Travel Networking is Key: The Value of a Conference

There’s nothing like hosting your very first conference to remind you just how fulfilling travel networking is to UK travel businesses. It is not only a useful skill, but a foundational asset that will help form, grow, and push your travel business towards success.  

Travel professionals aren’t some of the most extroverted people you will meet for nothing. That charisma is often the secret to their success, and it could easily be yours.  

Why Community is Key 

When you step into a competitive space like travel for the first time, establishing yourself in a community of other travel agents and tour operators may seem counterintuitive. But in travel, networking within a community is invaluable.  

If you are a travel agent, a community filled with tour operators could help you build relationships with people selling the perfect packages for you to sell.  

For example, if you have decided you want to eventually sell packages that only focus on group hiking trips with locally sourced providers in Spain, that may seem like a tall order. But all it takes is travel networking. If that is what you want to sell, there is definitely a tour operator out there with the same vision. Or perhaps you build a relationship with another travel agent who can direct you to a tailormade tour operator and suppliers that provide what you need.  

Establishing yourself within a community of other businesses is potentially the best move you can make for your travel business, and most of the time, it’s free! 

That is why allowing our members to connect is so important to us at PTS.  

Why Community is Part of PTS 

At PTS, our goal with every tool and every bit of support we provide is to make selling travel simple. That doesn’t just apply to the card payment services we provide, or the all-in-one travel software system we are continuously improving (though we are very proud of those things). Providing an easy space and regular points of connection for our community of members and suppliers is one of the easiest ways to simplify travel selling.  

Our members can help each other, connect travel agent to tour operator, and guide each other in the direction of great suppliers. Our suppliers can provide excellent offers and exclusive training so members can craft the perfect idyllic experience for customers.  

Plus, because we don’t limit members to our set list of over 200 suppliers, if someone has a very niche supplier need like the example we gave earlier, other members can recommend the exact supplier for them without restriction.  

It is for this reason that events are also a core part of the experience for travel networking. Events provide a separate space for interested suppliers and travel businesses to make connections (they’re not just travel-oriented drinking spaces, we promise). Think of it like speed dating. Those who are interested in new business relationships attend, mingle, and over the course of the night collect an assortment of business cards that won’t only establish a relationship with each party, but could be the key to further relationships beyond the bounds of the event.  

Why PTS Hosted a Conference 

With all this established, it’s no wonder we had the fantastic idea to host an event of our own. Though the conference also provided members and suppliers with important updates and time to speak to our team directly, it was also, at the core, a networking event.  

Bringing together members and suppliers in a place focused on getting to know each other allowed them to get a greater sense of the community they are a part of. Getting to speak to other members and suppliers alike, especially for those who only more recently joined PTS, was an invaluable experience that we cannot wait to replicate again.  

It is important to ensure that, as a travel business, you do not skip over the opportunity to network. It could be the thing that takes your business to the next level! 

So why not book a call with our passionate team today to find out if we’re the right fit for your business! Or if you just can’t wait, contact us on 0207 190 9988 and get to know your future support system now.