2026 Theatre Programme
Missed a session at the British Tourism & Travel Show, or want to revisit the insights?
Expert speakers covered up-to-date travel trends, AI-powered booking journeys, emotional storytelling and accessible tourism.
Watch the recorded sessions below.
2026 travel trends you can’t ignore: Mapping the next wave of group demand
Group travel demand is shifting, but where is it shifting to? Drawing on recent consumer survey research from the UK and nine other countries, this session mapped the forces reshaping where, when and why group travellers want to go. Visitors discovered the rise of “wiser wallets”, alongside premiumisation, shoulder-season surges, cooler-climate itineraries, event- and sports-led trips, and blended work-leisure habits. Oliver revealed booking windows, spend intent and channel choice, and where demand pockets are emerging for 2026.
Oliver is a business adviser who co-founded GSIQ Tourism Insights to bring better insight to tourism decision makers.
Oliver Rowe
Global Managing Partner, GSIQ
About Speaker
He has worked with governments, international brands, and agencies around the world driving growth across travel & tourism, inward investment, and corporate reputation. Oliver's work focuses on providing ad hoc and syndicated solutions for traveller planning and sports tourism as well as leisure and entertainment projects. GSIQ also monitors primary and social media data on international leisure travellers and global sports event attendees, helping to provide local solutions for operators, destinations and their partners.
How group travel brands can stay visible when bookings start in ChatGPT
AI assistants like ChatGPT and Gemini are changing how travellers research and plan trips, often recommending destinations, brands and itineraries before someone even turns to traditional search. When a traveller asks an AI tool for trip ideas or supplier recommendations, which businesses get surfaced, and which don’t? In this session, Oliver shared findings from hundreds of AI search tests, highlighting patterns in which travel brands appear in AI-generated answers and why. He unpacked what’s driving the shift toward AI-led discovery, see real examples of winners and losers, and learn clear, practical steps to make your content visible and trusted in AI generated results.
Oliver Sissons is SEO Director at Reboot with 10+ years’ experience in technical SEO, Digital PR, and AI search innovation. He leads widely cited GEO experiments and speaks on how brands can win visibility in AI search with clear, measurable outcomes.
Oliver Sissons
Search Director, Reboot Online
About Speaker
Further up the road: Legal and regulatory changes
Change is constant, but some changes matter more than others. In this informative session, Matt outlined the key legal and regulatory developments that anyone working in travel and tourism should be aware of in the next 12-24 months. He gave a clear overview of the long-awaited updates to the Package Travel Regulations, guidance on how businesses are (and should be) working with AI, and other anticipated issues that are worth preparing for now.
Matt is Senior Partner at the law firm Travlaw. With 25 years’ experience in the travel and law, Matt started his career at Thomas Cook within its customer services & in house legal team. Since joining Travlaw in 2008, Matt has been appointed to various roles through to his current status as joint owner and Senior Partner. Matt has, for many years, lead the Commercial & Regulatory aspect of Travlaw’s work – a team highly regarded, and ranked in both Chambers and Legal 500. A popular speaker, Matt is often asked to deliver training, seminars and appear on panel debates, as well as being asked for insights by the travel & wider media.
Matt Gatenby
Senior Partner, Travlaw Legal Services Limited
About Speaker
Stop selling itineraries. Start selling emotion.
In an age of endless options and shrinking attention spans, facts don’t drive decisions, feelings do. Claire explored why emotional storytelling consistently outperforms logic-heavy messaging, backed by IPA research showing that emotional campaigns and marketing generate double the business impact. She unpacked how travel brands can unlock desire, trust, and loyalty by focusing on emotional resonance over functional features, and shared real insights, examples, and practical tools to craft marketing that makes people feel something.
Claire is a multi award-winning copywriter, creative and travel content creator. With over 20 years’ experience in creative agencies serving hospitality, FMCG, fashion and not-for-profit brands, she's helped some of the UK's leading names create impactful multi-channel marketing and campaigns that moves people to book. Now as co-founder and Creative Director of Mirror Mirror - a boutique hospitality marketing agency - she's helping independent businesses in the sector sharpen their online and offline communications, so that they don't pour precious budget down the drain on ineffective activity.
Claire Robinson
Creative Director, Mirror Mirror Creative Agency
About Speaker
The accessible journey: Designing the whole visitor experience
Over 20% of the UK population identifies as disabled, and more travellers are seeking experiences that reflect a wide range of needs. This growing demand makes it increasingly important for the industry to ensure travel works for everyone. This panel brought together experts in accessible tourism, inclusive tour design and creating barrier-free experiences and explored how operators, destinations and guides can better support travellers with varied needs. The speakers discussed the impact of clear pre-visit information, the value of personalised itineraries and the importance of inclusivity and cultural sensitivity across the whole visitor journey.
As an owner and operator of the Marsham Court Hotel, over the last 8 years, James has led a project to make the hotel one of the most accessible venues in the UK. He is at the forefront of accessible tourism, driving new initiatives and encouraging businesses to create new opportunities for customers and employees alike. He is passionate about educating the tourism and hospitality sector in this area, cutting through fear and stigma. James has 26 years of experience within the hospitality sector in hotels, restaurants and events management. Marsham Court Hotel is a Disability Confident Leader and won Accessible Hotel of the Year at the 2022 Catey Awards and DEIB Hospitality Business of the Year 2024 & 2025 at the Institute of Hospitality, among several other awards.
James Dixon-Box
Disability & Access Ambassador (Hospitality) and Operations Director, Marsham Court Hotel
About Speaker
I'm one of those lucky people who can genuinely say, even after 30 years, that I love my job! I came to the guiding profession from a languages background and a desire to speak German. My first area of qualification was in Cumbria, and I subsequently added Liverpool City Region, Yorkshire, and Northeast England to my guiding regions. In my capacity as a trainer, I have trained guides and others working in hospitality across the north of England. I guide visitors of all ages from all over the world on walking tours and moving vehicles, in towns and cities, places of worship, museums, and art galleries. I gain tremendous satisfaction from giving every guest the best possible experience.
Tess Pike
Blue Badge Guide, British Guild of Tourist Guides
About Speaker
Peter joined the RAF as a Nursing Officer in 1999, following 15 years as an NHS Charge Nurse. He qualified as a paediatric, general and psychiatric nurse, with specialist qualifications in emergency nursing and prehospital care. As an RAF Nursing Officer, Peter worked in UK hospitals, Cyprus, and on the Aeromed Squadron travelling the world. Peter served in Bosnia, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Following an injury caused by service, and acquiring a lifelong disability, Peter left the RAF in 2013. He has worked in healthcare regulation and governance, school nursing, and is now the Director of Training at No Boundaries Disability Consultancy Ltd.
Peter Quick
Director of Training, No Boundaries Disability Consultancy Ltd
About Speaker
As a wheelchair user, I understand the barriers that the disabled community face when making travel arrangements. A day trip, group celebration or weekend break, to a luxury family holiday. The ability to travel, relies heavily upon every element being truly accessible. As a business owner, I see the financial impact this has on the industry, when these clients are not provided for. Wheelie on the waves was originally created to share my cruising journey, but it quickly became a voice for those with limited mobility, who are consistently facing barriers to travel safely and comfortably. By collaborating with industry leaders, I have helped to make changes and give disabled people a voice.
Deanne Moses-Wright
Cruise and accessibility specialist and Travel consultant, Wheelie on the Waves
About Speaker