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TTG+ Annual members get 5 free job ads monthly
Access to award-winning news and analysis, daily news straight to your inbox, business building advice and events to help you sell more, smarter, better, fairer travel
It’s the most exclusive list for those looking to build their careers in the travel industry – the TTG 30 Under 30.
More than 120 nominations and entries from across the travel industry came in for this year’s group, which is supported by headline partner Tui, as well as our partner ITT.
Meeting in June this year, our judging panel included Richard Sofer, commercial business development director, Tui and Claire Steiner, director of education, ITT, as well as two former members of the TTG 30 Under 30. The panel was chaired by Daniel Pearce, CEO of TTG Media, and group editor Pippa Jacks.
Pearce said: “With the travel industry continuing to evolve as we emerge from the ravages of the Covid era, it’s the younger people that have the future in their hands. All the judges including our headline partner Tui were thrilled to see so many dynamic entries and nominations this year for the TTG 30 Under 30 from every corner of the industry – it was without doubt the toughest year yet to decide on the final group. I can’t wait to spend more time with this forward-thinking new TTG 30 Under 30.”
All those selected will be invited to networking events to hear from and meet current travel industry leaders, as well as seeing their profile raised in regular features in TTG.
Richard Sofer
Tui commercial and business development director
“It’s wonderful to be welcoming the new generation of TTG’s 30 Under 30. This group of young, self-starters was selected from a lengthy list of nominations and has a diverse range of talents and skillsets, coming from across the travel spectrum. As we emerge from one of the toughest periods our industry has ever seen, we’ll welcome with open arms the fresh enthusiasm, divergent thinking and passion that this year’s 30 Under 30 can bring. I’m really looking forward to networking more with these amazing people and sharing ideas for the future of travel.”
Claire Steiner
ITT director of education
“Once again the TTG 30 Under 30 has attracted some amazing future senior leaders and I am so impressed with the incredible experience and knowledge that they have already achieved so early in their careers. They can only go from strength to strength. What I love most is that this initiative continues to prove that we attract the best and brightest who will help rebuild and reset our industry for a sustainable and stronger future.”
Merchandising manager, easyJet holidays
Tobie joined easyJet holidays as campaign and product manager just before its relaunch in November 2019, in the wake of the Thomas Cook collapse. Having achieved a first-class honours degree in Business Management, Tobie rapidly progressed from a commercial graduate role at Thomas Cook to become a product manager developing hotelier and tourist board partnerships and media contributions. Continuing his work in partnerships and digital media when he joined easyJet holidays, Tobie became merchandising manager of a newly-created digital merchandising team in 2021 midway through the pandemic. He has established the team as a vitally important commercial function, and has been key to delivering record breaking conversion rates up 40% on the previous year, as well as presiding over the biggest ever trading days on the easyJet holidays’ website.
Nominating Tobie, easyJet holidays said: “Being named among TTG’s 30 Under 30 for 2022 will give him a platform to inspire and mentor early talent within easyJet and the wider industry, as well as setting him up with an extremely important and supportive new external network to collaborate, learn and grow with.”
LinkedIn profile
Digital marketing manager, Unique Vacations UK
(UVUK is an affiliate of the exclusive worldwide sales and marketing representative for Sandals and Beaches Resorts)
After gaining a degree in English and a stint as marketing assistant at luxury brand Africa Travel, Jessica joined Unique Vacations UK in January 2017 as digital marketing assistant and was quickly promoted to digital marketing executive just over a year later. After moving up to the digital marketing manager position, she faced the challenges of the pandemic head on and has been instrumental in helping Unique Vacations achieve its projected best ever year of sales in 2022. A skilled marketeer, she launched Sandals Resorts blog in 2019, recently launched Dynamic Travel Ads on social media, and was responsible for one of the brand’s most successful digital campaigns to date.
Nominating her, Natalie Eales from Sandals and Beaches Resorts said: “She would relish the opportunities that come alongside the accolade such as attending networking events with industry heavyweights and benefiting from mentoring. We are confident that Jess’ knowledge and can-do attitude would also benefit her peers in the TTG class of 2022.”
