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David Walker - Executive Chairman ITC Pacific (Sno n Ski)
David has a career spanning 40 years in wholesale, retail, group touring, inbound, and state tourism. A business owner since 1992, guiding the parent company, ITC Pacific, and its major brands, to a prominent position in the travel sector,
Founding Chairman/Board Director of the Student Educational Travel Organisation (SETO), past Board members/Director of the Council of Australia Tour Operators (CATO) 2016-23, and a past CATO treasurer with a focus on governance, constitution, and codes of conduct guidelines. David brings to the ATAS Advisory Committee a broad knowledge of the travel industry and its stakeholders, and a keen focus on practical accreditation strategy and design.
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Scott Darlow - General Manager Link Travel Group
Scott has had a comprehensive career in travel that has exceed 25 years. After starting out as a travel consultant himself in 1997, he moved into the airline world in 1999 where he spent close to the next 18 years, all of which were sales related and all were travel industry related. The last 10 years in the airline world were in local management at a major international airline where Scott moved through and ran various departments.
Scott made the move back to the agency side of the industry in late 2016 and held senior roles in Magellan Travel Group and also Helloworld Travel once it acquired Magellan. Currently, Scott is the inaugural General Manager of the new invitation only Link Travel Group, a joint venture between Flight Centre Travel Group, The Goldman Group and Spencer Group of Companies, and he has built that group to already be a powerhouse in the local market.
Apart from being highly experienced in the industry, Scott is highly regarded and respected by agents and suppliers alike.
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Chad Carey - Managing Director of Chimu Adventures and Intrepid Polar
Originally a Civil Engineer, Chad worked on major projects within both Australia and the UK. In 2004 Chad resigned his engineering role in London with the intention to travel through South America for six months. Not being happy with the tour options provided in South America, Chad and his co-founder, Greg Carter, took the view that there was an opportunity to improve on the market’s existing tour product to South America. Chimu Adventures was born and after almost twenty years of growth, has become a leader within the Australian travel industry for travel to South America and Antarctica.
In 2017, Chimu Adventures launched a joint venture with Intrepid Travel to operate the Ocean Endeavour in Antarctica. Chad took on the role as Managing Director for this business unit and now spends his time between the two businesses.
Chad has served on a number of industry bodies including The Australian Travel Association for Latin America, IAATO’s Climate Change Committee, IAATO’s Associate Members Working Group and the Australian Travel Industry Association’s ATAS Advisory Committee |
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Deb Fox - Managing Director, Abercrombie & Kent & EVP Sales Crystal Cruises APAC
With close to 3 decades within the industry, Debra’s experience and expertise reaches across most facets of travel and tourism, particularly in the premium and luxury space. Deb has held senior roles across Retail in both Agency and Consortia, as well as Touring, Cruising and Tourism segments where her roles held responsibility across major markets globally. In addition, she was co-founder of The Inspire Collective, a consultancy specialising in travel, tourism, service and experience-based industries with a focus on strategy and organisational development.
Debra was proudly appointed Managing Director of Abercrombie & Kent Australasia in May 2022, and in July 2023, adding EVP Sales for Crystal across APAC. Previously, Deb has held senior roles including Chief Commercial Officer and Global Head of Sales & Marketing at the APT Travel Group, American Express, Traveland and Thomas Cook.
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Ken Morgan Founder and Director of Two's a Crowd, Board Member for ATAC
Following a successful corporate career in domestic aviation, financial services, telecommunications, and insurance, Ken decided to start his own business in a category he had always been passionate about – travel. He identified the solo traveller market niche (40 years old and above) as a significant opportunity and set about creating the business and developing their points of difference. So, in 2012, Two’s a Crowd took flight. Two’s a Crowd’s tour range has grown to include exclusive river cruise charters, luxury train journeys and small group tours. Their client base extends from Australia to New Zealand and the USA. Their office is based in South Yarra Victoria and they have a team of eleven including sales consultants, tour hosts and administration. Team members are located across Australia and New Zealand.
Ken is also a Director of the Australian Travel Agents Co-operative (ATAC). With 130 independent members, it is Australia’s only co-operative travel agent buying group
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Steve Hui - Founder and CEO of iFLYflat - The Points Whisperer
Steve Hui, the founder of iFLYflat, is singularly focussed on helping business owners in Australia to afford and enjoy Business Class travel.
Since 2011, his specialised travel company has employed data-driven strategies to optimise credit card rewards and frequent flyer points, thus enabling clients to fly Business Class for approximately half-the-standard fares, revolutionising the traditional economics of business class travel.
