The TravMedia Summit

Barry Neild is the Global Editor for CNN Travel, supervising all travel-related content across CNN’s digital products. Based in London, he helms a team of staff reporters and international freelancers, working closely with CNN Travel’s teams in New York, Atlanta, Bangkok and Hong Kong. Neild joined CNN in 2006, working for its digital news operations before switching to its Travel team in 2015. Prior to working at CNN he worked as a correspondent for the AFP news agency, reporting headline news stories from destinations including Afghanistan, Indonesia, China and Iraq.

Ben began writing about travel in 2001, becoming Travel Editor of The Independent newspaper in 2007 and Head of Travel for the Independent and Independent on Sunday in 2011. He joined the Telegraph Media Group in 2014 and is responsible for all of the Telegraph's travel content.

Lisa has amassed four decades of media experience, specialising in travel, travel news and reviews. She leads the Digital and Print teams at The Sun that won the National Newspaper Tabloid Travel Section of the Year title in the TravMedia Awards 2025. Lisa edits the pages that appear in The Sun's print edition on Saturdays, Sundays and Tuesdays. Over 26 years she has covered major seismic events that have impacted the travel industry including the failures of Thomas Cook, Monarch and XL Leisure as well as the Covid pandemic. She regularly appears on national TV news stations including BBC, ITV, Good Morning Britain, Lorraine, Sky, Channel 4 and Channel 5 commenting on live travel news stories. She has appeared as an expert on a host of TV documentaries including Holidaying In The 1970s - Wish You Were Here When Cruising Goes Horribly Wrong and When Luxury Holidays Go Horribly Wrong. Lisa also appears regularly on national and local radio stations.

Sarah Allard is a seasoned digital media professional and digital director at Condé Nast Traveller UK, leading the strategy and editorial direction for the brand’s digital content. With 15 years’ experience in digital publishing and nearly a decade in senior editorial roles, Sarah has become a recognised voice in travel journalism, shaping content that informs and inspires. Sarah built her editorial expertise across several prominent lifestyle and consumer media brands. She began her career in editorial production and wellbeing content at GoodtoKnow, rising to digital editor before moving to Hitched as editor, where she drove audience growth and engagement with creative, user-centred content while maintaining a strong commitment to inclusivity in storytelling. Since joining Condé Nast Traveller in December 2021, Sarah has overseen digital content that spans travel trends, destination guides and reported features – blending insightful journalism with a keen eye for cultural nuance and reader engagement. Sarah’s industry presence has led to regular commentary for broadcast and print outlets on travel and lifestyle news and trends, from Evening Standard, Sky News and The Independent, to Stylist and BBC. She also makes regular panel and podcast appearances, chatting about anything from the pitching process to the latest travel trends. Based in East London, Sarah spends her weekends eating at the city’s newest dining spots (all in the name of research for Traveller's best new restaurants in London list, of course), most likely with a martini close by. She loves to travel, and foodie city breaks are her favourite. This year’s bucket list includes Milan, Iceland, New York and Japan.

Nick founded TravMedia in 1999, following ten years as travel editor of Courier Newspapers in Australia. His knowledge and contributions to the travel industry are extensive. Nick is a proud supporter of the SATW, an active member of the ASTW, and annually supports both the British Guild of Travel Writers Awards and ASTW Awards. Nick created IMM 13 years ago, The TravMedia Summit eight years ago, and last year marked the first IMM LUX in Las Vegas. TravMedia also powers the online event marketplaces for U.S. Travel Association’s IPW.

After 15 years as Editor of The Sunday Times Travel Magazine, Ed now splits his week between editing the travel pages at Radio Times (the UK’s highest-selling quality publication) and freelance travel writing for The Times, Telegraph, Mail and others. His stories have seen him overnight everywhere from King Charles’s house to a Nepali yak pen, and try his hand at everything from flying a plane to pleasuring a rhino. He has won five ‘Editor of the Year’ awards, and eleven ‘Writer of the Year’ gongs – including TravMedia Travel Writer of the Year in 2023 – but still always picks the wrong queue at airports.

Greg Dickinson is an award-winning journalist with 15 years of experience in travel writing. He has presented dozens of short-form documentaries and hosted two Telegraph podcast series (Edgelands and Postcards). Before joining the Telegraph, he edited and researched guidebooks for Rough Guides, DK Eyewitness and Bradt Travel Guides.

After starting her journalism career at consumer travel and lifestyle magazine Coast over a decade ago, Madeleine has since racked up nine years of B2B experience at TTG, the UK and Ireland’s most trusted source of information for travel agents since 1953. Now primarily managing a commercial content team, she carves out time to explore the world and create editorial articles and videos that have seen her win seven awards. Madeleine strives to build a smarter, better, fairer travel industry by featuring more sustainable holiday choices and positive-impact experiences where she can, often focusing on adventure and off-the-beaten-track destinations.

