Travel Counsellors Wins King’s Award for Enterprise 2026 for Innovation

Travel Counsellors receives King’s Award for Enterprise 2026

By Martin Wright of Travel Counsellors

I’m delighted to share the news that Travel Counsellors has been awarded a King’s Award for Enterprise 2026 in Innovation.

With only 185 organisations across the UK recognised this year, it is one of the most prestigious and respected accolades a British business can receive. Travel Counsellors was also the only company within the UK travel and tourism sector to receive the award this year, making the recognition even more special.

It is also the fourth time Travel Counsellors has achieved this honour, having previously received Queen’s Awards for Innovation and International Trade – recognition of a long-term commitment to raising standards within the travel industry and delivering exceptional customer care.

Running my own business as part of Travel Counsellors, this award matters to me because it reflects the values that shape the way I work with my clients every day:

• Care – putting customers at the centre of everything
• Trust – building long-term relationships through honest and expert advice
• Support – being there when plans change unexpectedly
• Personal service – taking the time to properly understand every client and tailor each trip around them

Many of you know me as ‘the travel person in the room’, but behind me is a global travel business with award-winning technology, industry-leading financial protection and trusted supplier partnerships around the world. That combination allows me to offer both genuinely personal service and the reassurance of a highly respected international travel company behind the scenes.

High-tech, high-touch

What I particularly love about Travel Counsellors is that we never see technology as a replacement for people. Instead, we use proprietary systems and AI-powered tools to enhance the customer experience – making travel smoother, more responsive and better supported, while still keeping human relationships at the heart of everything we do.

It is one of the reasons Travel Counsellors is so highly regarded in both leisure travel and corporate travel management.

The King’s Award recognised innovation, but for me innovation only matters when it genuinely improves the client experience. That means fewer frustrations, faster solutions, better communication and reassurance when things don’t go to plan.

That came sharply into focus last weekend when two of my clients, travelling through South-East Asia on a tailor-made holiday, had a major change to their itinerary. While they were travelling overnight by rail in Malaysia, the airline unexpectedly moved their onward flight to Sumatra by 24 hours – a change that would have potentially impacted the remainder of their trip.

Before the clients were even aware of the issue, I had cancelled the affected flight, secured alternative arrangements – all at no additional cost, re-aligned their onward transfers and uploaded the revised itinerary directly to the client’s Travel Counsellors app.

Everything was resolved while they slept – without any disruption to their trip, or the stress of spending hours online or trying to contact a call centre from overseas.

For me, that is what this award really represents. Not innovation for the sake of headlines, but innovation backed by genuine care – quietly working in the background to support people properly when it matters most.

As your Travel Counsellor within Cotswolds Networking, my aim has always been to become a trusted travel contact not only for you, but also for your families, friends, colleagues and wider networks. Recommendations and word of mouth mean everything in both travel and networking, so I never take that trust for granted.

Thank you to everyone in Cotswolds Networking who has supported me, referred me or trusted me with your travel plans so far. Your support genuinely means a great deal.

And of course, if you are planning a holiday, business trip, honeymoon, cruise or simply want a second opinion on something you have found online, I am always happy to have an informal chat and share ideas – with absolutely no obligation.

Receiving a King’s Award is a proud moment for Travel Counsellors, but for me it is most meaningful because it reflects the kind of service, support and care I strive to deliver to every client, every day.

About the Author

Martin Wright is an independent Travel Counsellor based in the Cotswolds, specialising in family and tailor‑made holidays, and business travel management. As a member of Cotswold Networking, he works closely with local professionals and business owners, offering a highly personal, concierge‑style travel service with the backing of a King’s Award‑winning UK travel company.