies – the first of which will be presented by Matt Callaghan, COO of easyJet holidays.
As easyJet holidays continues to grow at pace, how can AI help deliver an even better customer experience while enabling the business to scale efficiently? In this case study, Matt will share how easyJet holidays is using AI to help customers get faster answers to their queries, and what they’ve learned along the way about where AI adds real value and where the human touch remains essential.
Holiday Habits 2026-2027
Ruth Venn, Associate Vice President, Sales & Distribution, P&O Cruises
Amy Tidball, Head of Planning & Pricing, TUI UK & I
Adam Murray, EMEA CFO, Flight Centre
Rick Jones, Partner, PwC
Discover how consumers are travelling in this exclusive Travel Convention business session. The top findings from ABTA’s respected annual Holiday Habits report will be shared by ABTA’s Director of Communications, Graeme Buck, exploring how people travelled over the past 12 months and what their holiday plans are for the year ahead.
Convention moderator, Jonathan Samuels will then lead a conversation on the findings with an expert panel, who will also share what they’re seeing in their areas.
AI in action: real case studies
Niel Alobaidi, CEO, Newmarket Holidays
In our second AI case study, Niel Alobaidi, CEO of Newmarket Holidays, will talk about the groundwork that has been done to map the company's shape, processes and data in forensic detail, enabling the business to structure that information so AI can genuinely use it for third party integrations, in-house builds and scalable efficiency gains. Niel will share what that groundwork revealed, and why it changed the company's approach to AI implementation. If you are still wondering where to start to build AI into your business, this case study is for you.
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