Kelly Davies, Business Services Manager at Active International, reflects on why supporting Best Workplaces in Travel matters to Active, our partners and the wider travel industry.
Active International was proud to support this year’s Best Workplaces in Travel awards, celebrating the businesses creating stronger, happier and more people-focused workplaces across the travel industry.
Travel is a hugely important part of Active’s business. From holidays and cruises to hotels, venues, events and hospitality, we work closely with organisations across the sector to help them unlock more value from their partnerships, media investment and inventory.
That is why supporting Best Workplaces in Travel matters to us. It is a chance to recognise the companies investing in their people, building stronger cultures and helping the wider travel industry move forward.
Active sponsored the Performance and Recognition Award, with Kelly Davies presenting the award on the night. Kelly attended alongside Alex Beeden, joining partners, clients and familiar faces from across the travel community.
The atmosphere really stood out. There was such a buzz in the room, with people celebrating each other’s achievements and recognising the hard work that goes into creating great places to work.
Kelly Davies, Business Services Manager, Active International UK
Celebrating an industry built on people
The awards brought together a wide range of travel businesses, all recognised for their commitment to creating workplaces where people feel supported, valued and able to grow.
For Active, that focus on people sits naturally alongside our own belief in long-term partnership. Great businesses are built by great people. In travel, that is especially true.
Whether someone is planning a holiday, booking a hotel, organising an event or managing a client relationship, the experience is shaped by the people behind it.
A best workplace is somewhere people feel they belong. It is a place where people are recognised for their contribution, supported and given opportunities to grow.
Kelly Davies
Why workplace culture matters
The evening also reinforced a wider lesson for the industry: investing in people pays off.
Strong workplace cultures do not happen by accident. They are built through leadership, recognition, development and a genuine commitment to employee wellbeing.
When people feel safe, valued and trusted, they do better work. That leads to more confident teams, stronger client relationships and better experiences for customers and partners.
For Active, this matters because partnership is at the heart of how we work. Across travel and hospitality, we help businesses think differently about value, investment and growth, creating commercial opportunities that support both our clients and our partners.
When organisations create a culture where people feel safe, valued and trusted, it leads to more confident teams, stronger relationships and a better experience for clients and partners alike.
Kelly Davies
A personal highlight from the evening
One of Kelly’s personal highlights was seeing Newmarket Holidays win three awards.
I started my career there and spent 15 years growing up with them, so I still feel very fond of the business. It was brilliant to see familiar faces recognised for all their hard work.
Kelly Davies
Proud to support the travel community
Active has worked with travel and hospitality businesses for many years, helping partners find smarter ways to fund marketing, generate new sales and make better use of inventory.
But events like Best Workplaces in Travel are also a useful reminder that commercial success and workplace culture are closely connected.
Better teams build better businesses. Better businesses create better experiences. And better experiences help the whole industry move forward.
Travel is a huge part of what we do, and it was great to spend the evening celebrating an industry I have worked in for many years.
Kelly Davies
Congratulations to all the winners and finalists, and thank you to Best Workplaces in Travel and Gail Kenny Executive Recruitment for bringing the industry together for such a brilliant evening.
At Active, we are proud to support the travel industry, proud of the partnerships we have built, and proud to celebrate the people helping the sector grow stronger.
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