There are conferences, and then there are TravelManagers conferences. The sort of gatherings where fluorescent-lit ballrooms are traded for sea breezes, where inspiration flows as freely as the cocktails at sunset, and where over 500 personal travel managers (PTMs), partners, media and head office staff came to Bali’s Nusa Dua last week with one simple word in mind: Clarity.

In the best Balinese tradition, clarity arrived not in a cold corporate handbook but in laughter, tears, keynote goosebumps, and even a brave haircut on stage.

Cutting Through the Noise – Literally

Executive General Manager Michael Gazal reminded the assembled crowd of last year’s theme, Working Smarter. “That laid the groundwork,” he explained with his trademark calm, “but this year was about empowering our people to sharpen those efficiencies — to cut through the noise, define their goals and focus their energy.”

And while Gazal’s metaphor was neat, one of his team turned it into something literal. Step forward, Georgia Thomas, who cheerfully parted with her hair in front of hundreds, donating it to charity and raising a jaw-dropping $8,296 for Variety’s ‘Hair with Heart’. The audience cheered, teared up, and snapped away with phones, proof that clarity sometimes means letting go of what you don’t need, even if it’s your ponytail.

Brains, Behaviour and Balinese Breezes

If ever there was a speaker to keep delegates awake after a buffet lunch, it was Milo Wilkinson. A behavioural scientist and futurist — billed as a “trailblazer in behavioural prediction” — she took the audience on a whirlwind tour of human quirks, leadership under pressure, and why people do what they do when they’d rather be doing the opposite. Judging by the thoughtful nods and feverish note-taking, Wilkinson had clearly cracked open a few PTM patterns on the spot.

Stories with Soul

It wasn’t just the visiting stars who held the spotlight. PTMs Danielle Goncalves, Stacey Farnham, Dom Bellissimo, Tanya Nielsen and Maddy Pullen bared their souls in equal parts heartfelt and hilarious sessions. The point was clear: clarity comes when real people share real stories, not just PowerPoint slides.

From Paintbrushes to Kindness

One humid morning, PTMs ditched the air-conditioned ballroom to roll up their sleeves at a local Nusa Dua school. They transformed classrooms and gardens with spades, brushes, and buckets, proving that the travel industry can change more than itineraries. The children’s smiles said it all, and one suspects the PTMs went home with more than just souvenirs.

The emotional crescendo came with the closing keynote, Kath Koschel, 2024 NSW Australian of the Year and founder of The Kindness Factory. Her story of injury, recovery, and radical kindness was less “corporate workshop” and more “life epiphany.” One could almost hear the collective re-evaluation of what really counts in life and business.

Tasmania Beckons

As the conference drew to a close, Gazal dropped the destination for 2026. Forget another tropical island this time it’s Hobart. With its wineries, wilderness and a cultural scene that rivals capitals ten times its size, the Tasmanian capital promises a conference backdrop as bold as MONA and as crisp as a glass of local pinot.

Beyond the Brochure

What shone brightest in Bali wasn’t the chandeliers or the tropical décor. The clarity emerged from community, courage and a shared belief in the power of travel to change lives.

Because at its core, TravelManagers’ conference isn’t just about training or targets. It’s about remembering why PTMs do what they do: not to fill diaries with bookings, but to fill lives with experiences. In Bali, under that generous island sky, they found their compass again. And judging by the mood in the departures lounge, they’re heading home with far more than tan lines.

By Sandra Jones

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