An Olympic swimmer who hardly lost a race, an inspirational speaker telling us it was ok to lose, a session on sleeping, a literal feast for the senses, a silver-tinged gala dinner, prizes, awards, b2b meetings, lots of incredible South Australian food and wine…
As I reflect on the just passed MTA national conference in Adelaide I think of an event that pulled out all the stops but never lost track of its goal: to bring together a family of hundreds of travel advisors along with hundreds of other guests (who were welcomed as family) to celebrate MTA and the magic of travel – done with purpose, profit and people at its heart. Oh, and arguably the most popular person over the entire weekend, Helen from finance (more about that later!). Underpinning the conference was the theme “Milestones and Momentum”, a nod to the occasion of MTA’s 25th anniversary this year and the wave of success the travel agency group has experienced in recent times, which even included a period of membership growth during Covid.
Indeed, coming into the annual conference, held at the Adelaide Convention Centre, MTA had reason to celebrate.
MTA momentum
In an interview with Karryon at the event, MTA CEO Don Beattie said the group’s financial performance had significantly improved, with a nearly double-digit rise in business in the last financial year.
“Our 2019 numbers were eclipsed by our 2023 numbers, and then 2024 was enormous… and then we built on that this year again,” he said.
“So even though last year we had a record year, this last financial year was about 9.85% higher than that.”
According to Beattie, this year’s conference was celebrated with about 430 delegates, including some 250 agents.
“In a home-based environment, if you’re getting anything [like] 50%-plus of advisors attending, you’re doing exceptionally well,” he added. Another win for MTA.
MTA Managing Director and Co-Founder Karen Merricks told Karryon this year’s event was “a bit more emotional”.
“25 years is a definite milestone – and it does make you reflect,” she said.
“A lot of people have been with us for 25 [years], and 20 and 23 [years], and so it’s just a great way to celebrate.”
Indeed, such loyalty speaks volumes about the appeal of the brand. Perhaps that’s why the network is still growing. According to Don and Karen, MTA membership actually grew during Covid – and it’s showing no signs of slowing down.
Sparkling speakers
Following three days of personal development sessions – emphasising MTA’s mantra of continuous learning along with AI integration – the conference kicked off in earnest at the opening plenary.
Charismatic MC Rob Mills kicked off proceedings with a song that encapsulated the mood of the conference – Nina Simone’s Feeling Good, from the aptly titled album, I put a spell on you (as MTA does with its members?) – before introducing the first keynote, Olympic swimming legend Grant Hackett.
Now the CEO of a $2.1 billion financial firm and a top 200 ASX company, Generation Life, Hackett shared his journey from Queensland kid to a world champion swimmer and finally, a successful business leader.
He discussed the importance of having clear goals (and then breaking them down), having a transparent definition of success and failure, understanding competition, and showing complete commitment to the cause – and he means complete commitment.
“I often think balance is something that is constantly leaving you deflated,” he said.
“If you want to be a performer, it’s going to take all of you. You’ve got to wrap your DNA into that life. It can’t be a nine-to-five thing.”
But he assuaged those words by giving the advice of knowing “when to sprint”.
“Where is a really important time in your business, or where is there a big opportunity in your business that you have to capitalise on, and if you don’t, you know you’re going to miss it?” he added.
For those who found Hackett’s hard-nosed approach to business too jarring (Glen considered his silver medals a failure), the next speaker provided the perfect antidote.
A self-confessed “holiday and travel person at heart”, Emma Harris was previously the sales and marketing director for some serious companies – like Eurostar and Virgin Holidays – before a near-death experience changed her outlook on life.
Now, as the founder and CEO of Glow London, she’s committed to helping people prioritise self-care and find a better work-life balance, chiefly through her “Slow the f*ck down” movement (and yes, she did tell those present, save a mere handful of who admitted to already having achieved balance, to essentially slow the f*ck down).
“Everywhere I look, there are people burning themselves out. You know, Grant [Hackett] talked about the fact that he’s had this incredible career, but he also had a breakdown. So some of those performance behaviours have got to be tempered with balance. We all have to slow the f*ck down,” she said.
“Since I’ve recovered, this is what I realised: when you think that you might die, you’re not thinking about the turnover of your business or how big your swimming pool is, you’re just thinking about your kids and your family and the people that you love, and that’s the thing I just really want to share – that these things are the things that are important.”
And this is exactly what MTA has been about from the onset: an organisation that promises (and delivers) its members a genuine work-life balance.
On day two, Australian sleep expert and author of Bear, Lion, Wolf, Olivia Arezzolo discussed the importance of sleep not just to physical health but also as a business tool that can enhance productivity, mental clarity, and resilience.