Tom Robbins has been the FT's Travel Editor since 2010 and was named Travel Journalist of the Year at the 2023 and 2019 British Press Awards, and 2022 TravMedia Awards. He started his career as an investigative news reporter at the Sunday Times, then helped launch its Driving section, becoming the paper's youngest section editor at the time. He then moved to the Observer, later becoming travel editor. A keen skier, he is the author of the book White Weekends (Bantam). ft.com/travel; Instagram: @tomrobbinstravel

Henry’s an entrepreneur with over 40 years’ experience, his first day in travel PR dating back to June 1984. Following seven years as a travel writer he created travel PR company Rooster, which has since evolved into a successful multi-sector agency. Henry launched TravMedia UK in 2003, as a joint venture with the site’s CEO and founder Nick Wayland, helping establish a leading UK and global community for travel journalists and PR professionals. Following that he launched News4Media and its sites Property4Media and Homes4Media. In 2013, TravMedia UK launched IMM, which quickly became the premier global annual event for the travel industry to meet the media. In 2024 Henry sold his interests in TravMedia UK and News4Media to Nick Wayland, but remains a consultant for the companies. Henry lives in East Sussex, is a photographer, non-exec director, nature lover and ardent Beatles and postpunk fan.

Wendy Wu is one of the most powerful and influential figures in global travel - a founder, visionary and industry trailblazer whose name has become synonymous with ambition, resilience and world-class storytelling. As Founder and CEO of Wendy Wu Tours, Wendy turned a bold idea into a multi award-winning global brand, transforming how millions experience the world and redefining what specialist travel looks like in the modern era. Today, her company operates across six international offices and more than 44 countries and has been crowned Best Specialist Tour Operator of the Year at the Travel Weekly Globe Awards for a record-breaking 16th consecutive year. Widely recognised as one of the Most Influential Women in Travel, Wendy is also the youngest female inductee into the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame, sitting alongside icons such as Sir Richard Branson — a testament to the scale of her impact on the industry. Beyond commercial success, Wendy is celebrated for her fearless leadership through periods of profound change. From navigating the global shutdown of travel during the pandemic to rebuilding international confidence and demand, she has placed media, PR and storytelling at the heart of her growth strategy — using communications not just to promote travel, but to build trust, inspire audiences and lead from the front. In 2025, Wendy’s influence was recognised once again when she was awarded Female Trailblazer of the Year at the Business Leader Growth 500 Awards, honouring the UK’s most ambitious and fastest-growing companies. A compelling speaker, natural storyteller and unapologetic champion of bold ideas, Wendy Wu brings warmth, humour and honesty to every conversation — offering rare insight into how media relationships, resilience and vision can shape not just a brand, but an entire industry.

Henry’s an entrepreneur with over 40 years’ experience, his first day in travel PR dating back to June 1984. Following seven years as a travel writer he created travel PR company Rooster, which has since evolved into a successful multi-sector agency. Henry launched TravMedia UK in 2003, as a joint venture with the site’s CEO and founder Nick Wayland, helping establish a leading UK and global community for travel journalists and PR professionals. Following that he launched News4Media and its sites Property4Media and Homes4Media. In 2013, TravMedia UK launched IMM, which quickly became the premier global annual event for the travel industry to meet the media. In 2024 Henry sold his interests in TravMedia UK and News4Media to Nick Wayland, but remains a consultant for the companies. Henry lives in East Sussex, is a photographer, non-exec director, nature lover and ardent Beatles and postpunk fan.

Bonnie Rakhit is an award-winning fashion and travel authority, presenter and digital creator with over 20 years at the forefront of the industry. Former Fashion Editor of British ELLE magazine, she has also written for Vogue, Grazia and The Sunday Times, shaping trends and championing global luxury experiences. Bonnie is a familiar face on TV, with appearances on ITV This Morning, Channel 5’s World’s Greatest Hotels and Around the World in First Class Travel, BBC Breakfast and Sky News. Recognised as one of the Evening Standard’s Top 25 Influencers in the UK, she is known for her polished storytelling, trusted voice and powerful audience connection. Bonnie is based in London. @bonnierakhit on Instagram, Tiktok, Facebook, You Tube, Threads, X @thestyletraveller on the blog, pinterest.

