WHAT IS THE TRAVMEDIA SUMMIT?
We bring together the tourism industry's most influential leaders, editors and travel writers to inspire ideas, share insights and discuss the trends and challenges affecting our industry.
Target Market
Tourism destination regional directors and board members, destination marketers, tourism and travel PR professionals, hotel marketers, PR companies, travel editors, freelancers.
2020 SCHEDULE
| 9:00 am | Delegates Arrive for Registration |
| 9:30 am | What Makes a Headline Stand Out by Georgia Rickard, Editor at Large of Virgin Australia |
| 10:30 am |
Press Trips: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly Panel Session:
|
| 11:30 am | The Elements of Good Storytelling presented by Catherine Marshall, Award-Winning Travel Writer |
| 12:30 pm | Stand-Up Light Networking Lunch |
| 1:30 pm | Keynote Speaker Presentation featuring Barry Neild, Global Editor of CNN Travel |
| 2:30 pm |
Are you 2020 Ready? PR in the Next Decade Panel Session:
|
| 3:30 pm | Afternoon Tea Break |
| 4:00 pm |
Slam with Travel Editors Panel Session:
|
| 5:00 pm | Cocktail Function at Sofitel Sydney Darling Harbour |
| 6:00 pm | End |
2020 KEYNOTE SPEAKERS
Barry Neild
Barry Neild is the Global Editor for CNN Travel, supervising all travel-related content across CNN’s platforms. 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.
2020 AGENDA
Slam with Travel Editors
What are travel editors looking for and how can you make their jobs easier? Learn how to create pitches that sell stories, how to uncover new angles on old destination and how to ensure your voice is heard amongst the fray. Hear examples of the good the bad and the ugly.
SPEAKERS
MODERATORS
Are you 2020 ready? PR in the next decade
Hear from the industry’s leading experts to find out what you need to take your career to the next level. They’ll be discussing the skills you’ll have to have, the trends you need to know about and share personal stories on how their careers have thrived.
SPEAKERS
MODERATOR
Press Trips: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly (45 mins)
What are the hallmarks of a successful press trip? What constitutes a compelling itinerary? What are the do's and don'ts of hosting? How can media improve their chances of being hosted? In this candid, warts-and-all session, you'll learn what works (and what doesn't) from two of the industry's leading PR professionals plus hear what the media is looking for in a successful press trip.
- What are the key ingredients of a successful press trip?
- How do you avoid a press trip disaster?
- How can PRs and media work together to create trips that deliver for everyone?
- What can journalists do to improve their chances of getting on trips?
SPEAKERS
What makes a headline stand out
From a simple press release, pitch to an editor or a publication’s headline: Georgia Rickard has spent the last two decades, as a magazine editor. Hear her ideas on how to attract the readers interest. She has researched the science and the studies to back her ideas up. You won’t want to miss this one, trust us.
SPEAKERS
The Key Elements of a Good Story
Good travel writing inspires readers to retrace the writer’s footsteps. But inspiring stories begin long before the writer has set off on their adventure: this is a craft that requires preparation and practice, and which flourishes with support from industry insiders. In this session, learn about the art of storytelling – and the ways in which PRs and operators can enhance the narratives of the travel writers they work with.
2020 SPEAKERS
Barry Neild
Barry Neild is the Global Editor for CNN Travel, supervising all travel-related content across CNN’s platforms. 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.
Kirsten Galliott
Kirsten Galliott is the Head of Content, Travel and Luxury at Medium Rare Content Agency, overseeing content across Qantas, Jetstar and Visit Canberra. As Editor-in-Chief of Qantas magazine and Travel Insider, she is responsible for all content across Qantas’s platforms. In addition to the monthly magazine and inspiration website, she oversees QantasLink’s regional title, Spirit, two Chinese editions a year, social media and video content. In 2018, 2017 and 2016, she was named Editor of the Year at Mumbrella’s Publish Awards. A journalist for more than 20 years, she has been the editor of InStyle and B magazines for Pacific Magazines and the(sydney)magazine and Sunday Life for Fairfax Media. She has also been the fashion editor for Sunrise on the Seven Network, consulted to the SBS television program TwentyFourSeven for Hal McElroy Media and been a regular reviewer for The Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide. She is an ambassador for Dress For Success Sydney, which empowers women to achieve financial independence.
Emma Sturgiss
As Global Manager - PR, Broadcast and Advocacy, I am responsible for the management and operation of Tourism Australia's global PR function which includes the organisation's media and broadcast hosting programs, our advocacy and influencer marketing programs and our global press office as well as providing PR and communications direction for global marketing campaigns. I also provide strategic advice and support to Tourism Australia's regional PR teams in 15 international offices to assist them develop and roll-out their own public relations activities.
