MTA: With their agents through thick and thin

MTA – Mobile Travel Agents (MTA) strives to make sure its clients feel looked after, they are passionate about travel and always approachable and ready when needed. But in the times when it’s not the client who needs the support, but the advisors themselves, MTA can be the shoulder the advisor needs to lean on.
No one knows this better than MTA Platinum member – Shayne Earley and her trusted colleague Jodie Simms, otherwise known as the dynamic duo.

The MTA Berry Dynamic Duo. (Supplied)
Shayne has an impressive and varied career in the travel industry, having worked across wholesale, hotels, airline reservations, and management roles, before ending up in retail travel in 2010. It was in working in an agency environment that Shayne really found her passion and was accepted into MTA in 2014 where she was able to put her extensive industry experience together and run her own mobile travel agency. In 2019, Shayne also had the opportunity to take over an existing agency and open the first MTA branded shop front agency in Berry, NSW.
Assisting Shayne in her MTA journey is Jodie Simms, who began her career at Jetset Training College before working in both wholesale and retail travel, then working part-time in retail travel before joining Shayne in her MTA business. Jodie is also known locally for her positive attitude and her determination to face challenging situations head on.
Three years ago Jodie’s father passed away from cancer, spurring her onto being part of the ‘Stars of Nowra’s Dancing With The Stars’, raising money for the NSW Cancer Council.

Jodie Simms at ‘Stars of Nowra’s Dancing With The Stars’, (Supplied)
Not long after Jodie signed up for the fundraiser, where she managed to raise over $57,000, her employer Shayne was diagnosed with cancer herself and is currently facing a nine-month treatment at one of the clinics that will directly benefit from Jodie’s fundraising.
Asked on the support from MTA in relation to personal stages in her life, Earley said, “MTA has always supported me from the minute I joined but just before COVID I took over a brick-and-mortar business of their forward sales as they were retiring and then COVID hit.”
Not only did MTA support her through the dark days of COVID, but when an even tougher battle reared its head, MTA was again there to help in any way they can.
“I was diagnosed with stage 4 Ovarian Cancer which was a massive shock and MTA has made the process of getting well again much easier by helping with my workload and taking the stress off me while I have days I need to recover. “
“To be able to still make a good income and keep my business going while going through cancer treatment is amazing.”
“With the great relationships we have with our supply partners we were able to raffle off a 5 night all-inclusive stay at Club Med thanks to the wonderful team at Club Med and this raised $16K of the $57K that was the total. Plus our MTA members donated to help us reach that amazing goal. It was a team effort for sure.”
“To be part of MTA is to be part of a family. Head office treats you like family and the other MTA members become friends. There is not a sense of competition between MTA members but a sense of family which makes working with them truly a great experience.”
“MTA supports the fact that this is your business and your life and work-life balance is supported by MTA by being flexible so you can run your business your way,” Simms, said.
“They also support me when I am on holiday and now that Shayne is ill they are helping me with the extra workload. They are so family-focused and very supportive both personally and with your business.”
Simms said the biggest lure to working with Shayne through MTA was, “flexibility to be able to work in travel around my other commitments, and the support MTA provide and also their great product offerings to enable me to individualise each client’s holiday.”
“Being both in store and mobile is a great combination as we can still see clients in their home or after hours or in the office,” Earley, said.
“It also gives us the flexibility to open and close when we want as most people know we are also mobile and make an appointment to see us. Having the store does make you a bigger part of the community as people pop in for a chat or a coffee, just to ask a few questions or to say hi and how great their last holiday was.”
MTA is the biggest mobile travel network in Australia with over 450 highly experienced travel advisors nationally who specialise in offering customised travel planning to thousands each year.
Agents who join MTA get big agency power and connections and maintain the ability to provide personalised service for their clients, as well as marketing support, training and back office support. MTA are also members of the by-invite only Virtuoso, the world’s largest luxury travel network.
Email the Travel Weekly team at traveldesk@travelweekly.com.au
Jodie Simms mobile travel agents mta Shayne EarleyLatest News

Klook hosts inaugural Partner Awards with Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison as special guest
Travel activities and experiences booking platform, Klook, held its inaugural Klook Partner Awards event in Sydney last night honouring its top-performing and best-loved merchant partners. Tourism Australia’s Pip Harrison, who was invited to the event as the guest of honour, spoke about the importance of experiences. “I think that experiences are absolutely everything,” she said. […]

APT Travel Group launches early release of 2026 Canada and Alaska Holidays
For anyone with clients craving an icy getaway, APT is serving up some steals right now.

Film, photography and so much more to explore this year in Berlin
Often known for its grungy aesthetics, or perhaps a currywurst stall, there's so much more on offer this year in Berlin.

TravelManagers welcomes two new directors to HOTA Board
We wish Narendra and Judith the best of luck in trying to remember the rest of the Boards' names.

Tauck celebrates 100 years of hosting travellers around the globe
Tauck would only ever celebrate its 100th birthday in pure style - and Italy is just that!

