ATAS Summit 2026 speakers

CEO & Owner, Newmarket Holidays

Niel Alobaidi is Chief Executive Officer and part owner at the award-winning escorted tour operator Newmarket Holidays. Joining the company in 2019, Niel is an accomplished business leader who has been working in the travel industry for over 23 years. He joined Newmarket Holidays following nearly five years as Managing Director of Emirates Holidays, heading up source markets across Europe, the UK and Ireland. Prior to that, Niel held senior leadership roles at TUI Travel and First Choice Travel & Cruise. In addition, he is a member of the executive board for ATAS and the advisory board for the University of Surrey School of Hospitality & Tourism Management.

Head of Sales and Commercial, Designer Travel

Head of Sales and Commercial at Designer Travel, with 32 years of experience in the travel industry. Started as a 16-year-old apprentice in retail working with various well-known players in travel, progressing to his current role at the UK’s largest luxury homeworking agency.

Head of Business Development, Travelzoo

Sam Conway is Head of Business Development at Travelzoo, the club for travel enthusiasts that publishes exclusive travel, hotel and lifestyle offers for its 30 million global members. Sam oversees global relationships with cruise brands and tour operators, driving their marketing and growth plans both in the UK and beyond.

Chief Customer Officer, Newmarket Holidays

Ian Dines is Chief Customer Officer at Newmarket Holidays, where he leads customer experience, contact centre operations, in-resort service delivery, and crisis management across the business. With a career spanning senior CX leadership roles at organisations including TUI and Emirates, Ian brings a rare combination of operational depth and strategic breadth to the touring sector. He currently chairs the ATAS Customer Operations Working Group, working collaboratively across the industry on shared best practice in areas including border policy, airspace disruption, and customer service standards.

Non-Exec Chairman, Travel Solutions Network, Neural River, Travel Voice and Lifes Echo

Steve Endacott is a serial entrepreneur, investor and former travel industry executive. He is Non-Executive Chairman of Travel Solutions Network, Neural River, Travel Voice and Lifes Echo, and founder of the Electric Car Organisation. Following successful exits from Holiday Taxis and Rock Insurance, Steve has focused on AI ventures, startup investment and innovation. He also gained national attention as "AI Steve" during his campaign to become the UK’s first AI Member of Parliament. His corporate career included senior leadership roles at International Leisure Group and MyTravel Plc.

Managing Partner & Global Travel Practice Leader, FINN Partners

Debbie Flynn has over 40 years of experience in travel and tourism. She founded and scaled Brighter PR over 23 years before its acquisition by FINN Partners in 2018. She advises destinations and travel clients across the global travel ecosystem, including long-standing work with Jordan, Intrepid Travel, Belize, Atlantic Canada and Iceland. Debbie specialises in destination storytelling, sustainable tourism and crisis communications and holds several advisory and trustee roles across the travel sector.

Founder, Adore Holidays

Ian Gilder has worked in the travel industry for 27 years and is a multi-award-winning travel expert specialising in holidays, cruises and customer experience. Having sailed on more than 135 cruises and travelled extensively worldwide, Ian brings genuine first-hand insight to the industry. As founder of Adore Holidays and a former Sky TV travel contributor, he is passionate about helping people travel better and making the industry more accessible, transparent and customer-focused.

Managing Director, Tourism Economics EMEA.

Dave Goodger leads Oxford Economics’ work in tourism forecasting and economic impact analysis as Managing Director of Tourism Economics EMEA. With over 25 years of experience, he manages forecasting for global leisure and business travel flows across 185 countries and more than 300 cities. He also leads work exploring the impacts of major events, tourism development and destination investment, and regularly presents on the outlook, opportunities and risks facing the tourism sector.

Andy helped set up Adido, a travel specialist digital marketing agency in 2003. The Adido team helps leading travel brands build websites and marketing campaigns that deliver sales and increase the value of businesses they work with. Andy has a vast knowledge of all areas of digital marketing and is a regular writer, contributor and presenter on all areas of digital. His specialist topics include AI, search marketing, data & analytics, future innovations and travel & tourism marketing. He has presented at dozens of travel events on behalf of organisations such as ABTA, Advantage, AITO, TTG, TTNG, CLIA and many others. In 2026, Andy released his first book ’Digital Marketing for Travel Brands’ via international publishing house Kogan Page.

Director of Public Affairs, ABTA

Responsible for:

• Government relations
• Policy development

Luke leads ABTA’s public affairs agenda in the UK and Europe and can assist with member and industry enquiries relating to policy and public affairs. The team also leads on aviation matters, including issues relating to IATA and airports.

Favourite travel destinations: Dinklage, Germany, and Seville, Spain.

Co-Owner, Travel Chaps

Ashley Phillips lives and breathes all things touring and adventure. Winner of the TTG Touring & Adventure Expert of the Year 2025 and ATAS One to Watch in Touring & Adventure 2025, Ashley has helped Travel Chaps become one of the most recognisable specialist touring brands in the UK. The business focuses on touring, adventure and expedition travel, combining social media influence with deep product expertise and a loyal client base built around the promise of "Honest Fabulous Holidays."

Operations & Business Transformation Director

An accomplished Operations & Business Transformation Director with more than 30 years’ experience across B2B and B2C travel businesses. Kathryn is recognised for delivering operational excellence, leading transformation programmes and optimising customer experience. She has extensive expertise in touring product development, 

An accomplished Operations & Business Transformation Director with more than 30 years’ experience across B2B and B2C travel businesses. Kathryn is recognised for delivering operational excellence, leading transformation programmes and optimising customer experience. She has extensive expertise in touring product development, supplier management and in-destination operations, alongside significant experience in crisis management and business leadership.