Marissa Papas, Connected Travel Director and CEO.
Michelle Emerton, Australian Travel Agent Cooperative CEO.
Connected Travel has aligned with the Australian Travel Agent Cooperative (ATAC) in a strategic move designed to strengthen its training-led model and support the next phase of growth for the business.
Marissa Papas, Connected Travel Director and CEO, said the partnership made sense on both a practical and philosophical level.
The cooperative’s genuinely independent structure, where every member holds equal weight with no single voice carrying more influence than another, was a key drawcard.
“What stood out for us is that ATAC is genuinely independent and built for its members,” Ms Papas said. “Here, you’re an equal shareholder. There’s no one with more clout than the next person and I love that.”
The alignment gives Connected Travel access to ATAC’s existing override structure, allowing the business to reinvest earnings back into trainers and support rather than spending years building the infrastructure independently.
Ms Papas said building that backend structure on their own would have taken years and that ATAC’s existing framework allows Connected Travel to move much faster.
Connected Travel operates a national advisor network alongside its training academy, with a focus on developing capable, business-minded travel professionals from the ground up.
The business has deliberately limited itself to two training intakes this year to avoid outgrowing its foundations, but Ms Papas said 2027 would look very different.
“With the way our training is being recognised, we’re seeing strong demand for our intakes. Looking ahead to 2027, we’ll be in a very different position,” she said.
As part of its commitment to industry standards, Connected Travel has embedded CATO Touring Training as a compulsory unit in its Connect Program, alongside the ATIA Code of Conduct and the role of CATO, ensuring advisors understand the broader ecosystem from day one.
Kellie, Connected Travel Supplier Relationships Manager (left), and Marissa Papas, Director and CEO.
As part of its membership, Connected Travel was invited to participate in ATAC’s recent three-year strategic planning session.
“To be part of those conversations and actually be heard is something you don’t normally see in a consortium,” Ms Papas said.
