The sellout Council of Australian Tour Operators (CATO) Summit concluded yesterday, leaving members with fresh ideas on key issues to the sector.
In the opening remarks, CATO MD Brett Jardine highlighted the purpose of the event to inspire action and help organisations propel their businesses forwards.
The sessions began with a legal talk on ‘Business Structures and Risk Management’. Presented by Frontera Law founder and CATO Board member Aaron Zoanetti, who recently participated in Travel Weekly‘s first Hot Topic agent event ‘Riding the Economic Rollercoaster’, the session looked at how businesses can mitigate risk. Zoanetti explained how companies could optimise their business structure, and what practices can be put in place to mitigate their risk.
Zoanetti also led the session on ‘Mergers, Acquisitions & Succession Planning’, his ‘bread and butter’. In this presentation, Zoanetti discussed exit strategies and the importance of realising your value on your exit.
In ‘Foreign Exchange & Financial Strategies’, Marc Lim, head of Dealing APAC Markets at XE – a Canada-based online foreign exchange tools and services company – engaged the members with a pop quiz on the state of the Aussie dollar, before looking further at ways of mitigating risk and strengthening financial planning.
We also heard from Nik Devidas, Group CEO of Axelo, who examined ideas around automation and advised what people could do to streamline and scale their organisations.
Representatives from Gow Gates Insurance answered the audience’s many questions around the differences between public and tour operator liability, and why both are essential. Using real world examples, the speakers explained the importance of both, and helped members understand their insurance responsibilities and protection.
Anthony Capano, Intuit Mailchimp Regional director APAC, spoke to the attendees about how to build loyalty within marketing. Key takeaways included scalable strategies to drive retention and loyalty, such as timing, the use of targeted marketing, personalisation and omnichannel interactivity.
The Summit concluded with a panel session hosted by Ingrid Berthelsen, co-founder ETC. She dived into the consumer shift and evolution in touring with Ben Hall, CEO AAT Kings, Quentin Long, founder and publisher International Traveller Magazine, and Lisa Pagotto, founder and CEO Crooked Compass.
After the Summit CATO’s Annual General Meeting took place, followed by a sold-out members-only dinner and CATO’s inaugural Hall of Fame ceremony. The ceremony celebrated the induction of Peter Baily, CATO Founder, long-serving General Manager and Life Member, and Darrell Wade, Intrepid chair & co-founder, into the CATO Hall of Fame.
“The CATO Hall of Fame was established to honour the giants of our sector- those who not only built and shaped it, but did so with vision, values and purpose. It’s incredibly fitting that in this inaugural year, we recognise both the legacy of Peter Baily and the ongoing influence of Darrell Wade,” said CATO Managing Director Brett Jardine.
