The Global Travel Group has held its first ever Global Network of Women (GNOW) event for more than 30 agents in Chester.
The brainchild of Global’s commercial director Cherie Richards, the event was designed to give members a regional platform to discuss issues and challenges in the industry and “champion the role of women in travel”.
Richards, herself a member of the Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE), says the sessions are open to men but are predominantly aimed at women.
She told Travel Weekly: “All the events that become available seem to be London-based. I found it difficult to justify travelling to London for a drinks evening, even though I often thought the events were worthwhile. I see great value in networking events and thought I could start one of my own.
“There are some amazing women in my network of agents in an industry that we are all very passionate about and I wanted to give them an opportunity to share their stories and learn from each other.”
Future GNOW events are planned for new venues around the country following the first event on October 3.
Sessions designed to be “short and snappy” included a panel of agents discussing how they motivate themselves and drive business to their brand. The panellists were Jo Richards of Tivolli Travel), Issy Wiggins Turner of Go Easy Travel and Jenette Spirovski of Travel Options 4 U.
It also included a session on how GDPR will affect data protection for small businesses and speed networking with a twist – that there were no props or tables allowed.
“I wanted people to go away having learned something and feeling inspired,” said Richards, who promised to listen to feedback from the first event when planning future sessions.
The event has also helped earn The Global Travel Group a nomination for the Best Initiative to Retain and Develop Women category at the 2017 Shine Awards, which celebrate the roles of women in the hospitality, leisure, travel and tourism industry.