Virtual event

Travel Finance Conference

    24 February 2021
    09:45-17:00
  • Venue:
    Virtual conference and training
  • View agenda
  • View Upcoming Events
past event

Event details

After a year of unprecedented change, ABTA’s annual Travel Finance Conference will return virtually in a one-day format, streamed live via a digital platform. This timely event will provide you with an essential update on all accounting, tax and regulatory issues, an update on the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement and guidance on the Governments latest COVID-19 support.

This one-day conference can be used to contribute at least five hours to your Continuing Professional Development accreditation.

About the event

This major industry event will bring together senior finance professionals from across the travel industry, along with suppliers, regulators, and experts to discuss and examine the key updates in travel finance.

With increased coverage on refunds and consumer rights, understanding your financial protection requirements is vital. Attend this conference to hear an update on ATOL, ABTA bonding and Refund Credit Notes. Speakers will also discuss changes for businesses selling in and out of the EEA following the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement.

The revised auditing standard, ISA (UK) 570 on Going Concern has been described as the biggest change to auditing standards in the last 10 years. It brings additional requirements for management to prepare a robust assessment of Going Concern, and ensure disclosures are adequate to protect directors and satisfy audit requirements. Attend to learn what has changed and how you can prepare to stand the test of auditor challenge. 

Accurate cash flow forecasting and managing short term working capital will be critical to enable travel businesses to survive and recover. This conference will see financial experts and industry leaders explore the strategies and tools available to help businesses manage in the short term and prepare for travel’s full recovery. 

The event will combine key conference sessions with practical workshops and training. Ask your questions to the experts, discuss common challenges with peers and hear from the regulators as to the changes your business needs to make to recover during 2021.

Conference sessions

  • An economic and industry update 
  • Accounting and auditor update – a focus on the revised ISA UK 570 relating to Going Concern 
  • Financial protection
  • COVID-19: Government support
  • Financing a travel business in 2021
  • Social security considerations following the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement
  • Future investment in travel
  • Consumer card payments
  • Future of finance professionals in travel

Interactive workshops

You will have the chance to attend two practical workshops and interactive surgery sessions live. All sessions will be recorded and available on demand*. 

  • IR35: What’s changing and what do you need to do?
  • Current VAT and tax issues
  • Payments - risk management best practices in travel
  • Diversity & Inclusion: Diversity Data – Better data beats more 
  • Strategic financing options in a turbulent market
  • Managing FX through uncertainty
  • Government business support *Session to be held under the Chatham House Rule and will not be available on demand
  • Insurance update 

Speakers

  • Moderator: Carolyn Watson, Director of Finance and Operations, ABTA
  • Rob Elder, Agent, Agency for Greater London, Bank of England 
  • Michael Budge, Head of Operations – Aviation & Travel: Finance & Licensing, CAA
  • Simon Bunce, Director of Legal Affairs, ABTA
  • John de Vial, Director of Membership and Financial Services, ABTA
  • Martin Alcock, Director, The Travel Trade Consultancy
  • Sue Rathmell, VAT Partner, MHA MacIntyre Hudson
  • Hamish Muress, SME Currency Strategist, OFX
  • Tim Robinson, Audit Director, RSM 
  • Dave Riley, CFO, Great Rail Journeys
  • Adam Pennyfather, Director, The Travel Trade Consultancy
  • Krystene Bousfield, Associate Solicitor, Travlaw
  • Rachel Jordan, Director of Financial Protection, ABTA
  • Helen Ramsell, Head of Finance, The Midcounties Co-operative Ltd
  • Paul Clerkin, Finance Director, The Travel Collective
  • Emma Shakespeare, Senior Associate Solicitor, Travlaw
  • Ash Sofat, CEO, Somak Holidays
  • Harry Stoakes, Corporate Finance Partner - M&A, BDO
  • Usman Malik, Corporate Finance Partner, Grant Thornton UK LLP
  • Bethan Gill, Associate Director, People Advisory, Grant Thornton UK LLP
  • Matthew Hunnybun, Head of People Services, KPMG LLP
  • Christopher Leigh, Barrister, KPMG Law, KPMG LLP
  • Daniel Stanbridge, VP, Global Credit Risk, Paysafe
  • Simon Chandramani, Director of Sales Payment Processing, Paysafe
  • Senthil Alagar, Debt Advisory & Restructuring Partner, Grant Thornton UK LLP
  • Olivier de Canson, former Group CFO, VFS Global
  • Mark Williams, Partner, Inflexion
  • Christopher McLean, Debt Advisory & Restructuring Partner, Grant Thornton UK LLP
  • Ben Haver, Advisory Manager, Grant Thornton UK LLP
  • Martin Pooley, TOMS Consultant, MHA MacIntyre Hudson
  • Glen Thomas, Tax Partner, MHA MacIntyre Hudson
  • Mike Herdman, Employer Solutions Tax Director, Grant Thornton UK LLP
  • Natalie Dindar, Paralegal, Travlaw
  • Matt Gatenby, Senior Partner & Head of Litigation, Travlaw
  • Catherine Kellaway, Director and D&I Lead, Goodman Masson
  • Peter Abbott, Global Mobility & Expatriate Tax Lead | Human Capital Advisory, MHA MacIntyre Hudson
  • Frank Bulman, Partner, RJD partners

