You are viewing 1 of your 2 free articles
Special Report: The kids are all write - agents’ children have their say
Unsure whether to recommend a hotel to a family? Just ask a group of kids and you’ll get a no-nonsense reply, writes Juliet Dennis
When a group of travel agents’ children were tasked with becoming junior hotel inspectors on a special fam trip, they jumped at the challenge.
The trip went ahead thanks to the decision by Travcorp Holdings – parent of Sovereign Luxury Travel, Citalia and American Holidays – to honour the popular junior hotel inspector initiative, which had faced the axe following the closure of Classic Collection in September.
Seven children and their parents travelled to Gloria Resorts in Turkey, which has recently been reintroduced to Sovereign’s programme.
TravCorp group managing director Andy Freeth said the trip – aimed at giving agents a chance to experience properties through their children’s eyes – was so successful it would be held again next year.
“We were delighted to make this happen,” he added. “Making sure these kids and their parents were not disappointed was at the heart of the decision. What’s so great reading the feedback and reports is that it’s turned out to be an effective way for us to highlight the family experiences available with Sovereign Luxury Travel and our partner hotels.
“So much so, we’ve decided it’s too much of a good thing to run once and we plan to repeat it next year.”
Travel Weekly took a closer look at the report from the junior hotel inspectors.
Who went?
The junior hotel inspectors comprised Mason Martin, Joey Wayne, Chiara Todd, Mabli Hughes, Sophie Marvin, Kalina Petkova and Oscar Johnson. Five of the seven parents were agents from Designer Travel, Pretty Little Holidays, Travel By Claire, PTCs in partnership with Blue Bay Travel and Millington Travel. They were joined by the original Classic Collection escort Maria Petkova and Sovereign group chief marketing officer Erin Johnson and their children.
Where did they go?
Gloria Golf Resort and Gloria Serenity Resort in Antalya, Turkey.
The task?
The inspectors, who ranged in age from nine to 14, completed detailed feedback forms, giving views on everything from their first impressions to anything that blew them away.
The overall verdict?
With average scores of about 9.5 out of 10 across key categories, the resorts received a resounding thumbs up. Every child said they would return with their family, with one noting the holiday was “a definite 10 out of 10”.
What did they actually say?
On Gloria Golf Resort, the junior inspectors said the hotel was not just welcoming but also “posh” and “a place for a proper holiday”. The rooms and bathrooms were deemed clean and comfortable with “amazing showers”, while the pools were described as “massive and so much fun” as well as safe. The inspectors said they could spend the entire day in the kids’ club, thanks to its range of activities.
They were equally impressed by Gloria Serenity Resort, calling it “beautiful” and “really fancy”, with the pools hailed as “epic”.One inspector said the room felt cosy and luxurious at the same time.The hotel gardens were described as “really tidy” and “perfect”, with one noting: “I liked that they care about nature and the environment.”
The wow factor?
The pools and mocktails.
Memorable quotes
“The staff were always smiling and made good milkshakes.”
“Very appetising food – I wanted to try all the cakes.”
“There was lots of free stuff like shaving kit, shower cap and so on.”
“It’s extremely posh and pretty.”
“The kids’ club was fun but the floor is very hard.”
Travel agents’ views
Julia Sweeney, Designer Travel
“I had the opportunity to be reminded about what a long-standing and awesome product Sovereign, Citalia and American Holidays are. I’m looking forward to
seeing what training, product knowledge and opportunities come up for 2026.”
Claire Titcombe, Travel by Claire
“It was the perfect opportunity to see how the children enjoy the facilities of just one of Sovereign’s luxury, ultra-all-inclusive resorts, and from us, it gets a big thumbs up. I’m really excited to be working with them in the future.”
Jacobs Media is a company registered in England and Wales, company number 08713328. 3rd Floor, 52 Grosvenor Gardens, London SW1W 0AU
© 2025 Jacobs Media
