At The Travel Franchise, we don’t just talk about success – we invest in it.
This weekend, we officially kicked off 2026 in spectacular style, hosting our New Year New Start event with over 350 travel consultants, corporate team members, and more than 50 key trade travel partners all under one roof.
Held at the stunning De Vere Cotswold Waterpark in Cirencester, the event set the tone for what promises to be our biggest year yet – packed with momentum, confidence and opportunity.
Designed to help our consultants hit the ground running, this year’s event focus was clear: practical training, insider industry insight, and meaningful connections – everything our consultants need to start the year strong.
Real training. Real advantage.
The two-day programme featured:
- Expert-led training sessions
- Table-based strategy workshops
- An expanded trade expo with one-to-one access to 50+ travel brands
- Keynote insights from industry heavyweights including ABTA
- Partner sessions with major brands such as TUI
- Hands-on demonstrations of tools we provide FREE to our franchisees, including T Profile, which helps consultants create stunning, high-converting quotes
This isn’t generic training. It’s designed specifically to help our consultants sell smarter, stand out, and grow faster.
Learning from the best in the industry
Steve Witt, Co-Founder of Not Just Travel, shared the vision behind the event:
“We’ve kicked off 2026 by delivering an incredible training event where franchisees can hear directly from key industry figures and travel suppliers, while also networking with other consultants and our corporate team. These are the kinds of experiences that genuinely move businesses forward.”
One of the standout sessions came from Roberto Balasco, Head of Membership at ABTA, whose presentation gave consultants access to real industry statistics and trends they can immediately apply to their businesses.
As one consultant put it, the data and insights shared are already being turned into social content and business strategy to drive bookings.
Travel consultant Matt Phillips (one of our most successful consultants who joined with his partner in 2022) commented:
“It was impressive to see 50 suppliers in one room – from river and ocean cruising to lower and higher-end operators. All the big brands were there.”
He added:
“We’d had a few enquiries for an Exoticca Holidays Japan deal we’d been promoting on social media. I went to the Exoticca stand, got answers to my questions – and within an hour I’d booked it for my clients.”
That’s the power of direct access, strong relationships, and the right support.
Why this matters if you’re considering joining us
Events like New Year New Start aren’t a nice-to-have. They’re part of how we help our consultants build sustainable, profitable travel businesses.
When you join us, you’re not on your own. You’re backed by:
- Ongoing training and development team
- Direct relationships with leading travel brands including TUI, Jet2, Kuoni, plus trade-only operators like Gold Medal
- Powerful tools included at no extra cost – from T-profile to our new AI search just launched
- A supportive, ambitious community
- A company that attracts the attention of ABTA
As we head into 2026, one thing is clear:
This will be our most successful year ever with consultants already flooded with enquiries during what we call the peak booking period.