Who should attend?

  • CEOs and directors
  • Finance directors and managers
  • Finance, audit and commercial teams.

Event prices

ABTA Members & Partners 

Individual rate - £125 plus VAT *

Business rate – £399 plus VAT * 
This rate enables you to train your whole team digitally, in a cost-effective manner. The business rate includes five digital log-ins. Up to five people can attend at any one time, and on-demand content can be shared more widely amongst your team. 

Non-Members 

Individual rate - £199 plus VAT 

Business rate – £599 plus VAT 
This rate enables you to train your whole team digitally, in a cost-effective manner. The business rate includes five digital log-ins. Five people can attend at any one time, and on-demand content can be shared more widely amongst your team. 
 

View our booking terms and conditions here.

*To qualify for the ABTA Member/Partner discount you must have a current ABTA Member/Partner number or your application must be in progress when the event takes place.
 

CPD
This one-day conference can be used to contribute at least five hours to your Continuing Professional Development
accreditation.

Event format

This year, amidst the challenges of social distancing, The Travel Finance Conference will be brought to you digitally, in a one-day format, via a custom virtual platform. The platform can be accessed via your web browser. Support and tutorials will be available before and during the event which will help you make the most of all the features available.

  • This is not a webinar. All speakers will present live and will be available for questions and discussion on the day.
  • Interactive breakout workshops for smaller groups of delegates enable you to take part in discussions led by finance experts.
  • Submit your questions in advance or during the conference.
  • View presentation slides via the platform. 
  • Network with attendees on the platform via the 1:1 chat function or arrange 1:1 video meetings, visit sponsor hubs for exclusive content, guidance and resources.
  • Watch content after the event on demand using your platform log in details. 

Sponsorship

Event partners
 

Accountancy and business advisory firm BDO LLP provides integrated advice and solutions to help businesses navigate a changing world. Our clients are Britain’s economic engine – ambitious, entrepreneurially-spirited and high-growth businesses that fuel the economy. We share our clients’ ambitions and their entrepreneurial mind-set and have the right combination of global reach, integrity and expertise to help them succeed. BDO LLP operates in 17 locations across the UK, employing nearly 5,500 people offering tax, audit and assurance, and a range of advisory services. 

KPMG LLP, a UK limited liability partnership, operates from 21 offices across the UK with approximately 17,600 partners and staff.  KPMG is a global organization of independent professional services firms providing Audit, Tax and Advisory services. It operates in 147 countries and territories and has more than 219,000 people working in member firms around the world. Each KPMG firm is a legally distinct and separate entity and describes itself as such. KPMG International Limited is a private English company limited by guarantee. KPMG International Limited and its related entities do not provide services to clients. The KPMG trademarks are the sole property of KPMG International Limited and its related entities and their use here does not imply auditing by or endorsement of KPMG International Limited, its related entities or any KPMG firms.

At MHA MacIntyre Hudson, our travel industry specialists understand the issues you are facing . We can help with the day-to-day running and strategic development of your business, helping you to plan effectively for the future.

Alongside the usual audit, accounting, tax, advisory and compliance services you would expect, we can work with you on:

•    VAT accounting – including Tour Operators’ Margin Scheme (TOMS) calculations
•    VAT compliance and tax and business advice in 145 countries around the world
•    Business planning, disposals and acquisitions
•    Employment tax issues and the engagement of workers
•    Licensing and protection support including ATOL, ABTA, IATA and TTA
 

OFX grew from the idea that there had to be a better, fairer way to move money around the world. That was over 20 years ago, and since then, over 1 million customers have trusted OFX with transfers in 55 currencies to 127 countries. They don’t just offer great rates. OFX believe real help from real people counts. That’s why their clients get the best of both worlds – a seamless digital platform, combined with 24/7 phone access to currency experts. When it comes to moving money, peace of mind is important. OFX are monitored by over 50 regulators globally and  work within a network of carefully selected banking partners. So, whether you’re sending money to friends and family abroad, or doing business across borders, OFX can get your money where it needs to go. Fast, simple, secure.
 

