London, 6 October 2022: The Advantage Travel Partnership has announced today details for its annual 2023 conference and opened registration. 

The three-night event will be hosted from Saturday 20^th to Tuesday 23^rd May 2023 at the luxury four-star Melia Villaitana in Benidorm and will welcome members and business partners from across the travel industry.  

The resort has been designed in the form of a Mediterranean village and lies between two golf courses, designed by world leading golf course designers Nicklaus Design. It boasts wonderful views of the Gran Bahia of the Costa Blanca and has a unique architectural style, replicating picturesque squares and historic corners of the region, making the hotel an innovative experience and ideal for a business conference.

Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO, Advantage Travel Partnership, said: “We have been overwhelmed by the interest we’ve had to host our 2023 conference and received attractive proposals from a selection of both long and short-haul destinations. The calibre of proposals has made it a challenging decision on where to host next year’s event. However, with the current economic backdrop, staging the event somewhere close to home, that is accessible from regional airports, yet still inspiring and of high quality is exactly what our member steering groups have told us would be the right choice for next year.  The Melia Villaitana is a beautiful resort and one that we are sure delegates will all want to experience.

“We will also be offering a range of immersive experiences for all delegates to enjoy, that will showcase everything the area has to offer. Delegates will also have the opportunity to explore the culture and gastronomy of the area, through an exciting range of activities that will form part of the conference programme, which will sit alongside relevant business and leisure travel content.”

Steven Esom, Chairman of The Advantage Travel Partnership, added: “I think Julia and the Advantage team has ‘read the room’ perfectly this year and chosen a destination that will suit members for a whole host of reasons, not least minimising costs to attend.

“Benidorm is a fantastic destination and has undergone a great deal of investment in recent years. The conference will give us all a great opportunity to see first-hand how the Spanish authorities have redeveloped this popular area of Spain. Our thanks to the Spanish Tourist Board and the regions of Valencia and Benidorm for their generous support in hosting our flagship event, and we look forward to working with them to make it a resounding success.”

Tony Mann, Managing Director of Idle Travel, said: “Its great news that next year’s conference is going to be on the Costa Blanca. Not only one of the most popular destinations for UK travellers but also easily accessible for all Advantage members and our business partners means for those who need a short time out of the office is kept to a minimum and for those who wish to extend their stay, the region has something for everyone.”

Manuel Butler, Director of the Spanish Tourist Office (UK) said: “We are delighted to bring the Advantage Travel Conference to Benidorm to showcase the true Benidorm - a dynamic compact city characterised by its tall buildings and bordered by 7km of sparkling Mediterranean coastline. In recent years, Benidorm has evolved as a destination and has invested heavily in a more efficient model of tourism sustainability. This includes the promotion of public transport and electric bikes, more efficient water management, 134km of new bike lanes and more than 9 km of extended pedestrianised areas. Likewise, the city boasts pretty palm-lined promenades and many stylish restaurants and resorts. We look forward to hosting the Advantage Travel Conference delegates and showcasing this unique destination.”

Gianni Salvadori Director of Sales Corporate and MICE UK&I and Italy continued: “On behalf of Melia Hotels International we are delighted to be taking part and hosting the Advantage Conference at Melia Villiatana, Alicante. We wish the event every success.”

Whilst the agenda and line up for the conference are still to be announced, Lo Bue-Said said that the content would be centred around collaboration, connectivity and creativity.

“Registration for members and business partners is now open, giving everyone an opportunity to plan ahead and ensure they don’t miss out on what is set to be another hugely successful event full of inspirational content and networking time with industry peers,” concluded Lo Bue-Said.  

Notes to Editors:

For further information about Advantage Travel Partnership please contact [email protected] 

About The Advantage Travel Partnership

The Advantage Travel Partnership is the UK’s largest independent travel agent partnership. Advantage leisure and business travel agents who are part of the group are each independently owned, but as a collective they produce over £4.5bn of travel sales each year, making members experts in every aspect of the travel industry.