KEY takeaways from the 2026 ITAA conference in Vila-Seca

The annual conference of the Irish Travel Agents Association has taken place in Vila-Seca, moderated by Travel Extra’s Eoghan Corry.

Ciara Clarke, Red C told delegates in her presentation, The Traveller of Tomorrow, thet Irish and global traveller behaviour is shifting fast. Two thirds of global travellers are now women. Demand is rising among female, solo and older travellers. Safety, visibility and self-navigated experiences matter more than traditional group-led tours. Seventy-one per cent of travellers say they are willing to pay more for the right experience. Eighty-three per cent still want or need an agent. Agents should not underestimate the power of reassurance and comfort. Customers are prepared to pay for expertise and peace of mind.
In a session entitled ‘Technology from Enquiry to Booking,’ Bhav Taylor of TProfile and a panel of Irish travel professionals discussed the extent to which AI and technology are transforming travel businesses but work best as enablers rather than replacements. James Coughlan stressed the importance of getting the back-end right, Peter Cullen advised training AI tools carefully so responses improve and conversion rates rise while Maura Fahy highlighted that technology should free people to focus on sales and relationships instead of burdensome admin tasks.
Sailboat captain Vincent Donnelly discussed reinventing yourself, from his own experience, such as when the supply chain comes udner pressure or circumstances change, consider becoming a supplier yourself. Be prepared to go off the traditional path of experience and create new opportunities within the industry.
During a session called ‘Would You Buy Your Own Business? With Angela Walsh, Jeff Collins and Tom Randles the panels said that buyers look first for cultural fit and a strong existing team. Attractive features include committed staff, suitable location, a complementary business mix and clean structures. Sellers can walk away from staff liabilities, leases (or become landlord), cash bonds and day-to-day pressures. Some can stay involved on a flexible basis. Warning signs include lack of leadership, poor staff attitude, cultural mismatch and owners who are not psychologically prepared.
Agnetsw considering selling their business should start preparing at least three to twelve months ahead. Get independent financial and tax advice on company structure before going to market. One size does not fit all.
A crisis management panel featured John Telford, Tejash Bhajani, Anne Dolan, Maria Gildea, Paul Hackett, Clare Docherty, Eoin Bennis suggested to delegates they should have a clear plans ready for customer, financial and cyber incidents. John Telford said a crisis is not the time to test a plan for the first time. Anne Dolan reminded delgates that package providers are not insurers of last resort. Maria Gildea aaid accurate and timely information, including a 13-week cash forecast, is essential for decision-making. Paul Hackett said that businesses do not operate in isolation form each other. Eoin Bennis told delegates that, in a crisis, the support services are available from the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Caroline Bremner gave a presentation on future-proofing travel She said AI can generate itineraries but still struggles with reliable booking and fulfilment and outlined how the travel consumer economy is becoming increasingly K-shaped with a growth at the premium end. She noted than, in developing countries, up to 80 per cent of tourism spend can leak out of local economies. Key risks include capacity constraints, overtourism backlash, climate-driven demand shifts and AI-driven disintermediation. Collaboration and shared investment in technology and people are the best mitigations. The suggested that the trade should focus on premiumisation, authentic experiences and resilience.
Soccer manager Roddy Collins gave an inspirational talk saying that business manager should :keep selling the vision to your own team. Everyone has to fit and pull together, the most talented player is no use unless he fits into the team..
Mayor Pere Segura told delegates to take the conference messages home and put them into practice.
Delegates were urged to identify concrete steps under the four pillars of Innovate, Transform, Adapt and Accelerate that agents can implement immediately in their businesses.