Kim McKay
Founder + Director of Klick X. A communications collective with offices in Sydney, Los Angeles and Honolulu. Representing clients across retail, lifestyle and travel; including Mudgee Region, Gold Coast Tourism, Tourism Events Qld, Saffire Freycinet, Henry Jones Art Hotel.
Rob McFarland
Rob McFarland is an award-winning travel writer who divides his time between Australia, the US and the UK.
He is a regular contributor to the following publications:
Traveller (Sydney Morning Herald, Sun-Herald & Melbourne Age)
Escape (News Corp's national Sunday newspaper travel section)
The Australian
GQ
Qantas magazine
Voyeur (Virgin Australia's inflight magazine)
International Traveller
Luxury Travel
Mindfood
He is a member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers (ASTW) and has won six writing awards including ASTW Travel Writer of the Year.
Writing Courses
Rob regularly runs travel writing workshops for aspiring travel writers in Australia plus offers a correspondence course and a story review service.
He also runs PR writing workshops for travel PRs and marketing professionals that include advice and feedback from 30 of Australia's leading travel editors. See www.robmcfarland.org
Sarah Anderson
Sarah is the founder and managing director of GTI Tourism, a leading travel & hospitality PR and destination marketing agency. GTI’s team of 25 represent hotel, airline, tour operator and destination clients including Broadway Inbound, Butterfield and Robinson, Globus Family of Brands, LATAM Airlines Group, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Marriott International, New Caledonia Tourism, New York State DED (I Love NY), Travel Texas, Vanuatu Tourism, Visit Seattle, Wild Bush Luxury and YTL Hotels. GTI’s services include consumer marketing, industry marketing, public relations, and media buying.
Sarah was awarded as Travel Weekly’s Mentor of the Year in 2016 and has contributed to the travel industry as Committee Member of the Council of Australian Tour Operators, and Chair of the Association National Tourist Office Representatives. She a Graduate Member of the Australian Institute of Company Director (GAICD).
Nick Wayland
Nick Wayland pioneered the technology that created global newswire service TravMedia in 1999, and ATE, IPW, Brand USA and SATW press rooms and trade platforms.
TravMedia delivers the world's travel news to more than 25,000 registered travel journalists in Australia, New Zealand, Asia, the United Kingdom, Middle East, United States, Canada, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, South Africa, and new in 2014, Brazil. Nick understands the needs of media from his own experience as travel editor of Courier Newspapers for ten years and regular ski contributor to Australia's Sun Herald and Melbourne's Age Newspaper.
His knowledge of the travel industry and his contributions to the market segment are extensive. He is an active member of the Australian Society of Travel Writers and former committee member and co-founded the website. He is an annual judge for the Gourmet Travel Annual Awards and the Australian Hotel Management Awards. His company sponsors the annual ONE Travel Conference Travel Writer award for outstanding work in promoting U.S. travel, the Australian Society of Travel Writers Awards dinner and the British Guild of Travel Writers Awards dinner.
TravMedia are also members of the U.S. Travel Association, with the company powering the online press room for IPW, the most important travel trade convention on U.S. soil. The online press room for the Society of American Travel Writers is now in its fourth year, and TravMedia introduced an appointment setting tool for the Association last year. TravMedia moved into Canada in 2013 with a partnership with the Canadian Tourism Commission for GoMedia Canada Marketplace.
Sister company TravTrade provides the same connectivity and paperless communication for trade shows around the world, through U.S. Travel Associations Online Marketplace at IPW, Brand USA Pavlions at international trade shows , the Australian Tourism Exchange, AIME, and Luxperience, to name a few. Brand USA's extremely successful Megafam trips for travel agents from the UK and Australia in 2013 were powered by TravTrade.
Nick regularly assists tourism colleagues with functions to bring together travel and tourism partners and media, works with international rep firms of major U.S. companies to increase media reach, speaks on the topics of media trends and new technologies, and looks for new ways to connect travel journalists with public relations professionals. His most recent technology allows TravMedia clients to connect and follow travel journalists and buyers, read published articles and provide tailored information for upcoming efforts. Nick splits his time between his Sydney, London and New York offices, and by design never spends an entire cold winter or a hot summer anywhere.
Gaynor Reid
Gaynor Reid is Vice President ACCOR Asia Pacific, based in the company’s Singapore regional head office. She has worked for ACCOR for 18 years, starting in the group’s Sydney office as Media Relations Manager and moving to Asia in 2013.
She oversees the group’s Communications strategy, Corporate Social Responsibility and Crisis Management to consistently articulate ACCOR’ messaging to both internal and external audiences.
Prior to joining ACCOR, Gaynor was Manager of Communications and Community Relations for the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) and managed SOCOG’s Welcome the World project to prepare Australia to welcome all visitors from across the world for the 2000 Olympics.