LinkedIn profile
Associate vice president, Finn Partners
Since joining a boutique PR agency after gaining a degree in Media Communications and Drama Studies nearly seven years ago, April has developed to become a best-in-class PR at one of the UK’s biggest travel PR agencies Finn Partners. April’s progression from account executive to account director in five years has been achieved through her ability to spot a story, land coverage and win new clients, as well as her ability to host incredible press trips and client events that media want to attend.
Nominating April, Kylie Bawden from Finn Partners said: “April has bought joy and passion back to travel and although she has seen people leave the industry after all the difficulties of the last couple of years, her commitment is second to none. With this in mind, in her position as TTG’s 30 Under 30, I’m confident that she’ll impart her knowledge and passion to the generation coming through as well as people starting into the industry.”
LinkedIn profile
Cruise commercial manager, Hays Travel
Emma joined Hays’ cruise commercial department straight from university in 2018, having always wanted a career in travel. A quick learner, within three months she was holding trading calls and building relationships and became instrumental to the business’ growth when the company took over Thomas Cook’s shops in September 2019. As the cruise business grew fourfold, Emma built, scaled, adapted, and streamlined administrative systems and protocols. She soon became a team leader, and a year later she was ready to become a manager, taking a vital role in navigating the cruise business through the pandemic period.
Nominating Emma, Catriona Parsons from Hays Travel said: “I think Emma will grasp this opportunity with both hands and throw herself into the experience. She will be keen to learn from her peers and gain new experiences, as well as engaging and contributing to the group. Her innovative and fresh ideas and wonderful people skills mean she will be a real asset to the cohort.”
LinkedIn profile
Head of marketing and communications, TruTravels
Taking the initiative to reach out to TruTravels during the pandemic and offer to do an unpaid internship has led Gemma to climb the career ladder with breathtaking speed. Within two weeks she was running the company’s social media accounts and within six months she proved so valuable that TruTravels brought her into the business full time. Fast forward two years and Gemma is now head of marketing and communications, building an incredible team around her and becoming a role model for any new starter in the business. In her role, she introduced TruTravels to brand partnerships that have so far brought in almost £250,000 of new sales to the business.
Nominating Gemma, Mark Pope from TruTravels said: “For her to be named one of TTG’s 30 Under 30 and have the opportunity to build relationships with other peers across the industry is extremely beneficial. Her drive to self-learn is very special and there’s no doubt she will maximise the chance to expand her network and knowledge to the fullest.”
LinkedIn profile
Commercial lead, Whitbread
At just 26, Scott is already a senior manager at the UK’s largest hospitality business, Whitbread. While completing his degree in International Politics, Scott landed a role at Arriva buses and was promoted twice during his three years at the company. Seeking a new challenge, he moved to Whitbread, where he rapidly rose through the ranks, securing three promotions in just four years to land the commercial lead role, consistently beating competitor benchmark results every single week for the past year. He’s currently responsible for around £300 million revenue per annum at Premier Inn and his remit includes developing the trading strategy for every new Premier Inn site.
Nominating Scott, Louie Davis from Whitbread said: “Scott’s involvement with 30 Under 30 will also align neatly with Premier Inn’s business objectives, as the brand looks to partner with more businesses across the travel trade. Overall, Scott will benefit both personally and professionally. It will satisfy his thirst for knowledge, expand his network and lead to new professional partnerships.”
LinkedIn profile
Business development manager, Jet2holidays
Kathryn found her thirst for a career in travel at Hays Travel North West, striving to hit sales targets and be the top seller in the branch. Her skills were noticed by the sales director who promoted Kathryn to manager in another store. Aspiring to progress her career at a tour operator, she joined Jet2holidays in May 2018, where she was recently made business development manager within the trade sales team. As well as winning company awards for best regional sales support, she was recently responsible for delivering the company’s largest trade marketing campaign to date to over 600 travel agent partners.
Nominating Kathryn, Simon Marshall from Jet2holidays said: “This will inspire her to work in collaboration with other industry leading travel professionals. I know she will thrive in having the exposure to a group of individuals to share best practice and help develop her skills further. Not only this, but it’s a great recognition of her skills and career development so far, and she is still under 30.”
