Travel’s future leaders take a hike for charity

TTG Media’s chief executive Daniel Pearce and Routes News editor Edward Robertson will join members of the 2018 intake of the Tomorrow’s Travel Leaders 30 Under 30 programme – along with friends and colleagues from Thomas Cook, the Advantage Travel Partnership, British Airways, Flagship Consulting, Qantas Airways, Party Hard Travel and AmaWaterways – to take on the 30-mile trek from Gatwick to Heathrow.

Abta LifeLine trustees will also be joining the walk, on Sunday November 25, which will start in Horley and culminate in a celebratory reception at the American Airlines lounge at Heathrow Terminal 3 after around nine hours’ walking.

The hike follows TTG Media setting its latest 30 Under 30 intake the challenge of raising money for Abta LifeLine, which is celebrating its 30th birthday in 2018. Previous 30 Under 30 intakes have raised money for charities including Just a Drop and Guide Dogs for the Blind.

Three of the walking troop, Danielle Ives, conference and events executive at Advantage, Bradley Escorcio, product manager at Thomas Cook, and Fraser Stewart, corporate account manager at British Airways, came up with the idea for the challenge after consulting with others in the group.

Escorcio said: “It’s great to see colleagues from across the travel industry coming together to support such a fantastic cause.

“Year after year, the travel industry helps make holiday dreams come true but it’s easy to forget that things don’t always go as planned.

“I’m really proud that the TTG 30 Under 30 are doing their bit to help Abta LifeLine continue to deliver life-changing support.”

Pearce added: “Abta LifeLine is a charity close to the hearts of everyone in the industry, and I think the 30 Under 30 team has come up with a great challenge in this 30-mile walk to celebrate the 30th year of the charity.

“It’s going to be a long day, but a fantastic opportunity to get to know each other better. I’ll look forward to celebrating with a well-deserved drink once the challenge is completed – special thanks to American Airlines for supporting the event.”

Abta LifeLine director Trudie Drake said: “I am delighted that this year’s TTG 30 Under 30 team, the future of our industry, is looking to raise money for Abta LifeLine during our 30th anniversary; 30 years of helping people in our travel community.”

Follow the highs and lows of the 30 Under 30 team on the day on Twitter @TTG30u30.

Fundraising for the challenge is well under way. Visit justgiving.com/fundraising/ttg30under30 to make a donation.