Travel DAZE 2025 has wrapped at Cairns Convention Centre, with guest speakers including everyone from a head of state to the heads of the travel industry.
While the Head of Travel, Food & Health, with News Corp Australia, Kerrie McCallum opened this enlightening conference, held over two days, the first deep dive was by David Hovenden CEO of The Misfits Media, publisher of Travel Weekly, who was able to interview his new bestie, Surangel S. Whipps, Jr. President of the Republic of Palau. There was even a trip for two to Palau to be won for best social media post during this Pristine Paradise Palau session.
If this North Pacific group of remote, magnificent tropical islands is not on you bucket list, better put it on now before Qantas and DFAT pulls the pin on flight support out of Brisbane this November.
ATIA’s CEO Dean Long and joint-CEO of Bunnik Tours and CATO chairman Dennis Bunnik were on message with Titans of the Industry, delivering messages on the hot-button topics of SmartTraveller, DFAT and many trips to Canberra to lobby on behalf of their members.
Simon Westaway, CEO of Australian Airports Association managed to guide airline reps, Kelly Clive (Delta Air Lines), Tim Wallis (United Airlines) and Krystle P. Ramirez-Gastrock (Philippine Airlines) to a safe landing on the subject of Fly into the Future.
That was followed by Travel Weekly general manager and publisher, Hoda Alzubaidi hosting international guests in our session How to build a Luxury Brand. A panel made up of New York brand guru Ana Andjelic and Atlantis Dubai’s Hanan Eissa, alongside Tauck Australia’s David Clark, looked into what is legitimate luxury, not just a throwaway marketing term.
What made us contemplate travel even more was Suzanne Milthorpe from World Animal Protection on the subject of Holidays that harm: How to get wildlife tourism right. As demand increases for sustainable travel, travel industry impacts are being increasingly scrutinised. Milthorpe spoke of how the travel industry can have a positive impact on how we treat wildlife, and animals in general, when it comes to travel.
That was just Day 1!
Day 2 brought with it a change of pace. Dan Krigstein, from News Australia’s The Growth Intelligence Centre and The Growth Distillery, brought a different energy to the room. In his discussion Technographics: The most valuable view of your travel customers… that’s hiding in plain sight he educated the audience on changing our relationship with technology, which we currently consider with equal amounts of fear and excitement.
Lucio Ribeiro brought the human touch to that, dropping many f-bombs on his own journey through tech and how AI innovation can be harnessed at all levels to interpret future demands in The Obligatory AI session (that is not to be missed).
In Reinventing a brand for the next generation: Time and time again the dynamic duo of Maria Parisi from The Travel Corporation’s Tour brands and Contiki’s Jayesh Kesry disproved MC Chris Taylor’s comparison of the Contiki brand as the K-Mart of travel, as it emerges from a massive makeover and re-engages with a key travel demographic.
Next up were the much-respected industry icons Lisa Pile from Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Intrepid Travel’s Yvette Thompson who broke down the preconceptions about a job in travel. In So, you want to work in travel? they analyses the myriad options for those wanting a “lifestyle career” in one of the most dynamic industries around.
Pinterest’s Vanessa Jones literally put a lot of colour into her presentation on how digital platforms are at the heart of the new travel journey, and how social media can offer unique opportunities to engage travellers and influence their decision-making.
Last but by no means least was Sailing the winds of change, which returned to the grassroots of the industry. The travel agent with Flight Centre Group’s Megan Henderson, who stepped up late in the piece, and Magellan Travel’s Iain Summers – who also won a golden ticket to next year’s event – offered up some insights into how they are managing all of the above, from AI to training to destinations.
But we admit we did run out of time for Henderson’s fave topic of personalisation. Next year Megs, we promise.
Travel Weekly would like to thank all the speakers, sponsors, AV team, and our own Misfits Media team of brilliant organisers for another successful Travel DAZE.