Paysafe is a leading specialized payments platform. Its core purpose is to enable businesses and consumers to connect and transact seamlessly. Paysafe offers global payment solutions that are specifically tailored to the world of travel. Paysafe is located in 12+ locations with over 70 payment types and 40 currencies. To learn more about Paysafe, connect with us.
 

At RSM, we have a cross-service team of experts working with travel agents and tour operators across the UK travel and tourism industry. Our services range audit, accounting and tax advice, technology implementation and risk advisory, corporate finance and restructuring and employment services and HR. With a 3,800 strong UK team and access to more than 43,000 people across the RSM global network, you can draw on the knowledge and experience of our sector specialists. Using our insight and experience we can help you navigate through the Covid-19 pandemic and what will be an ever-evolving landscape. No matter where in the world you operate, or plan to in the future, our team, active in over 120 countries, will be ready to share their insights and industry knowledge to help you move forward with confidence. 

For over 12 years, we’ve been helping travel businesses with pragmatic solutions to a range of complex problems.  We help them manage regulatory and bonding issues with ATOL, ABTA and IATA. We help them model and monitor their finances, develop business plans, raise money, and find investors.
Throughout the Covid-19 crisis, we've been providing our clients with up-to-the-minute guidance and recommendations for common issues arising around cash flow management and regulatory responsibilities. We have also supported them through several successful CBILS and furlough processes since those schemes were launched and have helped them manage their relationships with regulators, merchant acquirers, insurers and other stakeholders. 
We are assisting with their future planning by advising on a range of other areas including insurance, bonding, trust accounts, M&A and complex regulatory and financial issues. If you would like to get in touch, please drop us an email on info@thettc.co.uk, and we'd be happy to arrange a chat. 
 

ABTA Partner+ Travlaw LLP are 100% committed to serving the travel and leisure industry – from tour operators and travel agents to airlines, hotel groups, event management companies and their insurers. We pride ourselves on being one of the top travel law firms in the UK. We are a large, experienced team of highly professional yet approachable lawyers who are tried and tested specialists in advising.
 

Workshop sponsors
 

With a team of over 180 and growing every day, Goodman Masson is one of London’s specialist Finance and Technology recruitment businesses. Voted ‘The Best Recruitment Company to Work For’ in 2020, our passion for what we do is clear. Based in London, New York and Düsseldorf, we have annual revenues exceeding £42 million. This includes Qualified & Part-Qualified/Transactional Finance, Actuarial & Investment Management, Audit, Banking Operations, Compliance & Financial Crime, Front Office, Housing Development, Software Engineering, Technology, Product Control & Valuations, Product Management/ Development, Change & Transformation, Risk & Regulation, Tax and Treasury.

 

Grant Thornton UK LLP are business advisers that help organisations navigate today’s volatile markets, with a strong focus on quality and delivering insights to succeed. We are committed to working with the leisure, travel and tourism sector to ensure productivity, growth and a sustainable long-term future. We understand what you need today and what you’ll need tomorrow. And will tailor our service to get you there. In the UK we’re led by 190 partners and over 4,500 people. We can also call on a global network made up of 53,000+ people in over 135 countries. For more than 100 years, we have helped dynamic organisations realise their strategic ambitions. Whether you’re looking to finance growth, manage risk and regulation, optimise your operations or realise stakeholder value, we can help you.
 

Exhibitors
 

Direct, secure, faster payments, that give you more. 

Trusted experts, creating seamless payment experiences that feel anything but transactional. Fast. Transparent. Open. And fair. 

Making Vyne the best way for you to pay and get paid. 

WEX is a leading provider of B2B payments and has a team of specialists with in-depth knowledge and expertise in payments complexities unique to the business of travel. WEX pioneered virtual payments capabilities and continues to innovate travel payments globally across five continents, operating in more than 20 currencies. Our travel payments experts listen to your business challenges and develop solutions that let you pay suppliers more efficiently and securely. WEX works with the world’s largest travel companies and can adapt best practices to suit any business model. Based on our global reach and understanding of regional payments nuances, with WEX you will always know where travel payments are headed.

For details on how to promote your company at this event, contact Matt Turton on mturton@abta.co.uk. 

I want more information about this event

Contact us for more information about this event.
CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.