More than 250 travel agents will attend the Association of Touring and Adventure Suppliers (Atas) Conference next month.
The event at the British Motor Museum near Warwick will welcome about 400 delegates on November 1-2 as the sector plots continuing growth.
Atas chair Brian Young said: “This is our fifth in-person conference and we will have our biggest attendance so far.
“There will be representatives from more than 190 travel agencies, tour operators, tourist boards and other organisations.
“The conference has the theme of ‘Journey’ as we are moving forward, not looking back.”
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Young, EMEA managing director at G Adventures, said most members were reporting that trading was back to at least 80% of pre-pandemic levels with some topping 2019 business.
“Our sector has recovered quickly from the pandemic – and will continue to grow as there is still more pent-up demand,” he said.
“We will see growth despite cost-of-living concerns as people want more out of their holidays – they want experiential tours and to see more of the destinations.
“Most elements are included in the price – once you are on the tour, most of it is included…you get a lot of value for your money.
“Our sector is growing; travel agents need to be a bigger part of that growth.”
Conference sessions will feature agents and operators sharing their expertise about inspiring customers, converting sales and understanding how there is a touring or adventure holiday for everyone, he added.
“There will be some outstanding agents at the conference, including past winners of our Atas awards and the winners of our 2022 awards,” he added.
“They have gone above and beyond in embracing our sector and making determined efforts to increase their sales and marketing, with social media, advertising and ads in their shops – they are really moving the dial in their businesses.
“We’re done with Covid, so we will be focused instead on how agents can help their business to grow.”
Claire Brighton, Atas account director, added: “There will be fun and games, interactive learning, practical tips and advice from successful agents.
“Agents will learn from the experiences of other agents who are doing well in this sector.
“Our members are passionate about supporting agents and taking them with us on our journey of growth.”