Her key points included NASA’s finding that a 26-minute nap boosts attention by 52% and cognitive performance by 34%.
Other strategies included knowing your chronotype, tracking sleep, creating a circadian sleep sanctuary and implementing a bulletproof bedtime routine.
The session also covered the impact of alcohol, caffeine and diet on sleep quality. But fear not, these can all be enjoyed in moderation – provided they’re enjoyed at the right times.
Also on day two, Nicole O’Sullivan, a well-known travel industry coach and director of Birds Eye View Consulting, discussed psychology-backed sales strategies to help advisors connect with clients, grow their business and sell with confidence.
O’Sullivan did this by introducing the concept of cognitive filters: delete (ignoring truths), distort (bending reality) and generalise (drawing conclusions from limited experiences) and how these filters affect decision-making and behaviour, such as undercharging or undervaluing services.
The session concluded with an activity where participants identified and reframed their beliefs, setting personal financial goals and writing new money mantras to reinforce positive changes in their mindset.
Elsewhere, award-winning entrepreneur and founder of Grow My Money Pascale Helyar-Moray shared how attendees could future-proof their finances with a game-changing analysis of financial empowerment for women.
Tech talk
The event’s only panel discussion, moderated by Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA) Director of Membership and Industry Affairs Richard Taylor, focused on the importance of human connections and technology in business growth.
Addressing the enquiry, “Has technology overtaken traditional networking opportunities when growing a business?”, the panel agreed that while digital tools like Instagram and AI are crucial for brand development (travel advisor and panelist Kim Newton emphasised the role of social media in her business’s success, highlighting a 187% increase in followers), personal interactions remain vital for building trust and retaining clients.
During the discussion, advisors were encouraged to embrace AI and not shy away from digital tools, emphasising the need for a balance between technology and personal touch to foster long-term client relationships. Harnessing people and tech… another MTA cornerstone.
Prizes aplenty
Everyone’s a winner. Well, almost. But you could’ve been forgiven for thinking so, given the number of prizes awarded immediately following the panel talk.
From all-inclusive luxury cruises to international air and accommodation giveaways, this was an event not to be missed (and if you did and your name was drawn, there was no mercy with the redraws!).
Among the prizes were some of the best products out there from Hurtigruten, Ponant, Viking, Lindblad, Journey Beyond, Viva Holidays, Intrepid, Tauck and loads more.
Fun and frivolity
Bookended by a wonderful welcome dinner and glorious gala on the final evening, the MTA conference was as much about connection as it was business; as much about fun as it was finances.
MTA CEO Don Beattie told Karryon that the opening night event was “a new theme for us”.
“The feedback we got was the first thing that our guys want to do when they catch up, is catch up. And that takes quite a long period of time,” he explained.
“So we thought, why not provide a platform to be able to catch up in a social environment? So it worked hugely well… it looked like a big Italian backyard wedding!”
And not just in aesthetics. The Italian-inspired fare paired with the South Aussie wines was the perfect icebreaker for the conference—and Adelaide venue Plant 4 was the perfect venue.
Awards and more
Held at Morphetville Racecourse, the event’s gala dinner was a glittering affair, with guests treated to a lavish three-course meal, local wines (even a non-alcoholic sparkling wine was a winner) and entertainment, with MC Rob Mills returning to the stage with a full band – and a dance floor that filled as quickly as that of a Coldplay concert (they opened with a Coldplay number by the way).
“As I look around the room, it’s just incredible the amount of people that have come along this journey with us… it’s all about people for us, and the people we have around us,” Karen Merricks said.
“And the support team, as you all know, are second to none. They do an amazing job, and they’re caring.”
Chief among those was the small team most responsible for organising the event (MTA head office’s Kerryn, Brydie and Deb).
But the biggest cheer at the gala was one of the last… If you didn’t know who Helen from accounts was before the conference, you certainly did afterwards, when she picked up the Outstanding Contribution Award – Head Office to near-deafening applause.
Other award winners included Wide Eyed Tours (Most Outstanding Supplier – Company), Van Anh Truong (Most Outstanding Supplier – Individual), Shayne Earley and Jodie Simms (Best Business Initiative) and Robin Stevens (MTA Spirit Award).
Undoubtedly, the most moving moment of the whole conference came when Karen and Roy were presented with a photobook commemorating MTA’s 25-year journey thus far, which was previewed on the big screen to many a tear.
If recent years are anything to go by, you can bet there’ll be many more milestones to come for MTA Mobile Travel Agents.
The writer attended the conference as a guest of MTA.
Read more about MTA’s 25th anniversary in an interview with Karen earlier this year.
For more information on MTA, visit www.mtatravel.com.au.