With a background in journalism, she was also a reporter and editor for ten years before moving into Public Relations.
An award-winning communications professional, Gaynor was awarded Best Hotel PR of the Year 2013 (Hotel Management Awards), Communicator of the Year 2011 (Australian Society of Travel Writers), Best Hotel PR 2009 (HM Awards) and Best PR Member 2004 (Australian Society of Travel Writers) as well as being a multiple finalist in similar awards over the past decade.
She oversees communications for ACCOR’s 1,100 hotels across Asia Pacific in 20 countries. Gaynor also sits on the group’s Executive Committee for Asia Pacific.
ACCOR is a Group united by a shared passion for hospitality and driven by a shared promise to make everyone Feel Welcome. Over 280,000 women and men in 4,800 ACCOR establishments look after thousands of guests every day in over 100 countries.
Amanda Bolger
Georgia Rickard
Travel journalist specialising in Australian travel.
Contributes to a variety of outlets including Tatler UK, AFAR, BBC, News.com.au, Fairfax, Jetstar Australia, SKY News and so on. Previously Tourism Australia's contributing editor, overseeing production of editorial for Australia.com, which enjoys a monthly readership of 1.6 million and @australia social features; has also held the editorship of Australia's biggest selling travel magazine, Australian Traveller for several years, during which she was shortlisted for both Editor of the Year and Magazine Of The Year at the Australian Magazine Awards.
At 23 she was Australia's then-youngest magazine editor, turning Healthy Food Guide into the nation's fastest growing magazine (2008).
Co-founder of The Travel Bootcamp and the Modern Travel Media Summit.
She is also an experienced public speaker with some television presenting experience; has appeared on CNN as well as all major local networks.
Georgia is also member of multi-award-winning Story(ation), Australia's specialist travel content agency, producing content on behalf of brands including Tourism and Events Queensland, Voyages Indigenous Tourism Australia and Spirit of Tasmania in addition to Tourism Australia. Story(ation) is ranked as one of Business Review Weekly's 100 Fast Starters in 2017 and its work has won global recognition, most notably at the US Content Marketing Awards, the UK's CMA International Content Marketing Awards, US Content Council Pearl Awards and locally at the 2017 Mumbrella Publish Awards.
Julia Zaetta
Currently the Editor-in-Chief of Better Homes and Gardens, Julia Zaetta is a major and enduring force in Australian publishing. She began her career in magazines 39 years ago and has since established herself at the forefront of the industry, working for titles including Australian Women’s Weekly, New Woman and Family Circle.
Julia held her current position as Editor-in-Chief of Better Homes and Gardens non-consecutively from 1982 to 1995, returning in 2001 to take the title from strength to strength.
For her nearly four decades of success in the Australian media industry, B&T Magazine was delighted to bestow its Women In Media Lifetime Achievement Award on Julia Zaetta in 2017.
Catherine Marshall
Catherine Marshall is a freelance journalist and travel writer. She contributes regularly to publications including The Australian, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian Financial Review and Qantas magazine. She is co-founder, with three other journalists, of the online travel magazine www.timetowander.com.au. Catherine has received awards for her journalism and travel writing on four continents, including the Indian Tourism Ministry's Best Foreign Journalist award and two Kennedy Awards for Outstanding Journalism. She is an alumni of Ledig House, an international writers' residency in New York State, and is a member of the Australian Society of Authors and the Australian Society of Travel Writers.
Jo Palmer
Joanna Hunkin
Recently arriving in Sydney from Auckland, Joanna Hunkin is an experienced editor and passionate foodie. Growing up in Hong Kong, Joanna spent her childhood and teenage years travelling the globe, before settling in New Zealand to pursue her journalism career, working across print, broadcast and digital platforms. Joanna joined Bauer in September 2019 to lead Gourmet Traveller into a new era, committed to sharing the very best food and wine experiences with her readers and uncovering new adventures that will both surprise and inspire.
Justin Jamieson
Justin Jamieson is the founder and publisher of the award winning get lost Magazine, a 140+ page glossy travel magazine focusing on unique, boutique experiential travel.
get lost is known for its independence and passion for unearthing the more unique and exhilarating places, people and experiences the world has to offer. The printed magazine is distributed internationally and the digital version is available on the Apple Newsstand, Amazon and Android platforms.
Justin is a regular on the top rating 3AW travel and food program A Moveable Feast including co hosting. He can also be heard talking travel every Sunday afternoon on 3AW's Weekend Break as well as regularly on the Austereo networks, 2UE and ABC nationally.
He is also the Managing Director of Grin Creative a full service design agency specialising in travel, entertainment and custom publishing.
Grin Creative also publish Avalon Inbound/Outbound and Luxury Escapes Magazine.