Dominique is an award-winning travel expert and advocate dedicated to bridging the gap between aspirational discovery and the practicalities of modern exploration. With a passport spanning 40+ countries, she has built an international reputation for documenting authentic "life on the road" through a lens that is both high-impact and accessible. Recognised for her strategic influence in the digital space, Dominique has spearheaded high-profile partnerships with global industry leaders including Google, Meta, Apple TV, and Skyscanner. As a proud representative of the Black and LGBTQ+ communities, Dominique focuses on cultural immersion and safety, working to ensure the future of travel is inclusive, accessible, and representative of all voices.

A self-proclaimed aviation geek who reaped the benefits of his sister’s former BA Cabin Crew role, Nicky flew all over the world for next to nothing. During this time Nicky discovered the world of air miles and points and began to explore how he could maintain his globetrotting lifestyle worldwide. Following his undergraduate law degree at the University of Birmingham, Nicky qualified as a solicitor with a US based law firm in the capital. Not content with the corporate solicitor life, Nicky switched up his career, following his passion, becoming a music lawyer for the UK’s biggest record label Virgin EMI under the Universal Music Group umbrella. All the while, Nicky travelled globally, continuing to dispense airmiles and aviation advice, running and hosting a series of masterclasses across London and teaching attendees on how they too could ‘Fly First Class for (Almost!) Free’, under the guise of Miles Mogul. Nicky is also an award-winning photographer, published in NatGeo, Vice, The Times, Independent, Guardian, Tatler, Vogue and more. With professional skills he developed on the job working as a photojournalist for a news agency in Israel, he turned his craft to photographing both planes, his true love, and musicians, initially connected to the record label he worked for. Today, Nicky is Senior Director and Principal Spokesperson at global travel website The Points Guy, after being noticed for his repeated social media snaps in first class, alongside shooting international music stars such as Justin Bieber. An expert in the art of luxury travel on a budget and mastering the world of miles and points in the UK and across the globe, Nicky was instantly recognised by the leading travel content website, being hired as The Head of The Points Guy UK before the UK arm of the business was merged with the US, creating a global travel platform. An aviation geek to the core, Nicky has been obsessed with aircraft, airports, and the romance of travel for as long as he can remember! Follow him on social media: Instagram: @nickykelvin TikTok: @nickyjkelvin

Carmen Roberts is an award-winning travel TV presenter, content creator and speaker with over 25 years’ experience working in international broadcast media. She spent much of her career with BBC World News, reporting on travel, business and technology from nearly 90 countries around the world.

Carmen lived and worked in Japan for eight years and spent over a decade reporting across Asia, giving her deep, on-the-ground insight into the region. Her work has taken her behind the scenes of Japan’s world-leading high-speed rail network, inside some of the travel industry’s most advanced systems, and into some of the world’s most challenging destinations, including reporting from North Korea.

Today, Carmen works at the intersection of travel media, content creation and brand storytelling, moderating industry conversations, delivering keynote talks, and training professionals in media, messaging and on-camera performance. She brings a rare perspective to discussions around influence, combining broadcast-level rigour with a clear understanding of how travel content now delivers value for brands.

Jonny Bentwood leads 120 data scientists at Golin to provide outcome-based measurement and insights, including pioneering approaches to Generative Engine Optimization (GEO) to help brands maximise visibility across AI platforms. An executive board member, Jonny has transformed PR measurement. His team has won AMEC Communications Research & Measurement Team for the past seven consecutive years, alongside Gold Cannes Lions for Creative Effectiveness, Grands Prix Platinum for Measurement, and the Sabre Platinum Measurement Award. His approach connects communications directly to business outcomes, proving that data-driven insights combined with creative storytelling deliver winning programmes. He provides strategic counsel to PepsiCo, ASICS, Specsavers, Walmart, McDonald’s, The World Economic Forum, and Meta. His MTV innovation was named Time's top Twitter moment of the year, with work featured on CNN, Sky News, Fox, the New York Times, and the BBC. A sought-after speaker on data-driven communications and AI visibility strategies, Jonny has presented at the Royal Society, Stanford University, Oxford University, Temple, and Social Media Week.

Henry’s an entrepreneur with over 40 years’ experience, his first day in travel PR dating back to June 1984. Following seven years as a travel writer he created travel PR company Rooster, which has since evolved into a successful multi-sector agency. Henry launched TravMedia UK in 2003, as a joint venture with the site’s CEO and founder Nick Wayland, helping establish a leading UK and global community for travel journalists and PR professionals. Following that he launched News4Media and its sites Property4Media and Homes4Media. In 2013, TravMedia UK launched IMM, which quickly became the premier global annual event for the travel industry to meet the media. In 2024 Henry sold his interests in TravMedia UK and News4Media to Nick Wayland, but remains a consultant for the companies. Henry lives in East Sussex, is a photographer, non-exec director, nature lover and ardent Beatles and postpunk fan.