Karryon’s Next Gen Network is shaping its next move around a simple idea: create something younger travel professionals will find useful, welcoming and worth their time.
That means looking beyond one-off moments and towards something with longer-term career value.
Built for people coming through
The Next Gen Network is being shaped to help younger travel professionals build a future in the industry.
Connection is part of that, along with confidence, visibility and relationships that can open doors over time.
Karryon GM Dani Tuffield says the focus is on creating something with real value.
“We’ve been really conscious that this needs to be purposeful. The industry doesn’t need more noise. It needs something that helps younger people feel supported, connected and excited to build a future in travel.”
Career-building, not just networking
The Next Gen Network has the chance to help younger professionals build stronger industry relationships, greater confidence, more visibility and a clearer sense of what a long-term career in travel could look like.
It is also about helping people see the industry as a place where they can grow.
CruiseHQ Marketing Manager Caitlyn Paris says the Next Gen Network needs to do more than create a moment of connection.
“It has to help younger people see a real future for themselves in this industry,” she said.
“That means building confidence, creating stronger connections and giving people access to the kinds of conversations and relationships that can shape a career over time.”
Adventure World Marketing Manager Sasha McAlister says the value is in creating something that leads somewhere.
“The opportunity here is to build something with a clearer purpose, where people feel like they’re part of something that can actually help shape where their career goes next.”
A more welcoming way in
Industry events can be powerful sites of connection and learning, but they can also be confronting for people who are new to travel.
Wentworth Travel Travel Designer Mimi Romijn says that experience can shape how someone feels about the industry early on.
“If you’re newer to the industry and you walk into a room without knowing anyone, that can be really intimidating,” she said.
“If the Next Gen Network can make people feel more comfortable earlier, it can help them build confidence and stronger relationships much sooner.”
Making it worth people’s time
Qantas Airways Limited Trade Marketing Manager Jessica Kilbride-Parris says clarity of purpose must be obvious from the outset.
“People are busy. If you’re asking them to show up, it has to feel useful straight away. It has to be welcoming, easy to step into and worth their time.”
It also points to another challenge: creating space for people who are still learning how to navigate industry settings.
Norwegian Cruise Line Partnership Relations Team Leader – Australia & New Zealand, Tahlia Shaw, says the Next Gen Network also needs to lower the pressure for people still finding their footing.
“Not everyone wants to walk into a room and instantly know how to work it. If we can do something to make those spaces feel more open and easier to step into, that’s when it starts to become really valuable.”
A bigger role for the industry around it
The Next Gen Network also raises a broader question for travel: how are younger professionals brought into the room once they are there?
That includes how people are introduced, how junior team members are supported at events, how emerging talent is encouraged to speak up and how companies help people build confidence instead of assuming they will simply work it out.
GTI Tourism Account Director Simran Mediratta says that support can determine whether someone feels part of the industry or on the outside.
“A lot of this comes down to how people are brought in. If younger professionals feel welcomed, introduced properly and included in the conversation earlier, they’re far more likely to build confidence and stay connected to the industry.”
The Next Gen Network is being built as a platform for connection and longer-term career growth.
The aim is to help younger travel professionals feel more at home in the industry and better placed to build a future in it.