LinkedIn profile
Cabin crew and sustainability researcher, Tui
Bridget is a qualified pilot, engineer and cabin crew member, as well as a sustainability researcher and expert. After graduating in 2019, Bridget joined Tui as cabin crew to gain experience in the travel and aviation sector. Since then, she has completed a masters degree in sustainable engineering at Oxford University with a specialisation in hydrogen fuel as a substitute for kerosene in long-haul commercial aviation, and is now undertaking a PhD on the future of sustainable air travel, all while working full time. Actively engaged with Tui’s sustainability group, she also accepted the role of sustainability lead within the Air League earlier this year and is spearheading a campaign to engage young aviation professionals in finding solutions to the industry’s technical problems.
Bridget’s nominator said: “I think this opportunity will accelerate Bridget’s platform for change. As a young person, with so much potential to change the industry, having an image and a voice with TTG would surely help her to open doors to individuals who could help her become a bigger change maker.”
LinkedIn profile
Business development manager, CV Villas
Chris has always had a passion for travel and joined Travelbag straight from school where he was the highest performing sales apprentice in 2014/2015. He then worked for a small tour operator and later joined SLC Representation as a sales executive, where he was promoted to sales and marketing manager following impressive client feedback and new business wins. During the pandemic, he joined CV Villas as business development manager to strengthen partnerships with the travel trade and work across B2C campaigns. As a member of the Pata Executive Committee, Chris is integral to the company’s expansion across new destinations including Thailand and Bali and has already taken the initiative to spearhead strong relationships with tourist board partners.
Nominating him, Pete Brudenell from CV Villas said: “Chris is wise beyond his years, and such an asset to the business. Even at his young age, I can only see him going from strength to strength, which I sincerely hope is with CV Villas. I can’t imagine there is anyone more deserving of this recognition.”
LinkedIn profile
CEO, Holibob
With a typically entrepreneurial spirit, Craig founded start-up ski tour operator Whiteout Ski when he saw a gap in the market for better quality ski trips for 18-30s, growing the business to revenues of 500k. Looking for opportunities to expand, he later founded Holibob after he realised the B2C space was not providing an easy and curated way for travellers to find experiences. Craig has built a team of 35 skilled and knowledgeable people, and is aiming to grow Holibob to 100-plus staff members in the next 12 months.
Craig says: “I would love to engage, learn from and share more with people from the younger generations of the industry. In the end it is going to be the passion, drive, and understanding of technology from the under-30s that will drive the significant shifts required to move the industry forward in the medium term. I can’t wait to be a part of this conversation.”
holibob.tech
LinkedIn profile
Principal software engineer, Holiday Extras
Harry has risen to become a key tech leader at Holiday Extras since joining the company on a software engineer placement six years ago. Recently promoted to principal engineer, he’s the company’s go-to for all things front-end, providing technical solutions through supplier collapses, Brexit and the pandemic. He’s also a technical spokesperson for external partners able to communicate in-depth technical information in layman’s terms, which has been instrumental to the recent migration of the company’s Short Breaks products to a group booking platform, and a resulting uplift in conversion rates for key partners such as Merlin and Paultons.
Nominating Harry, Cassie Goodwin from Holiday Extras said: “Harry is a key mentor for new and existing members of the team at Holiday Extras and I would love to see him inspire the next generation about the impact they can have in the tech industry and in travel. Being part of TTG’s 30 Under 30 will raise his profile in the industry, allowing him to network with other individuals in travel and opening up many opportunities for collaboration.”
LinkedIn profile
Travel and partnerships manager, Avis Budget Group
Lewis has become integral to developing new business partnerships since joining Avis Budget Group in 2014 on a one-year university placement from Manchester Metropolitan University. He excelled in his role as travel and partnerships co-ordinator, and was immediately offered the role of leisure and partnerships executive upon graduation in 2016. Within just 18 months Lewis was promoted to travel and partnerships manager, including the central management of a number of strategic airline loyalty partnerships. He also runs partnership training programmes for call centre agents and has simultaneously carved a niche as the company’s digital superstar, developing dynamic assets so that account managers can easily implement campaigns, as well as training the team on how to use digital tracking codes and Adobe analytics.
