NEWS AGENT ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS


Agents and agencies took home a range of honours in categories celebrating business excellence and


Award for wellbeing champion P


anache Cruises’ Anna Perrott received the Mental Health Matters Award,


sponsored by Holland America Line, at the Agent Achievement Awards last week. The cruise agency’s senior


partnerships and marketing director was hailed as a passionate advocate for mental health and wellbeing, both within her own company and the wider industry. Judges found Perrott had made


improvements to ensure all staff can access professional mental health support should they need it, as well as improving wellbeing at work for all employees. They noted how she has also


made “huge strides” for employees


with children by taking a people-first approach, which has “extended far beyond her own business”. Perrott launched Back in Time


For Bed – a support network for parents working in the travel industry – alongside Riviera Travel’s head of partnerships, Vicky Billing, in 2023. The group aims to provide a


safe space for parents to discuss challenges and successes related to work-life balance. Perrott said: “This feels incredible


– it is amazing to be recognised for wanting to help people. Improving mental health in the industry is just about talking to people, and what I think makes me stand out is the fact I don’t take myself too seriously. “I would call for employers to


Agency founder to go ‘bigger and better’


Pretty Little Holidays founder Emma Conway said she looked forward to developing her agency further after picking up the One to Watch prize in the Business Excellence Awards section. Conway, who opened her first


shop in Caerphilly in September, is set to introduce a second branch in nearby Ystrad Mynach on August 9. After picking up her award, she


Emma Conway


said: “Honestly, this makes my life, because it will drive my business even more. “I’m going to go bigger, better,


harder. The fact that Travel Weekly and the judges recognised me for this shows I’m doing something right. I only started the agency last April so to have won this award feels amazing.” She said she was “very excited”


to be embarking on retail expansion and added that she also had further ideas to boost sales. “Our next thing is we’re going


to arrange a pop-up bus to travel around the UK, and it will be like a portable office,” she said. In addition to Conway, two


agents work in the Caerphilly shop, and she also employs two homeworkers. Conway will be based in the new


shop initially, with another agent set to be recruited.


12 17 JULY 2025


From left: Stu Parish, Jacobs Media; Anna Perrott; Gemma Withers of sponsor Holland America Line and Lucy Huxley, Travel Weekly Group


work with their teams to find the support they need. “We do not live or work nine-to- five, so employers need to look for


flexibility. It should not be a separate cut-off for family and work life. Speak with your team about how everything is going for them.”


AGENCY SUPPORT TEAM MEMBER OF THE YEAR


OLIVIA BELL Dawson & Sanderson


“So much hard work has gone into it [winning the award], but we all pull together and this award isn’t just for me, it’s for the whole team. Before me, we didn’t have HR in the business, so it means everything to see the improvements we’ve made. We’re totally committed to making it a great place to work and making the staff feel supported. That’s more important than any award.”


LEISURE AGENT OF THE YEAR (HOMEWORKER OR CALL CENTRE)


JOE BIGGS


Personal Holiday Advisors/ Constant Travel


“The AAAs are the hottest event of the travel calendar, so to win this award is absolutely amazing – it’s made my year. This year has been fantastic so far. It’s been a really strong lates market and peaks was better than expected. I strive for every sale, whether it’s £10 or £1,000. Every single customer is important. You might be booking a customer to Benidorm, but the next minute you might be booking them to Barbados or Bali or the Bahamas, so you shouldn’t overlook anybody.”


travelweekly.co.uk


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