Agent Janet Mactavish on staying creative during the crisis

Watching a webinar featuring British singer Seal and starting a vegan guide for hoteliers are just two of the unusual pursuits Janet Mactavish has been engaging in since bookings started drying up due to the Covid-19 crisis.

She has been running her business, Janet Mactavish Travel Designer for 10 years, but for the past three has also focused on organising luxury training retreats. She would usually organise four a five a year, covering anything from business coaching, to yoga or painting, with a maximum of 25 people per retreat.

Having a pause on bookings has allowed her to hone a guide she had written to help personal assistants and coaches understand how to organise the retreats as well.

“Not everyone can afford the services of a planner like me for their retreat but I wanted to be able to share some knowledge, as there are different levels of coaches and venues out there,” she says, adding the guides could just as easily work for a travel consultant who wants to offer retreat organising too.

“There is a lot to think about, but much of it involves skills that agents already have in terms of organisation and knowledge, and having spoken to all the coaches that I’m connected with, it looks like these will only be in even higher demand once the Covid-19 crisis eases,” she says.

She has made a brief download about retreat planning that’s available for free on her website (janetmactavish.travel), while a full "blueprint" How to Organise a Luxury Retreat is available for sale (£90), as is a shorter Ten Ways to Make More Money From Your Retreat (£30).

Her optimism permeates in other areas too, having made sure her private Facebook group, Luxury Travel Talk, which she set up in November, is now a “Covid-free zone”, as it strives to offer plenty of inspiration for those dreaming of travelling again. And it’s growing steadily, with more than 300 members.