Nominating Lewis, Sophie Nelson from Avis Budget Group said: “As Lewis moves up the career ladder, being recognised in the TTG 30 Under 30 cohort is an endorsement of his many attributes and will remain on his CV forever. Lewis will seize all opportunities that come with the programme and want to network with other award winners – contacts made for life and probably the future travel industry leaders.”
LinkedIn profile
Senior travel consultant, Audley Travel
Bex got the travel bug after a holiday to Bali at the age of 10, so when considering how she could incorporate her passion for planning into a people-focused career, working in the travel industry was the obvious answer. “Here was a role which would allow me to travel, to plan, to work with people, and to give those people incredible memories and stories to tell. In my opinion, there’s no greater gift,” says Bex. Since joining Audley Travel three-and-a-half years ago, she has consistently exceeded targets to hit promotions and, last year, was one of a handful of country specialists selected for the company’s first leadership development course, offering the equivalent of a diploma.
She says: “For me, growth is all about relationships and learning, and being named one of TTG’s 30 Under 30 would offer that opportunity. Meeting others from different companies would help open my mind and creativity in the role, and I believe I could offer the same to others.”
LinkedIn profile
Senior marketing executive EMEA, Intrepid Travel
After graduating from university, Leslie showed his flair for travel marketing spending three months travelling to the world’s statistically happiest countries creating content for Golin, before founding a video production agency. In 2019, he joined Intrepid Travel in a B2B marketing executive role, and since then he’s led the company’s industry marketing, becoming a role model within Intrepid’s EMEA sales and marketing team, championing sustainability, diversity and inclusion, as well as employee wellbeing. Most recently he’s taken the lead on the company’s Sustainability Heroes partnership with TTG and been promoted to senior marketing executive to take on more consumer-led marketing, alongside trade.
Nominating Leslie, Morwenna Francis from Intrepid said: “TTG’s 30 Under 30 programme will be an amazing opportunity for him to network with people in the industry outside of Intrepid and to feel supported by them as he grows as a leader in diversity, wellbeing and sustainability. He has the power to create a real movement for change amongst the cohort.”
LinkedIn profile
Project director, Oasis Travel (NI)
Scott started with Oasis Travel in 2017 while studying for a business management degree, keen to play his part in the evolution of the company founded by his mother 38 years ago. His positive impact has been seen across key business operations from the organisation of events and client communications to the implementation of a new computer system to enhance financial reporting and developing a Virtual Reality cruising product to enhance sales. Earning himself a place in Oasis Travel’s leadership team, Scott also stepped in to lead the company’s Covid Helpline Department during the pandemic, and has since launched powerful social media campaigns to inspire people to travel again.
Nominating Scott, Sandra Corkin from Oasis Travel said: “Scott will benefit from building a network of emerging industry talent and benchmarking his own progress against others as part of TTG’s 30 Under 30 cohort, giving him a wider perspective of the UK trade. Scott is keen to engage in collaborative projects, which will help to shape the future of the industry, both sharing ideas and acquiring new learnings to enhance performance.”
LinkedIn profile
Airports and tourism organisations senior executive, Jet2.com and Jet2holidays
Setting his sights on a senior-level career in travel, Matthew studied travel and tourism management at the University of Wales, graduating with first class honours in 2017 before going on to achieve a Masters in Business Administration in 2018. He joined jet2 as an executive the following year, and has since been promoted to senior executive after showing great tenacity to support different areas of the business during the pandemic.
Nominating Matthew, Janice Mather from Jet2 said: “As part of TTG 30 Under 30, Matthew will personally benefit from expanding his knowledge of the travel industry and learning and developing from opportunities for networking and professional development as well as career progression.”
