Hays Travel reveals ‘all about the mix’ theme for annual conferences

Hays Travel has revealed “It’s all about the mix” as the theme for its overseas conferences next month at the Aldemar Olympian Village in Greece.

 

On November 10, retail managers from Hays Travel, Miles Morgan Travel, TravelHouse, and Spear Travels branches will fly out from Birmingham, Gatwick, Manchester and Newcastle airports.

 

They will be joined by head office colleagues, headline sponsors and supplier partners on chartered easyJet flights heading to Kalamata.

 

Owner and chair Dame Irene Hays said: “Our ‘It’s all about the mix’ theme has emerged in response to how our group has developed, and the mix of product, skills, and digital tools we have brought into the business over the past 12 months.

 

“At the heart is our strategy to help our people reach their potential and achieve a balanced mix of short haul, long-haul, and cruise bookings for our customers.”

 

After the retail conference, members of Hays Travel Independence Group, Personal Travel Consultants, and Explorer franchisees will head to the Aldemar Olympian Village for their annual overseas conferences (November 14-17), so that the whole group receive business updates and sector insights in time for January peaks.

 

“Conference is a vital part of our year and incredibly important for engaging with all our branch managers, key support colleagues and supplier partners in one place,” said Dame Irene.

 

“It’s an opportunity to share news, as well as to thank them for everything they do to care for our customers.”

 

Jonathon Woodall-Johnston, chief operating officer, said: “It takes a lot of planning to achieve an event of this scale, and I am grateful to all of our sponsors and partners for their valued support – headline sponsors this year are easyJet holidays, G Adventures, Holiday Extras, Mastercard and Royal Caribbean.”

 

Tash Marson, head of trade distribution at easyJet holidays, said: “It is a valuable opportunity to come together, celebrate the year’s achievements, and reset for the year ahead. It’s also a fantastic space for networking, sharing ideas and feedback, and, most importantly, showing our appreciation for the incredible support we receive from the teams throughout the year.”

 

Stu Darnley, national sales manager of G Adventures, added: “We’re excited to show Hays Travel agents how they can help their customers give back while having the adventure of a lifetime.”

 

Lindsay Garvey Jones, national sales manager at Holiday Extras, continued: “For us, it’s all about people, giving everyone the confidence, tools and inspiration to turn everyday bookings into extraordinary experiences.”

 

Lucy Jezard, European growth and partnerships vice-president at Mastercard, said: “Mastercard’s continued partnership with Hays Travel – through our prepaid travel money card programme – underscores our commitment to empowering travel agents and enhancing consumer experiences.

 

“We’re thrilled to once again sponsor the Hays Travel Conference for the fourth consecutive year.”

 

Aaron Langford, UK and Ireland senior sales director for Royal Caribbean, commented: “It’s a really exciting time at Royal Caribbean, as we expand our portfolio of unmissable exclusive destinations and prepare to launch Legend of the Seas in Barcelona next summer, our first Icon Class ship to sail in Europe.

 

“This provides an excellent opportunity to promote, educate and motivate agents to connect with our brand for 2026 and beyond.”