I was lucky enough to spend two days at the iconic Silverstone Circuit for the 2026 ATAS Conference, surrounded by some of the biggest names in touring and adventure travel. From brilliant guest speakers and catching up with our preferred suppliers, to two fantastic evenings and even running 6km around the Silverstone track, there was so much to take away from my first conference.
One of my highlights from the two days had to be hearing from Wendy Wu, founder of Wendy Wu Tours.
We know Wendy Wu Tours well at Miles Morgan, but getting to hear from Wendy herself was something completely different. Her character and passion really filled the room and it was fascinating hearing how her company first started and grew into what it is today. I particularly loved hearing her speak about Mongolia, one of her favourite destinations, and what makes it so special to her. What really stuck with me was how she approaches a destination when creating a tour. It’s not just about visiting the famous sights. She wants her customers to become completely immersed in the country; its culture, history, food, people and everyday life. It gave me a completely different insight into just how much thought goes into creating the tours that we recommend to our customers. Mongolia may have also found itself a little higher up my travel list!
Another favourite speaker of mine was explorer, scientist, and BBC presenter Lizzie Daly. Anyone who knows me will know how much I love wildlife, and it’s actually one of the main reasons I want to visit certain countries, so I was particularly excited for this one. Lizzie spoke about sustainable travel and how wildlife experiences can be included within touring in an ethical and responsible way. Wildlife encounters can end up being some of our most memorable experiences when travelling, so learning more about how we can experience them while respecting the animals, their habitats and the destinations we are visiting was really interesting. It’s definitely something I’ll take forward when speaking to customers looking for their own wildlife adventures.
Across the two days we heard from lots of different suppliers and experts through panel discussions, covering different areas of touring and adventure travel and giving us an insight into what’s coming next. We also had the trade fair, which was a great opportunity to speak face-to-face with lots of our preferred suppliers. I got to learn more about their tours, ask questions and hear about some very exciting upcoming launches and new products. There is always something new happening in travel and I definitely came away with lots of new knowledge to share with our customers, as well as adding a few more places to my own travel wish list!
After a busy first day, it was time for A Night of Incredible Journeys. The evening certainly lived up to its name, with an Italian and Arabian-inspired menu, Bhangra dancing and entertainment throughout the night. It was a brilliant way to finish our first day and spend time with suppliers and others from across the travel industry. Our second evening was the gala dinner with Virgin Atlantic and Delta Air Lines, which was a fabulous way to bring the conference to a close.
This might just have been the most surreal part of the whole conference. Reuben’s Retreat was the charity partner for the event, and we had the opportunity to take part in a charity run around the Silverstone track. As a huge F1 fan, there was absolutely no way I was missing that even if it did come with a 6:00am wake up! Getting to run around one of my favourite places while supporting such a fantastic charity was incredibly special and definitely a memory I’ll be keeping from my first ATAS Conference.
After two packed days, I came away from Silverstone with so much more knowledge of the touring and adventure holidays we offer and plenty that I can now use when speaking to our customers. If you’re considering a touring or adventure holiday and would like some inspiration for your next trip, pop in and see me and the team at Miles Morgan Travel – Trowbridge 01225 945096 or email [email protected]