LinkedIn profile
B2B communications manager, British Airways
Joining British Airways’ head office as an apprentice in 2015, Benedict seized the opportunity to work in various departments across the business, building up a strong network. Obtaining a level 3 NVQ in Business and Administration alongside a diploma in travel and tourism, he has quickly moved up into several head office and operational roles. He now manages the overall B2B communications strategy, having mastered the role at the height of the pandemic, and is proud to be one of the Global Brand Ambassadors for BA – representing the airline at events around the world.
Nominating him, Kiran Rai from BA said: “Ben deserves to be recognised as one of TTG’s 30 Under 30. Not only is he a role model for those looking to join the industry, he is a breath of fresh air and an inspiration to all of us. He will take the opportunity to share his knowledge and experience with others, continuing to build up a network of contacts from across the industry and enhance his development.”
LinkedIn profile
Co-founder and head of partnerships, The Black Explorer
Relocating from Nigeria to the UK at the tender age of 10 instilled Pelumi with a love for travel from a young age, and when her PhD in cancer research was interrupted by the pandemic, she saw it as an opportunity to pivot to her other passion, amplifying black travel by co-founding The Black Explorer. In a short time, she has grown the media platform exponentially and launched the Black Explorer magazine. Through her travels to more than 70 countries, Pelumi aims to inspire other solo women travellers to explore the world and have culturally immersive experiences.
She says: “By being named one of TTG’s 30 Under 30, I hope to get global exposure and recognition for the work accomplished through The Black Explorer, and to meet more true allies and like-minded individuals ready to get onboard to help propel this vision forward. It provides an amazing ability to network and I believe it will lead to better conversations which will further the growth of the black traveller community.”
Instagram
Managing director, Travel By Hannah
At the age of 12, Hannah was already researching and booking her family’s travel online and couldn’t wait to jet off to explore Australia after passing her A levels. Back in the UK she found herself working at Thomas Cook where her natural passion for travel led her to become a top seller. Moving to Robins World Travel in 2017, she learned an immense amount working her way up to a managerial position, and took the decision to open her own business, Travel By Hannah, in December 2020. Hannah has since built a team around her, hitting more than £1 million in sales in her first year, leading to Travel By Hannah being named Top South West Agency at the TTG Awards 2022.
Hannah says: “To be recognised in the 30 Under 30 for 2022 is a huge reward for my personal commitment to my business. I know this will bring huge networking and growth opportunities for me and my business, and I will use this recognition to also inspire the next generation of travel professionals.”
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travelbyhannah.co.uk
Managing director, LoveitBookit
Daniel’s drive to run his own travel business led to him leaving university to start LoveitBookit. It is currently one of the fastest-growing cruise agencies in the UK, developing from a one-man band into a thriving company with an expanding team. Thanks to Daniel’s innovative approach, LoveitBookit has its own teleshopping programme, Cruise TV, which airs on national channels including Really, National Geographic, 5 Action and CBS Drama and has become the leading cruise sales show in the UK.
Daniel says: “Being named one of TTG’s 30 Under 30 is recognition of what my business has achieved and the incredible growth it has experienced as we challenge and innovate within the cruise sector. As the leader of the company, it will help me to connect with other innovators who lead this industry forward.”
LinkedIn profile
Trade marketing manager, Royal Caribbean
Megan’s degree in marketing and Spanish in 2018 made her a natural fit for a marketing co-ordinator role at Travel2 where she was responsible for email and social B2B marketing. Seeking greater scope for growth, she joined Royal Caribbean in March 2020 as trade marketing executive, relocating her life from Scotland to Surrey just as the pandemic hit. Despite the challenges, Megan has transformed Royal Caribbean’s trade database, comms templates and social strategy during just two years at the company and was promoted to trade marketing manager in November 2021. Keen to continue her professional development, she recently completed a nine-month Woman in Leadership Course and is also an active member of Royal Caribbean’s Young Professionals Group.
Nominating Megan, Nicki Lewis from Royal Caribbean said: “The 30 Under 30 will enable Megan to work alongside like-minded peers, share her skills while also gaining experience from other travel professionals. Megan has a bright and sunny personality that is very engaging and she will be a fabulous representative of the programme.”
