Famils, fun, a team-building challenge around the backstreets of Waikiki, workshops, surf, food and cocktails – over 320 personal travel managers (PTMs) visiting Hawaii for TravelManagers’ annual conference have lost no time enjoying the delights of Hawaiian hospitality.
They’ve taken in famils ranging from a visit to Kualoa Private Nature Reserve (a working cattle ranch and farm that provides authentic Hawaiian eco-tours and activities on Oahu) to a mountain tubing tour along the waterways of Kauai’s beautiful and remote rainforest interior.
TravelManagers’ executive general manager, Michael Gazal, says this year’s conference theme, ‘Success’, was chosen because it’s relevant to all areas of life.
Michael Gazal
“Whilst success in business is commonly measured in terms of turnover, we know that in reality it’s much more subjective and multi-faceted,” Gazal explains.
One of the main highlights of the conference’s first day was the presentation by keynote speaker, Chris Paulsen – the man who founded the New Zealand-based House of Travel, which acquired TravelManagers Australia in November 2007.
Paulsen has received accolades throughout his career, including New Zealand’s Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year Award in 2006, The Prime Minister’s Social Hero Award in 2007, and the Chairman’s Circle Honour from the US Travel Association in 2013.
Paulsen revealed how, years ago, he had asked his parents, who were not well off, if they would consider backing his fledgling travel enterprise. They put their house on it. It was their only asset – and it was only after Paulsen’s venture prospered that his father admitted he had initially experienced one or two sleepless nights over the decision.
His parents needn’t have worried. House of Travel is now Australasia’s largest independent travel company. It has a forecast turnover of AUD 1.6 billion for 2018.
[slideshow_deploy id=’892869′]
Gazal describes the House of Travel business model which Paulsen set up in 1987 as “ground-breaking within the industry”.
“Despite the changes and challenges faced by the travel industry over the past thirty years, Chris’ inspiring leadership and vision of what constitutes success made him an obvious choice to speak at this year’s conference.”
The conference began on Friday morning, local time, at the Prince Waikiki with a welcome from Hawai’i Tourism’s Giselle Radulovic. Attendees had been arriving all week to make the most of the lead-up offerings, which ranged from a pre-conference golf tournament to famils of Oahu and Maui.
“The famils, along with two further post-conference famils to Kauai and Hawaii, were organised by our friends at Hawai’i Tourism Oceania,” Gazal explained, “and they’re an amazing opportunity for PTMs to extend their stay and delve a little deeper into what these beautiful islands have to offer.”
The pre-conference golf tournament has become something of a tradition for TravelManagers’ annual conference: this year Honolulu’s stunning Ewa Golf Club was selected as the venue. Gazal describes it as a fun way for PTMs to reconnect with colleagues they may not have seen since the previous year.
“A lot of our PTMs and suppliers don’t get to see each other often during the year, so there’s always a build-up in excitement as more attendees arrive at the conference venue.”
[slideshow_deploy id=’892878′]
After the conference was formally opened by Gazal and House of Travel Australia chief executive, Joe Araullo, partner suppliers such as Hawaiian Airlines, Allianz and WLCL delivered presentations and PTMs shared their “Secrets of Success’.
As Gazal said: “It’s a key part of TravelManagers’ culture that our PTMs share ideas, experience and knowledge with their colleagues, recognising that each individual has something to contribute and something to learn.”
Day one on Friday concluded with a welcome cocktail function, hosted by Hawai’i Tourism Oceania at the Hilton Hawaiian Village. Cue in fireworks, Hawaiian serenades and the chance to sample mai-tai cocktails and a variety of fine local beers.
Day two on Saturday began with series of supplier workshops, before the afternoon’s mystery team-building activity was revealed. Teams competed to achieve all sorts of mixed tasks and post proof on social media. A few examples: Find a Laundromat and pay for someone’s laundry; find a bar in the back-streets of Waikiki and order Hawaii’s world-famous cocktail (that was popular!); find an ABC store outside of a hotel, or the main part of Waikiki and buy the cheesiest Hawaiian trinket you can find; help a hotel employee in some way with their job.
After all that, PTMs and other delegates, including representatives from partner suppliers and TravelManagers’ National Partnership Office (NPO) headed off to the sunset cocktail party at the Prince Waikiki, the perfect way to unwind from a full day.
Day three on Sunday, the final day of the conference, will entail further supplier and PTM presentations, before the second keynote speaker’s address, which Gazal says is already generating plenty of excitement.
“Turia Pitt is one of Australia’s most admired and widely-recognised motivational speakers and having her address our conference is an immense privilege. Turia is an amazing example of what can be achieved through a combination of grit, indomitable spirit and passion, and we know that her story will astonish and inspire our people.”
The conference concludes on Sunday night with a gala awards dinner that is set to embrace the conference’s theme of success.
“Our people work hard all year,” Gazal explains, “and the gala dinner, as well as being a great way to conclude the conference and celebrate the successes of the past year is also a fun opportunity to spend time with colleagues and friends in a beautiful setting.”
More pictures on: #tm2018hnl
Written by Peter Needham
.jpg){kind=tracking}