A graduate of the UNSW with a Bachelor of Commerce, Steve is also a certified CPA Accountant. With an 11-year tenure at Australia's leading investment bank, Macquarie Bank, Steve observed the financial ingenuity that inspired him to tap into the untapped asset of reward points for cost-effective luxury travel.
Affectionately known as 'The Points Whisperer,' Steve is a respected authority and sought-after media figure. His expertise has garnered him regular features across a range of media platforms, including Channel 7, 9, 10; SBS; 2GB radio; and publications such as the Australian Financial Review, Sydney Morning Herald, and The Daily Telegraph.
iFLYflat serves as more than a travel service—it's a catalyst for transformative experiences. By lowering the cost barriers to comfortable travel, the company empowers clients to travel more frequently for both business and personal goals.
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Gina Norman - General Manager Travel and Distribution RAA
Gina Norman is an accomplished Executive with more than 30 years’ experience in customer service, tourism and retail industries, and has been the General Manager of Travel and Distribution at RAA since 2018. Previously, Gina held a number of senior roles including Nation Leader SA/NT at Flight Centre Travel Group, and Chief Performance Officer at Bedford Group.
Gina’s focus on strategy, operational excellence and consistently motivating her teams to exceed their growth targets has seen her win state, national and global awards for outstanding performance throughout her career.
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Brett Dann - CEO and Managing Director Hunter Travel Group/Helloworld
Brett is the founder, CEO and Managing Director of one of Australia’s largest privately owned travel groups, the Newcastle, Hunter Region, NSW based Hunter Travel Group (HTG).
In 1984, following an enriching year as an exchange student near Munich, Germany, Brett's passion for travel and exploration took root, becoming an integral part of his identity. His impressive near 40 year journey in the world of travel commenced immediately after graduating from school when he embarked on a career at the ‘original’ Jayes Travel Service in Newcastle, Australia. Brett's trajectory in the travel industry has been marked by a steady ascent, from his early days as a Travel Advisor to the roles of Branch Manager, Retail Network Manager, and ultimately General Manager. In 1999, he ventured into entrepreneurship, establishing his own travel enterprise with a solitary storefront nestled on the shores of Lake Macquarie in the scenic Hunter Region, New South Wales. This pioneering endeavour was among the earliest to bear the Travelworld (now Helloworld) branding in Australia.
Today, Brett presides over a network encompassing 35 travel store locations spread across most states of Australia. Under his leadership, a formidable team of over 170 individuals is dedicated to catering to a diverse clientele, spanning corporate, retail/leisure, groups/events, motoring association travel (AAA), luxury travel, and cruising. These segments operate under a distinguished portfolio of brands, including Helloworld Travel, RACQ Travel, RACT Travel, and Cruise Travel Centre.
Brett's unwavering commitment to the travel industry is fortified by his unwavering focus on solutions, streamlined processes, efficient systems, and a deep appreciation for people. The customer, whether they are clients, team members, suppliers, or industry partners, remains the nucleus of his approach. This customer-centric philosophy, combined with his deeply rooted family values of trust, respect, integrity, and accountability, continues to propel HTG forward on its journey of growth and excellence.
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Lauren Gray - General Manager 1000 Mile Travel Group
Lauren Gray boasts over 17 years of experience in the travel industry, predominantly in the Corporate travel space, and currently holds the position of General Manager for 1000 Mile Travel Group, a global host agency network.
As a visionary leader, Lauren prioritises people as the organisation's most valuable asset. She champions a culture of collaboration, respect, and empowerment, creating a supportive environment where everyone can thrive and grow together. Lauren's strategic approach drives innovation in customer experiences and successful travel programs. She nurtures customer relationships and empowers travel experts to excel in their businesses.
In addition to her professional pursuits, Lauren balances her responsibilities with her role as a mother to a young family and her commitment to personal growth, currently pursuing her MBA
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Roy Merricks - Director MTA - Mobile Travel Agents
Roy Merricks is a founder and Co-Managing Director of MTA – Mobile Travel Agents P/L (MTA) and with his wife Karen, pioneered the mobile or home-based agency model within Australia on a national scale over twenty-two years ago. MTA commenced in February 2000 following an extensive two year research and planning period. In addition to his role as a director of the company and general management, Roy provides finance, legal and administrative expertise to the business, and is involved in representing the mobile or home-based model within the industry.
Roy oversaw the transition of the business from a license to a modern franchise structure in 2014/15, and a partial sale to Helloworld Travel Services (Australia) P/L in 2016.
Prior to MTA, Roy had been self-employed since the age of seventeen, initially in architectural drafting and moving on later to high-end residential construction in NSW and QLD. His wife Karen had been in the travel industry since 1991, and for Roy to join her in establishing MTA it was a major career change … but not once regretted.
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