LinkedIn profile
UK training and quality manager, Scenic Group
Abigail’s diploma in travel and tourism took her straight into a graduate role at Travelbag where she progressed quickly to become the youngest assistant manager in the company. Since then, she has held roles as business support executive at Global Travel Group, travel consultant and marketing manager at Delmar World before being promoted to assistant travel manager, looking after the day-to-day running of the agency including sales, marketing and finance. A move back to Manchester led her to land a role as trade support at Scenic and Emerald Cruises, where she has moved up to the position of UK training and quality assurance manager in under a year.
She says: “I believe I’m at the stage of my career where I can inspire and share ideas with like-minded individuals in our industry as well as learn from their experiences to help our industry grow even stronger than before. I actively pursue professional development, and being a part in TTG’s 30 Under 30 will certainly give me the opportunity to reach my goals.”
LinkedIn profile
Business development executive, Cara Hotel Marketing
Following her passion for travel, Natasha accepted a job at Co-op travel at just 17, throwing herself into the industry head first and learning everything she could before moving to Blue Bay Travel and developing her knowledge in the company’s call centre. She quickly rose into a management role at Polka Dot Travel in 2016, and after four years she applied for a business development manager (BDM) role at Palladium Hotel Group, beating out tough competition to land her dream role aged 26. Rejoining Blue Bay as BDM during the pandemic, she launched its latest trade division, and has recently been successful in a new role working as business development executive for Cara Hotel Marketing, representing AMR Collection.
She says: “I’ll maximise the opportunity of being named one of TTG Top 30 Under 30 to show the younger generation starting in our industry, that if you put the effort in, you really can go far. I promised myself at the age of 17 I would work in business development and I can proudly and whole-heartedly say I have achieved this at the age of 29.”
LinkedIn profile
Digital marketing manager, TUI
Ella followed her love for holidays into a digital marketing role at TUI after she left university and is approaching her fourth anniversary at the company. A key part of the team during the business’ greatest digital transformation, she has progressed from daily management of the display channel to in-housing the affiliate agency and programme as a senior executive and most recently establishing a new channel with Meta and becoming the digital lead for products such as hotels and flights.
“Having had first-hand experience of this amazing programme, I know Ella will benefit from this new network and will share her own experiences for the benefit of the group. Ella has a bright future and I think this experience will help her on that journey by meeting peers across the industry and learning from inspiring leaders,” says TUI UK’s director of digital marketing, Bart Quinton-Smith.
LinkedIn profile
Finance manager, Crystal Ski, Lakes and Mountains and TUI Ireland
Amy kickstarted her career at TUI by joining the company’s three-year Finance Graduate Scheme in 2015 and rotating through various analyst roles, supporting the contact centres as part of the distributions team, helping with airport contract negotiations and pricing in the airlines team, and taking responsibility for the accounting for Marella Cruises. After excelling in a role reporting on the end-to-end financial performance of Crystal Ski and the TUI Ireland, including worked closely with the Crystal Ski leadership team to manage the financial impact of Covid, she was promoted to finance manager, becoming one of the youngest managers at TUI.
Nominating Amy, Lucy Lynam from TUI said: “Amy always gives 100% and sees ideas that others perhaps wouldn’t. As part of the 30 Under 30 cohort we are confident she will utilise the opportunity to the maximum and her infectious enthusiasm will also have a positive impact on the other 29 successful applicants.”
Linkedin profile
Marketing manager, Charitable Travel
Ally has always loved to travel, and her ethos is: “if it makes you happy, do it” so a career in travel came naturally to her. She started selling travel at Thomas Cook retail as an assistant manager in 2015, before holding roles in the product and marketing teams at Funway Holidays and B2C operator Vivid Travel. A successful stint as marketing manager at TravMedia UK saw her overseeing all marketing communications and events including IMM 2020 and the inaugural TravMedia Awards just before the onset of the pandemic. In early 2021 she decided to join newly-formed business, Charitable Travel, as group marketing manager, with a mission to enable travel and tourism as a force for good.
