Newmarket, Ponant, Explore: this week's travel trade people moves

Ponant business development manager Danny Giles has left the luxury and expedition cruise line after more than two-and-a-half years. Anthony Daniels, who joined Ponant as its UK and Ireland general manager in May after nine years with Hurtigruten, said he was reviewing the line's business needs and would announce plans "in due course". "We wish him [Giles] well on his next endeavour and thank him for his dedication and professionalism," Daniels added. Giles said would embark on a new adventure after "a few months of garden leave". He has previously worked for Silversea, Hurtigruten and Balkan Holidays.

Domes Resorts has appointed JTA Travel senior regional sales manager Zoe Holt its new business development for the north of the UK. Holt, who took up her new role on Monday (12 August), will report to senior sales, marketing and development manager, Penny Naoum. Domes said Holt brought a "deep understanding" of the market and an "extensive network of invaluable contacts". "This is a great opportunity for me to promote the Domes Resorts brand to old and new contacts through our valuable trade partners," said Holt. Naoum said Holt was a perfect fit for the band and would be crucial in strengthening Domes' ties with the trade.

Explore Worldwide has promoted head of product Rachael Stone (pictured) to the role of product director, with Carmel Hendry (pictured right) stepping up from her role as Americas programme manager to replace Stone. Stone's promotion sees her join Explore's senior leadership team. She has 20 years' industry experience, including 15 in the small group adventure travel sector. Hendry, meanwhile, has been with Explore for eight years. In her new role, she will take on a global product brief. She is also vice-chair of the Latin American Travel Association. Explore managing director Michael Edwards said the brand's product team had never been stronger with Stone and Hendry in their new positions.

Jabr Al-Azeeby has taken over from Richard Jewsbury as Emirates' divisional vice-president in the UK. Al-Azeeby has worked for Emirates for more than 15 years, and previously served as VP for India and Pakistan, as well as VP of commercial operations in Saudi Arabia. He will be based in London and will report into Thierry Aucoc, Emirates' senior vice-president commercial operations Europe. It comes after Jewsbury, who has been with Emirates for nearly 20 years, took up a new Dubai-based role earlier this year as the airline's executive vice-president of corporate and customer experience planning. He headed up operations in the UK for six years.

United Parks & Resorts’ UK and Ireland lead, Dave Ody, has left the group, along with the rest of his team. Ody, who has been with UP&R for more than 15 years, said he and his team were looking for new opportunities, citing changes in the way United runs its UK and Ireland source market, starting next year.  "United Parks & Resorts have decided to take a different direction to manage the UK and Irish source markets for 2025," said Ody, who added one of his priorities was to help his "brilliant team" write their next career chapters. United Parks told TTG it had decided to have "most direct involvement" with partners in its UK and Irish markets.

Turkey's SunExpress has named James Harrison as its new country sales manager for the UK and Ireland. Harrison brings nearly 30 years' industry experience to his new role with the Lufthansa-Turkish Airlines joint venture, including a sales manager brief with British Airways. He went on to serve as Etihad's general manager UK and Ireland from 2015 to 2021. In his new role, he will work alongside SunExpress's GSA in the UK and Ireland, Aviareps, of which he is a previous head of aviation. SunExpress head of sales Tobias Bracht said Harrison's "long-standing airline experience and proven track record" would be vital to supporting the carrier's growth in its "fast-growing market" UK and Ireland market.

The Travel Department UK has recruited a new trade sales account manager for Scotland and Northern Ireland to capitalise on what chief executive James Coughlan described as "astonishing growth" with agents after launching in the UK 18 months ago. Lucy Park joins from The Travel Chapter, where she was head of business development. She will report into UK general manager Stephen Mills and is tasked with growing trade revenue and recruiting new partners. Mills said with agent sales "already noticeably ahead of 2024 forward bookings, [Park] couldn't have joined at a better time".

Tui Airways' UK director and accountable manager, Natalie Bush, will join UK regional carrier Loganair later this year. Bush, a former Royal Navy warfare officer and commercial airline pilot, will join Loganair as chief operating officer and accountable manager in December, reporting to Loganair chief executive Luke Farajallah. She will also join the carrier's executive committee and its safety review committee. Following her navy career, Bush flew BAE146, Embraer 195 and Q400 aircraft for Flybe, and later became its director of safety and security. She will lead on all operational and service delivery areas, including pilot, cabin crew and airport workforce groups, as well as industrial relations.

Playa Hotels & Resorts has appointed Silvia Catena its new commercial director for the UK and Ireland, working closely with commercial manager UK and Ireland, Lucy Abdul. Catena's key focuses will include maintaining and improving partner relationships, and ensuring key partners are fully trained on the brand's product – including visiting select Playa properties to keep their knowledge fresh. She has previously worked with TripAdvisor in the UK, and for Cara Hotel Marketing, where she managed a portfolio of more than 70 hotels in the Caribbean for the UK and European markets.

Italy's Starhotels has opened a new global sales office in the UK, which it says will serve as a hub for business development across the UK and northern Europe. Romano Campione, Starhotels' London-based cluster director of sales and marketing, has been appointed head of the brand's new UK and northern European global sales office. Starhotels said it experts his expertise in establishing new relationships "to significantly expand" its portfolio of customers in the UK and northern Europe. Antonio Ducceschi, Starhotels' chief commercial officer, said the brand saw the UK as a market "with significant growth potential".