A national conference is always a time to celebrate. It’s even more significant when it’s your first conference after a rollercoaster four years. And when it’s your first-ever event overseas… could it be any more epic?
So it is at the MTA – Mobile Travel Agents National Conference 2024, held at the Sheraton Fiji Golf & Beach Resort on Friday and Saturday (31 May-1 June).
The first MTA conference since early 2020, this year’s event has gathered over 330 travel professionals – including around 180 advisors – from across Australia to meet, connect, re-connect and examine the state of MTA, the travel agent sector and broader travel industry.
Aptly themed “Celebrate the Journey”, the group’s (once again) annual showcase opened with pre-conference training sessions on Wednesday and Thursday (29-30 May), but it was on Friday that things kicked into gear, with the official conference welcome and updates for MTA Advisors.
Speaking to Karryon at the event, MTA CEO Don Beattie said the conference theme was “absolutely appropriate” given the journey the group and industry has traversed over the past four years.
“What we’re saying is, enjoy the journey as you go,” he explained.
“So look for those reasons to pat yourself on the back because what you’ll find is your learnings will be great, even if they’re not so good.”
“But also, you’re going to enjoy the journey, which lasts a lot longer than getting to the destination.”
On the organisation, Beattie tells Karryon that the group has never been in a more robust position, as MTA actually grew its member base during the COVID-19 pandemic “because we never shut shop”.
Growing and growing
According to the MTA boss, the organisation now boasts around 432 members – its biggest membership since its creation in 2020.
Despite its growth, the group doesn’t have designs on being the biggest mobile and home-based group in Australia. Just the best.
“Our focus is not to be the biggest… it’s just to have the best,” he says.
“Because if we have 1,000 people selling nothing, what’s the value?”
So MTA prioritises quality over quantity. And with that quality come the rewards.
Mobile Travel Agents rising
Last November, MTA picked up the prize for the Most Outstanding Mobile Advisor Network at the National Travel Industry Awards 2023.
Its sales are also growing.
“Last year was a record year,” Beattie said of total revenue, and this financial year – already at the end of March – has surpassed that.
“We’ve got three months left this financial year, and we’ve eclipsed last year by about 11.9 per cent.
“We all continue to grow. There isn’t anybody in travel these days worth their salt that isn’t growing.”
Despite all the positive numbers however, Beattie says it is the camaraderie between members that is most impressive.
MTA members run their own businesses, he explains, but no one is in competition with anyone else. And you can genuinely feel that here.
Stay tuned for more from the MTA – Mobile Travel Agents National Conference 2024, where Karryon is reporting on location.
For more information on MTA – Mobile Travel Agents, click here.
The writer is a guest of MTA. All images by Mark Harada.
