Our Selling Travel Connect: Luxury event saw suppliers and travel agents descend on County Hotel, Newcastle upon Tyne on June 19.
Here’s an overview of the key points made by our top partners:
Abercrombie & Kent
A&K Sanctuary is Abercrombie & Kent’s own collection of chic retreats in some of the most sensational, soul-stirring locations on earth.
The collection has 13 safari lodges and luxury camps in Africa’s greatest national parks and five sophisticated riverboats voyaging on the Nile and the Amazon.
The company’s honeymoon offer sees guests spending their honeymoon at A&K Sanctuary luxury safari camps and lodges receive 50% off their stay for themselves and their partner.
Antarctica21
Antarctica21 pioneered the concept of the air-cruise in 2003, flying over the Drake Passage for faster and more convenient access to Antarctica.
The company’s boutique expeditions combine small-vessel exclusivity, immersive exploration and personalised service aboard a custom-built Magellan Explorer. Guests are warmly welcomed and briefed at Explorer’s House, a private club exclusively for Antarctica21 guests, before beginning their expedition.
Magellan Discoverer will join Antarctica21 fleet for the 2026-27 season. As Antarctica’s first hybrid-powered vessel, it highlights the company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability. This bold step enhances refined and responsible travel experiences for discerning guests seeking a truly unforgettable voyage.
The fly-and-cruise model offers faster access and exclusive access to Antarctica. With over 300 departures, the small expeditions, with a maximum of 76 passengers, Antarctica21 ensures no waiting and a deeper connection thanks to frequent landings.
Barut Hotels
Barut Collection’s four hotels and two villa collections offer a luxurious, ultra-inclusive concept with unlimited access to exceptional a la carte restaurants. A broad choice of leisure activities and entertainment is included.
The Anda Barut Collection opened in May 2024 and has three distinct zones: adult, community and family in a spectacular beachfront location. Ultra all-inclusive concept is standard and it features 10 pools.
Guests can tap into everything they need to know during their stay using the Barut Hotels app. That includes making reservations for spa treatments and a la carte restaurants. Entertainment schedules are updated daily and guests have direct access to the customer relations team.
Cook Islands
With idyllic, crowd-free beaches, lush interior landscapes and Polynesian history and culture, the Cook Islands is a bucket list travel destination. In 2025, the Cook Islands’ 60 years of independence will culminate in the Te Maeva Nui festival over the last week of July until August 4.
Jetstar started operating a fifth weekly non-stop service between Sydney and Rarotonga in May. Meanwhile, Air Tahiti Nui and Air Rarotonga have announced a codeshare partnership – enhancing air travel connectivity between Europe, the U.S. and the Cook Islands via Tahiti – and announced an expanded schedule for the Tahiti-Rarotonga route. It will double to four flights a week from June 29 to December 28.
The Grand Resort, Rarotonga’s first five-star resort, is scheduled to open in the final quarter of 2025 in an area known as the ‘Golden Mile’ sunset coast. With 61 suites, it will feature a spa and fitness centre, rooftop skybar and skylounge, a grand canal swim-up pool and a chef-driven restaurant.
Copa Airlines
Copa Airlines is a leading Latin American carrier providing passenger and cargo services. Copa currently offers approximately 375 daily scheduled flights among 82 destinations in 32 countries in North, Central and South America and the Caribbean from its Panama City hub. Copa provides passengers with access to flights to more than 180 other destinations through code-share arrangements with United Airlines and other airlines. Through its Panama City hub, Copa is able to consolidate passenger traffic from multiple points to serve each destination effectively.
Copa has a strategic alliance with United Airlines, that encompasses joint marketing strategies and code-sharing arrangements. Copa has been a member of Star Alliance since June 2012.
Rotana Hotels and Resorts
Rotana currently operates 79 hotels across the Middle East, North Africa, Eastern Europe and Türkiye and will open three more soon. It welcomes more than six million guests a year and has six brands, including 32 international.
The focus in Newcastle was on the Saadiyat Rotana Resort and Villas. The property on Saadiyat Island in Abu Dhabi has 327 rooms and suites, and 13 beach villas. Guests booking stays of at least five nights before January 10, 2026, in qualifying room categories can take advantage of complimentary Club Lounger facilities.
That means access to the daily happy hour in the Club Lounge, from 18.00 to 20.00, features alcoholic and non-alcoholic cocktails. Additionally, there’s complimentary laundry and pressing service for up to three pieces of clothing and a poolside happy hour from 13.00 to 15.00. Guests celebrating a special occasion, such as a birthday or anniversary, will be able to enjoy VIP amenities complete with a bottle of fine wine and a cheese platter.
Sun Siyam Resorts
Sun Siyam Resorts has five private island resorts in the Maldives and one boutique resort on the east coast of Sri Lanka – the Sun Siyam Pasikudah, which is an ideal base for exploring Sri Lanka’s cultural sites.
In the Maldives, Sun Siyam Vilu Reef is great for couples looking for peace and tranquillity. At Sun Siyam Iru Fushi and Sun Siyam Olhuveli, up to two kids under 15 can stay and eat for free. The 24-hour all-inclusive at Siyam World is so popular that it has been rolled out across all resorts
New for this summer, guests at Sun Siyam Iru Veli can enjoy the Voyage of Vibes – a sunset cruise with live DJ. The resort’s thali lunch is a gastronomic journey inspired by Punjabi, Kasmiri and Lucknowi recipes. The Private Sunset Isle involves travelling to a secluded islet to enjoy a feast of Champagne and canapes as the sun sets.
Katharine Wood, UK Trade Sales Director at Sun Siyam, said: “Each of our resorts has its own app, which is a fantastic selling tool with information on F&B outlets, daily activities, excursions, entertainment, spa and more. Make sure you tell your clients to download the app as soon as they’ve booked.”
Prize-winning travel agents
Attendees at Selling Travel Connect events have the opportunity to drop their business cards and enter prize draws for fabulous prizes.
The winners at our Luxury event in Newcastle were:
Rebecca Smith, TravelTo – Antartica21
Carli Holden, Travel Den – Sun Siyam
Ian Le-Ferve, Travel Counsellors – Rotana
Alex Okike, Inteletravel – Copa
Adele Kalow, Insider Travel Group – Cook Islands
Craig Brett, Travel Counsellors – Abercrombie & Kent
Claire Bielby, Intele Travel – Barut Hotels.
Selling Travel Connect
View the Selling Travel Connect Calendar for information about forthcoming events and to register online.
Looking ahead to September, North America-themed events are being planned in Bristol, Leeds, Edinburgh and London. In mid-October, Indian Ocean and Middle East-focussed events will take place in London, Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow. Then in November, events with Europe as their theme will be held in London, Birmingham, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
We look forward to seeing you at a Selling Travel Connect event soon.