Travelglobe unveils exclusive food tour with MasterChef’s Kirsten Tibballs
Fancy brushing up on your skills making delicious chocolate and pastry-based treats? Meet us on this tour!

Fiji Airways to bring South Australians closer to paradise with third weekly flight from Adelaide in April
South Australians might say they're already in Paradise, but how can they be sure without checking Fiji out?

Bookings for Vanuatu surge with Aussies ready to support earthquake-struck tourism hotspot
In times like those Vanuatu is surfacing from, the tourism dollar goes a long way and Aussies aren't holding back.

Bullo River Station shares its first ever sustainability report
If you would like to be inspired to be a little more green, then check out what Bullo River Station is up to.

‘Fortune favours the bold’: luxury brand leader Anna Burgdorf departs Flight Centre after 6 years
Time for a pop quiz - who first came up with above quote? Was it A) Virgil B) Shakespeare or C) Aristotle?

Cruise Guru unveils Channel Nine show featuring Ponant, Viking, NCL and more
A little offended that we weren't invited on as the 'Cruise Guru' ourselves, but we'll be tuning in regardless.

Explore Worldwide gives agents a chance to win an exclusive Sri Lanka famil
It's like finding a ticket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory! And the prize is even better than unlimited sweets.

Heathrow Airport to upgrade operations as part of multi-billion-pound cash injection
We're usually a bit scared of injections, however a 'cash injection' is one we would welcome with both arms (literally).

Club Med announces Manveer Ramdhian as new MICE manager in Pacific
Rest-assured, being a MICE manager has nothing to do with our furry little friends.

Sydney Airport welcomes daily flights from Hong Kong Airlines
To top it all off, it looks like the representatives scored a cracker of a day for the celebratory photo!

Collette’s Karen Deveson on what Aussies really want from luxury
For Aussies, we're a little bit more laid back when it comes to luxury. No gold-plated cars for us, thanks!

Intrepid Travel partners with Helloworld Travel for exclusive food tour with Luke Nguyen
Vietnamese is one of our favourite cuisines, so we're headed to the Bánh mì shop for lunch in celebration.

Quark Expeditions opens its Antarctic 2026/27 season
You'd have to be Quarking mad to not have a trip like this on your bucket list.

Federal government to purchase REX Airlines if no buyers arise, Albanese says
News that is sure to ruffle some feathers in the offices of competing airlines this morning, but we're all for it!

Topdeck discounts select 2025-26 trips with up to $1,000 off
Knowing my Gen Z sister, that $1,000 saved would be headed straight to the shopping fund.

Windstar Cruises unveils ‘Basil + Bamboo’ on Star Seeker yacht
Don't worry, we're talking about a restaurant here, not the materials used to build the stunning yacht.

Captain Cook Cruises celebrates 55 years of excellence on the water in the habour city
With a view like Sydney Harbour as your office this would be a hard job to leave.

TravelManagers’ Michael Gazal: ‘Agents are spending a lot of time on bespoke trips’
If you haven't already thrown out your cookie cutter mentality, please do so now.

JP Morgan Chase grows travel offering with tech partnership
Our inner bohemian spirit strongly objects to buying travel from an investment bank. #sorrynotsorry

Helloworld celebrates Valentines Day with Air Ticket sale
Nothing gets travel agents' hearts fluttering more than discounted air fares. It is a love language.

Agents return from Sno’n’Ski Whistler and Vancouver famil
If you want to be really jealous this lunchtime, check out what these four agents got up to in Vancouver.

2025 Taipei Lantern Festival lights up Ximending
We hope our boss currently on the ground is as impressed with the snake lantern in person as we are behind the screen.

Numbers reveal how hard it REALLY is to become ATIA accredited
If you have ever failed to be accredited by ATIA then this article will make you feel better. Dust off that form!

Travel agent STILL waiting on $15k Bamboo Airways refund 16 MONTHS after carrier left Australia
This has motivated us to stop complaining about the time we got one less chicken nugget than expected.

AIME 2025 is underway!
If you're headed down to AIME we hope you brought your networking shoes because it's going to be big!

dnata spends $17m on inflight catering centre at Western Sydney Airport
Airline food has come a long was from the days you would be given a dry roll and a long strip of cheese. Time for lunch?

AYANA Bali invites guests to experience the Sacred Day of Silence
When our Balinese taxi driver informed us that it was 'time to be silent', we just assumed we were talking too much.

Brand USA launches inaugural ‘Ambassador Panel’ for ANZ agents
Interested agents need to send in a video of them singing 'Born in the USA'. Okay we made that up...

Experience Co. calls on marketing expertise of Unique Tourism Collection for Wild Bush Luxury
You no longer need to choose between experiencing bush or experiencing luxury. You can do both!

Deserts, dates and doors: Inside the secret Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
For a trip that talks the talk, we can assure you, it certainly walks the walk!

Paw-Patrol returns to Reflections Bermagui as groups boasts $3.5m economic boost
Be careful where you leave your lunch around this holiday park, there will be plenty of noses paying attention.