She says: “I believe this accolade will assist me in my mission to champion sustainable travel, both within the industry and in the public perception of the travel industry. The networking opportunities are unrivalled, and this will open doors to conversations around the subject, allowing me to learn from and brainstorm with other leading sustainable thinkers, ensuring that my generation of travel leaders are always working with sustainability in mind.”
LinkedIn profile
Senior product manager, Black Tomato
Jessica’s love of travel was inspired from early childhood living in Singapore. After university she moved to Thailand where she worked at luxury hotel The Sarojin in Khao Lak as a management trainee, learning the ropes of various hotel departments. Returning to the UK in 2017, she began an internship at Black Tomato, initially in marketing, then eventually product. Five-plus years later, still at Black Tomato as senior product manager, Jessica has spearheaded innovative development initiatives and key product launches such as Tasting Notes, Take me on a Story and Field Trip, strengthened relationships with brand partners and represented Black Tomato at many industry events.
Nominating Jessica, Emma de Vadder from Black Tomato said: “Being recognised as ‘one to watch’ within the travel industry is an honour and an incredible opportunity to help Jessica further forge her future within the sector. By becoming a member of the TTG 30 Under 30 alumni, Jessica would embrace the chance to further build her network with like-minded peers and travel leaders alike.”
LinkedIn profile
Platinum travel executive – Harrods concierge, Abercrombie & Kent
Harry went to work for Abercrombie & Kent after graduating from Oxford Brookes University in 2016, realising a long-term ambition to join the travel industry. He’s been promoted three times, won the best customer service award in 2019, achieved top salesperson in both 2019 and 2021, and was the fastest ever salesperson in the business to achieve over £1million in travel sales. He is currently on course for a record year of sales at Abercrombie & Kent, having already achieved £1million in sales in the first quarter of 2022. In his role, Harry has been instrumental in growing the business in international source markets such as the Middle East and has built a loyal client base of over 100 clients from UK, Europe, Middle East, and Asia.
Nominating Harry, James Coughlan from Abercrombie & Kent said: “Having the ability to network and understand other sectors that contribute massively to our industry will enrich and bring enormous value to his day-to-day role. Harry’s infectious personality, nature and his ability to work effectively in a team will also bring a huge amount of value to the programme and he will be a first-class ambassador for future applicants.”
LinkedIn profile
Product and promotions manager, Blue Bay Travel
Charlotte started working at Blue Bay Travel straight after sixth form when she was looking for an alternative path to university where she could pursue her passion for writing and travel. A taster day at Blue Bay turned into two years, and in 2018 she became promotions co-ordinator, responsible for driving campaign performance across third parties such as Secret Escapes and Travelzoo. After impressing as a one-woman band implementing positive pricing strategies across directly contracted product, she was promoted to promotions team leader in 2020, kickstarting her journey into management. Today, she oversees a team of 10 as product and promotions manager, becoming the youngest person in Blue Bay history to head a team of that size.
She says: “Being named one of TTG’s 30 Under 30 provides me with the platform to inspire and be inspired by like-minded industry professionals. It would be incredible to meet with other individuals from the sector who share the same passion. Having the chance to learn from their experiences could lead to further development opportunities in the future, potentially broadening both Blue Bay’s and my own horizons.”
LinkedIn profile
Product manager – Greece, Cyprus, Italy & Croatia, TUI Group
Mollie has rapidly risen through the ranks at TUI to become a product manager since initially joining the company’s Student Placement Programme in 2016. After graduating, she secured a role within the product department, earning a promotion to product manager within a year. She has been responsible for multiple destinations, championing and leading the growth and development of different product, and bringing her accounting skills to the fore to regularly presented key financial business cases to directors. One of TUI’s 30 Rising Stars, she was also chosen for TUI’s new HOW2 Leadership programme this year.
Nominating Mollie, Andrew Dudley from TUI said: “Mollie will use this opportunity to further develop her knowledge and network of stakeholders. She will gather new ideas and experiences from like-minded young professionals, as well as learn from leaders in the travel sector as to how to develop and build a career in an exciting, vibrant industry.”
LinkedIn profile