Lorraine has built a distinguished career spanning more than 30 years in the travel and media industries. She began in 1992 with the Evening Standard, where she led the Travel and Leisure Offers department. After stepping away in 1997 to start a family, she remained closely connected to the sector through consultancy projects, before co-founding UK Travel Awards Ltd in 2002. There, she launched and developed The British Travel Awards (BTAs), which grew into the UK’s largest consumer-voted travel awards programme, attracting more than half a million consumer voters annually and nominations from leading travel companies, airlines, cruise lines, tour operators, agents, hotels, car hire firms, and financial services businesses.

Her achievements have been widely recognised. In 2011, Lorraine received the Business Impact Award from the Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE), and in 2016 she was named among the “Influential Women in Travel, Tourism and Hospitality”. In 2020, she successfully managed the sale of UK Travel Awards Ltd to Park Publishing on behalf of its shareholders. Since then, Lorraine has continued to support the industry in a consultancy capacity, leveraging her extensive network and expertise in consumer marketing. She now looks forward to driving the growth of Significant Experiences Ltd alongside her fellow directors and shareholders.

Roger Allard has dedicated more than five decades to the travel industry, playing a pivotal role in shaping its growth and innovation. He twice served as a Director of ABTA and sat on the Air Travel Insolvency and Protection Advisory Committee (ATIPAC), advising the UK Civil Aviation Authority on behalf of ABTA. In addition, he continues to contribute his expertise as a board member of several non-competing travel companies.

Roger was a driving force behind the creation of Owners Abroad (later First Choice, now TUI Travel PLC), successfully overseeing its listing on the London Stock Exchange in 1982. Over the following two decades, he steered the company’s expansion and, by the time he departed as Group Managing Director in 1993, had established First Choice as a leading brand in the sector. He went on to extend his influence in aviation until 1996 and has since pursued diverse ventures across cruising, aviation, hotels, and property.

His contributions to the travel industry have been widely recognised. Roger has been inducted into the British Travel Industry Hall of Fame, honoured by both Travel Trade Gazette and Travel Weekly, and in 2012 received a Royal Warrant from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II for Hebridean Island Cruises.

Debbee Dale has worked in the travel, tourism, and hospitality industry since 1989, building a career that spans airlines, corporate travel, cruising, leisure, and hospitality, with a particular focus on people development. In 2003, she founded Debbee Dale Development, a consultancy specialising in human resources, training, and business development. The company delivers practical, results-driven solutions that help organisations enhance service quality, meet commercial objectives, and stay aligned with the realities of the workplace.

Her work has taken her to 26 countries, delivering training and consultancy across the full spectrum of the industry and achieving measurable results. She currently manages a portfolio of 24 businesses across hospitality, tour operations, cruise, transport, accommodation, media, PR, and law, supporting them in reducing attrition, improving productivity, strengthening leadership, and increasing sales. She has also been instrumental in educating the trade on ATOL, PTA, and ABTA regulations, helping businesses deliver exceptional service and grow customer loyalty.

Alongside her consultancy, Debbee has held senior industry roles including Chair of the Association of Women Travel Executives (AWTE) and Vice Chair of the Institute of Travel & Tourism (ITT) Education and Training Committee. She continues to act as a mentor to businesses and universities, advisor to several company boards, and as a moderator, speaker, and trusted HR partner at industry events.

With academic foundations in psychology, NLP, accelerated learning, and coaching, Debbee combines deep insight into people and performance with a passion for results. She is also a Dementia Champion, delivering awareness sessions for Dementia UK to broaden understanding and support across the workplace and broader community.

Rupert brings more than 40 years of experience in the travel industry, with a career spanning tour operations, sports travel, and international cruise representation. He began in 1983 with Beach Villas, where he managed its subsidiary, World of Sport Travel and Holidays. He developed golf and tennis programmes and organised annual warm-weather training camps for the GB Athletics Team as well as the England and Ireland Rugby squads.

In 1994, Rupert joined Cambridge-based Light Blue Travel to establish its tour operating division, launching successful villa and hotel programmes in Portugal, Spain, and Croatia, and creating specialist sporting holidays across Europe. He also secured an exclusive partnership with David Lloyd Leisure for tennis holidays in Portugal. Appointed Director in 1997 and later Managing Director in 2004, Rupert guided Light Blue Travel through more than 25 years of ABTA and IATA membership, with ATOL accreditation, while achieving industry recognition with consecutive British Travel Awards in 2012 and 2013.

Rupert also expanded the company’s international reach, overseeing its role as International GSA for American Queen Voyages and Victory Cruise Lines in the USA, and later as UK GSA for Nicko River Cruises in Europe. Having built an extensive network of B2B and B2C contacts throughout his career, Rupert is now focused on applying his expertise to support the growth of Significant Experiences Ltd alongside his fellow directors and shareholders.