There’s a first for everything

by Elaine Dellar, Founder and Chief Executive Officer

When ABTA’s Chief Executive, Mark Tanzer, said last week that he was looking forward to doing something for the second time at next year’s Travel Convention, I had to smile.

In 2019 we organised ABTA’s first Travel Convention to take place in Asia, when it took place in the fabulous neon-lit city of Tokyo. 

In 2020 we produced ABTA’s first online Travel Convention, which was filmed in an (XR) extended reality broadcast studio – another unforgettable experience.

Last week, we delivered ABTA’s first blended Travel Convention in Canary Wharf, with the event taking place in person and televised online simultaneously, and it was a hybrid, with the speakers being physically in the conference room as well as via remote link.

It was also the first time that ABTA’s Travel Convention has taken place in the UK in over four decades, and the first time there were as many female leaders from the travel industry on the platform as men – and what a brilliant line up it was.

My prediction is that the next Travel Convention we deliver for ABTA will continue to #leadtheway by breaking with convention for the first time. I can’t wait for the next instalment and look forward to delivering the Convention in Marrakech next October. Inshallah!

First time experiences are always nerve wracking, but they can bring much excitement too. They stretch our comfort zones, push us beyond what we know, and they provide opportunities for real growth. At Dellar Davies, we embrace these first-time experiences as they open our eyes to a whole world of new possibilities.  So yes, perhaps it’s time to do something for the second time for a change – but I doubt that will be the case! Knowing us, we’ll be back ticking more firsts off our list!