Last month, 600 home based Inteletravel independent travel agents from the UK and Ireland attended our annual InteleQuest Travel Conference 2024 in the stunning city of Sorrento in Italy, at the gorgeous Hilton Sorrento.
Our host agency gathered some of our top suppliers to present and showcase their offerings, with the event being sponsored by Virgin Voyages https://www.virginvoyages.com/ a luxury boutique adults only cruise supplier and Classic Collection holidays https://classic-collection.co.uk/ who are a trade only luxury package holiday supplier.
On top of a phenomenal conference, we were wined and dined with meals, and had a fantastic Gala dinner put on for us - I will give you a deeper run down in this blog.
What was on our Intelequest travel agent conference agenda in Sorrento?
Day One: of our InteleQuest home based travel agent conference:
*Thursday 10th October - the agents start to arrive in Sorrento. The first event is a Trade show with all the suppliers attending having a stand, where agents can personally meet the sales teams and get to know their offerings. Suppliers offer competitions, freebies and some offer printed marketing materials for agents.
After the trade show a "treasure hunt" was organised for anyone wanting to participate, with a £500 Jet2 voucher up for grabs. The treasure hunt consists of finding landmarks / spots around Sorrento - such a great way to explore the city.
In the evening we had some free time, so myself and a few of the other agents headed to a stunning restaurant in the centre of Sorrento - L'Antica Trattoria which in my opinion is a must visit. The service was incredible, the restaurant settings were stunning and the food was delicious.
Day Two of our InteleQuest travel conference:
*Friday 11th October - The first full day of the conference was kicked off by Italian Opera singers serenading the audience. A speech from the Mayor of Sorrento, followed by hearing about the latest trends and statistics in the travel industry and hearing our company statistics of a growth percentage of 62% from the following years sales. Our company and the travel industry is growing rapidly.
Then we move onto hearing from lots of our fabulous suppliers and how they can help us as agents boost our sales, and what special offers we can offer our clients when booking with us. Lunch was included and set in a beautiful garden area of the Hilton.
In the evening on Friday we were being hosted at an Instagram worthy restaurant - O'Parrucchiano La Favorita. A beautiful restaurant which has lemon trees growing around the paths of the conservatory, and a stunning garden outside to walk around. We were served 4 courses and wine as we sat with our agent friends and caught up.
Day Three of our InteleQuest travel conference:
*Saturday 12th October - day 2 and the final day of the conference with more educational information on helping us with our independent businesses. The sessions are also interactive giving us access to speak to suppliers directly about any of our experiences or questions.
On the evening of the Saturday, we had our fabulous Gala Dinner back at the Hilton Sorrento, with the dress code theme "Lemon and Black". A drinks reception welcome, with a saxophonist introduction with fireworks around the pool. Followed by a 4 course sit down gala meal with wine, and a DJ and dancing.
Us travel agents know how to have a good time!
Travel agents enjoying the beautiful town of Sorrento in our free time - top tips for visiting
Being travel agents, and selling travel and memories as our career, its only right that we explore the beautiful town of Sorrento and catch the best instagram worthy spots.
Heres some tips if you are visiting and want to see some beautiful places.
I recommend taking a long walk around the town. Starting in the main square, where "Fauno Bar" is located and exploring all the intertwining streets, where you'll find lots of shops, restaurants and bars.
Make sure you visit the beach area in Sorrento. The views are stunning from the top, and you can take a cheap lift down to the decked beach areas, or you can walk down the winding path. We visited Marameo beach club, where you can enter just for food and drinks, or you can pay a fee to use a sun bed for the day. We spent some time one afternoon here, dipping into the (cold) sea and just enjoying the warmth of the October sun. The views are simply stunning, from above and below - you will see the unique cliff settings.
Another must visit if your looking for instagram worthy spots, is the bar at Grand Hotel Excelsior Vittoria - but be warned as the minimum spend is 25 euros per person and thats the cost of one cocktail, but the views and setting are spectacular. A pianist plays whilst you nibble on olives, nuts and crisps and sip your cocktails enjoying the sunset and views.
I already mentioned the stunning restaurant we visited one evening - L'Antica Trattoria. Id also say this is a must visit for its beautiful settings and amazing service.
Another cute cafe we visited was D'Anton. Its a cafe / interior design furniture shop selling the pieces displayed in the cafe and also in a small showroom on the bottom floor. The menu selection is small but the setting is very pretty and has amazing views onto a small square with a church (so we managed to see a wedding entering).
Other day trips to consider from Sorrento
Whilst being based in Sorrento, you can use it as a hub to visit other famous places nearby. You can do the following day trips from Sorrento:
Capri by boat
Positano - by coach / boat / train / taxi
Amalfi - by coach (we done a combined trip to Positano and Amalfi on a previous trip) / boat / taxi
Pompeii - by train, coach or taxi
Have you thought about becoming an independent home based travel agent?
If like me, you love to travel, you are your household travel agent already as you research and plan all your own trips - why not become an independent agent and open up opportunities for an additional income and more fun in your life?
Our business is booming and our worldwide count of agents is growing rapidly. I can help you get set up on your journey as an independent travel agent. No previous experience is needed, it takes 5 minutes to join and all training is provided.
Read more information on how to become a home based travel agent on my website, under the "Join the industry" tab - https://www.travellingharts.com/join-the-travel-industry
I look forward to potentially speaking with you and welcoming you into our amazing community!
Kasia x
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