TravelManagers adds Australian of the Year to 2023 conference line-up

TravelManagers adds Australian of the Year to 2023 conference line-up
By James Harrison


TravelManagers’ 2023 National Conference is to take place between 31 August and 2 September: the company’s first offshore event since the pandemic and its first ever to be held in Aotearoa New Zealand.

The choice of Ōtautahi Christchurch as this year’s location is a nod to TravelManagers’ parent company, House of Travel, which was founded there in 1987. The conference venue – the Te Pae Convention Centre – was constructed as part of Christchurch’s post-earthquake rebuild.

The notion of resilience is highly relevant to this year’s conference theme: ‘Future Fit;’ this dovetails with TravelManagers’ ongoing commitment to innovation and adaptation. According to executive general manager, Michael Gazal, ‘future fitness’ entails constantly fine-tuning the way in which business is conducted: streamlining processes and adopting new technologies is necessary to facilitate such adjustments.

“It also requires ongoing learning and skill development, partnering with the right people, mitigating future risks, and anticipating business and consumer needs,” Gazal said.

These concepts will be explored in depth over the course of the three-day event, beginning with an opening address from renowned futurist, Gihan Perera.

Gihan Perera (Supplied by TravelManagers)

“Gihan is already well-known to many of our PTMs as an engaging and inspiring speaker with an intimate understanding of the value of a PTM,” Gazal noted.

“As well as delivering the opening address, he will conduct a workshop entitled, ‘The New Rules for High Performance – Channelling Chaos for Staying Ahead,’ designed to teach PTMs how to prepare for the future by leveraging the latest tools, building better habits, and creating lasting change in their everyday work.”

A second workshop, ‘Optimising Mental Fitness’, will be facilitated by Paul Taylor from the Mind Body Brain Institute. His expertise as a neuroscientist, exercise physiologist, nutritionist and former British Royal Navy Aircrew Officer has enabled him to develop a range of resilience strategies which can be used daily to feel, perform and sleep better.

Paul Taylor (Supplied by TravelManagers)

This assemblage of speakers is rounded out by 2023 Australian of the Year, Taryn Brumfitt, whose mission to help both adults and children to have better relationships with their bodies has seen her address some of the world’s most iconic brands. Her closing address, built around Brumfitt’s belief that resilience, tenacity and polite persistence trumps luck every time, is certain to provide a rousing conclusion to the conference.

Featured Image: Taryn Brumfitt (supplied by TravelManagers)

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