1000MTG Australian Symposium: Uniting travel industry minds

The recently concluded Australian Symposium was a memorable affair that saw travel advisors, partners, staff, and the founders and CEOs of 1000MTG, Nic and Ben, coming together. The symposium played host to some of the travel industry’s finest minds, providing them with an opportunity to connect, network, and exchange ideas. The event aimed to equip the attendees with the necessary tools and knowledge to further their business interests.

A warm welcome

At the start of the day, Lauren Gray, the Australian General Manager, warmly welcomed everyone and began by discussing the key highlights of the business for the first half of the financial year. Additionally, she also shared insights into the upcoming developments in the second half of the financial year, which includes the introduction of new technologies for our experts to leverage.

CEOs and founders of 1000MTG, Nicola Veltman and Ben Ross, delivered an exciting address where they emphasized the company’s growth in 2024. Nic and Ben spoke at length about the foundation of 1000MTG and highlighted that both they and their team members are dedicated to supporting travel advisor businesses’ grow. Nicola stated, “Anything is possible and the sky is the limit, we are here for support and to help businesses thrive, this journey is one you do not have to go on alone, we are here to help each other grow.”

Partner Presentations

The day’s success was only made possible through the kind support of our travel industry partners. Gold sponsors, Expedia TAAP and Singapore Airlines, and silver sponsor, Virgin Australia, as well as Designer Journey’s who hosted the stunning cocktail hour, and Dorsett Melbourne as our gracious venue sponsor.

Sue, from the Dorsett, emphasized their brand’s commitment to sustainability, while also balancing modern comfort and sophistication. Virgin Australia‘s representative shared insights on their investment and fleet growth, offering expertise to our travel experts in creating seamless travel experiences for their clients. Expedia TAAP presented the financial stats of this year’s 1000MTG performance, concluding with fantastic prizes. Singapore Airlines provided special offers and shared plans for airline improvement in the upcoming year. Designer Journey’s dedication to personalized travel experiences was also highlighted. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our partners for their unwavering support.

Dani Smith, 1000MTG Travel Advisor said, “working remotely is amazing but there is nothing like networking with your peers and suppliers in person, the networking you get to do both internally and externally is invaluable.”

Expert Panel

During the event, the expert panel proved to be a highlight among attendees. Four travel advisors took the stage to offer insights on topics such as maintaining strong supplier relations, managing extensive portfolios, maximizing margins, delegating tasks, and effectively managing multiple accounts.  

Among the attendees, Ivona Siniarska, 1000MTG Travel Advisor thoroughly enjoyed the expert panel and said, “The real education came from the expert panel and listening to our fellow business owners talk about their own tips and learnings. It was like a giant brainstorming session where we all shared the nitty-gritty details of our journeys. Real talk, hearing those stories made us realize we’re not alone on this adventure.” 

A social media workshop

An incredibly valuable part of the day was undoubtedly the professional development workshop, expertly led by renowned brand marketing specialist, Chelsea Cunningham. Focused on the transformative power of social media and brand awareness, her insightful session equipped travel advisors with the skills and confidence to navigate this dynamic space and drive business growth.  

Danielle Smith, 1000MTG Travel Advisor said, “A key highlight of my day was learning more about social media marketing and how to increase my brand, I will spend more time using the key points Chelsea handed out and work out a strategy moving forward.” 

Brian Forster, 1000MTG Travel Advisor said, “I really liked the session on Social Media and found it really educational, particularly around sourcing content, which is where I struggle the most!! I think having a keynote speaker or workshop facilitator from outside of the organization is important, to give a different perspective, to teach, to motivate and to inspire.” 

Round circle discussion

One of the most exciting moments of the day was when advisors and staff split into smaller groups to engage in more intimate conversations with different members of the 1000MTG team. This was a crucial part of the event, as it provided travel experts with the opportunity to ask any lingering questions they had and gain more insight into what the future holds. Additionally, it allowed them to connect with team members who play a pivotal role in their growth and success over the next year. 

Ivona Siniarska, 1000MTG Travel Advisor said “I’m bringing all the good vibes and lessons from 1000 Mile’s journey back to my team. We’re going to infuse that start-up spirit into our business and how we operate. The success stories? We’re making them our own. And the strategies shared? They’re like the secret sauce we’ve been waiting for to step up our game.”  

A cocktail hour to close the night

Rounding off the day, a beautiful cocktail hour at the Dorsett hotel sponsored by Designer Journey’s, providing a more relaxed environment for individuals to chat about more than just business and grow connections and friendships.  

Megan Stanley, 1000MTG Travel Advisor said, “These events are so inspirational, connecting with our head office team and colleagues. We really enjoy collaborating with each other. Perfect opportunity to take a step back from the laptops and daily processes to learn and celebrate our businesses.” 

Brian Forster, 1000MTG Travel Advisor said, “My biggest takeaway was how important these days are, particularly when we all work remotely from home and don’t have many opportunities to get together as a group, to share ideas and to build strong relationships.” 

A jam packed day

Overall, the inaugural 1000MTG Australian Symposium fulfilled its promise as a day of innovation, networking, and growth, setting a new standard for travel industry events in the country while offering an exceptional new professional development opportunity for 1000MTG advisors.  

Ivona Siniarska, 1000MTG Travel Advisor said “The biggest thing I took away from the day was feeling like part of the 1000 Mile family again, we are an amazing group of people so it was nice to see everyone again. Hearing the founders chat about the journey from day one to where they are now, it’s like we’re all on this incredible road trip together. The growth plans got me pumped up for the adventure ahead!”