Travel Talks
Join our FREE Talking Travel sessions and photography masterclass. Our expert speakers will give you unique insight into their experiences and take you on fascinating and memorable journeys to inspire your next trip.
Spaces are subject to availability on the day and and will be offered on a first-come first-served basis.
saturday
21st february 2026
10:30 - 11:00
Cruising with a difference
Cruising: exploring the parts of the globe best accessed by water! With ships varying in size, style, and amenities, our experts will talk you through the options. Whether you’re looking for the thrill of an adventure on a mega-ship equipped with the latest in entertainment and leisure or seeking the tranquillity of an intimate vessel with a refined atmosphere, there’s a ship out there for you.
Andrew Morris - Small Cruise Ship Collection
Max Campos - Aqua Expeditions
Mark Cummings
Mark is a multiple award-winning BBC radio presenter, journalist and writer and has been broadcasting for over 40 years. He’s presented several “West Country” travel series for BBC Points West and writes a monthly column for Cotswold Life which has been running since 2005. Mark presented the BBC Radio Gloucestershire Breakfast Show for 18 years.
Mark first book, Glorious Gloucestershire, is a love letter to the county he knows so well, full of fascinating gems about Gloucestershire for tourists and locals alike. Mark sold out at The Gloucester History Festival and Stroud Book Festival this year and was moved from the Pillar Room to the Forum at The Cheltenham Literature Festival due to popular demand for tickets.
Mark lives in the South Cotswolds with his wife, Jo. They have two grown up daughters, Kate and Ali. Having travelled extensively as a backpacker, now as an empty nester, Mark’s writing includes travel features reflecting his love of adventure. As a keen walker, cyclist and campervan owner he shares his experiences in his unique style.
In 2023 Mark was the recipient of the “Outstanding Contribution to the Community Across Gloucestershire” Gloucestershire Live Business Award. He is a season ticket holder for Gloucester Rugby Club, an honorary member of The Gloucester Civic Trust and former Mock Mayor of Barton (a fun, non-political role dating back to the English Civil War).
11:05 - 11:35
Exploring Asia's North: History, Culture & Adventure
North Asia encompassing Japan, China, South Korea and Taiwan offer a vast tapestry of experiences, blending ancient history, culture, with hyper-modern cities and deep traditions. Our panel explore options and advice for planning your trip to Northern Asia.
Paul Christie - Walk Japan
Paul is the CEO at Walk Japan.
Paul’s varied career includes working as an analyst for Japan’s principal business newspaper, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun, as the managing director of the Japanese subsidiary of a British 500 FTSE company and as a freelance news and documentary producer and director for NHK and Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS), respectively Japan's public broadcaster and major national commercial television company.
In 2002, a long-held yearning for rural life led him to a quiet village on the Kunisaki Peninsula in Kyushu, where he and his wife began raising their family of four sons. From this rural outpost he also took a central role developing Walk Japan's tour business and expanding his interests in country life. Since then, both of these have grown successfully, the latter into Walk Japan's Community Project, which is a wide-ranging endeavour to reverse the decline of a rural community and provide it with a sustainable and viable future.
Mark Cummings
Mark is a multiple award-winning BBC radio presenter, journalist and writer and has been broadcasting for over 40 years. He’s presented several “West Country” travel series for BBC Points West and writes a monthly column for Cotswold Life which has been running since 2005. Mark presented the BBC Radio Gloucestershire Breakfast Show for 18 years.
Mark first book, Glorious Gloucestershire, is a love letter to the county he knows so well, full of fascinating gems about Gloucestershire for tourists and locals alike. Mark sold out at The Gloucester History Festival and Stroud Book Festival this year and was moved from the Pillar Room to the Forum at The Cheltenham Literature Festival due to popular demand for tickets.
Mark lives in the South Cotswolds with his wife, Jo. They have two grown up daughters, Kate and Ali. Having travelled extensively as a backpacker, now as an empty nester, Mark’s writing includes travel features reflecting his love of adventure. As a keen walker, cyclist and campervan owner he shares his experiences in his unique style.
In 2023 Mark was the recipient of the “Outstanding Contribution to the Community Across Gloucestershire” Gloucestershire Live Business Award. He is a season ticket holder for Gloucester Rugby Club, an honorary member of The Gloucester Civic Trust and former Mock Mayor of Barton (a fun, non-political role dating back to the English Civil War).
11:40 - 12:10
The Real America: Untold Stories
Our panel invites you to explore the USA with fresh eyes. They will share some of America’s iconic destinations and hidden gems, connecting you with the people, stories, and natural wonders that make the U.S. a truly unique and welcoming destination for all.
Carolyn Boyd - Author | Travel & Food Writer
Carolyn Boyd is an award-winning British travel and food writer who specialises in France, writing for a wide variety of publications including The Times, The Guardian, National Geographic Traveller, and Delicious Magazine. She is the author Amuse Bouche: How to Eat Your Way Around France, a collection of food stories that help you understand the country’s history, culture and traditions as you devour its best dishes and flavours. Carolyn is also Communications Manager of the Roux Scholarship, the UK's most prestigious chef competition. She has lived in Cheltenham for 18 years, having first moved to the town to take up the role of Editor of France Magazine, which she did from 2006 to 2016.
12:15 - 12:45
POLE-TO-POLE - ARTIC TO ANTARCTICA
How to choose between these two Poles? Our panel discuss the different experiences, from the wildlife you’ll see, the adventure activities on offer, the history, through to accessibility and the logistics involved in organising your perfect trip these vast wildernesses.
Sunita Ramanand - Trotting Soles
Sunita Ramanand's passion for travel started from a very young age. Her father’s army career took the family to far-flung places around India. Weekends and holidays were spent exploring places in those regions, meeting local people and gaining an insight into local customs of the country’s constituent states.
A self-professed proud nomad, she gave up her legal career to move into the world of travel and spent over 16 years working for well-known tours operators in the UK. During her time in the industry, she realised that there is a growing number of travellers who seek transformational experiences on their travels.
And it was with this idea of working together with like-minded travellers, who are eager to push the boundaries of conventional travel, that Trotting Soles Travel was born.
Lizette Castillo-Nunez - Antarctica21
A seasoned travel professional with 25+ years of experience, Lizette fosters strong partnerships across EMEA, promoting Antarctica21’s exclusive air-cruise adventures.
12:50 - 13:20
unlocking Europe, Turkey & Morocco's Hidden Gems
From the sun-drenched coasts of Italy to the vibrant markets of Morocco, our panel will to share how to truly travel and explore our closest neighbours, not just visit.
Hilary Bradt
Hilary Bradt’s career as an occupational therapist ended when potential employers noticed that the time taken off for travel exceeded the periods of employment. In 1963, she hitch-hiked to and around the Middle East. In 1969, she spent six months travelling from San Francisco to Rio de Janeiro. With her former husband George, she self-published her first guidebook in 1974 during an extended journey throughout South America, thus founding Bradt Travel Guides. Travels in Africa in 1974-77 resulted in a backpacking guide to Africa, followed by four more to South America. By 1980, she was established as a publisher, winning IPG/Sunday Times Small Publisher of the Year that decade. For the first 25 years she combined writing guide books and running the company with leading adventure and natural history tours to South America, Africa and Madagascar. Her contributions to tourism have resulted in an MBE among other major awards.
Byron Shirto
Festival Director
Byron Shirto
Byron worked for leading luxury Tour Operator, Abercrombie & Kent, for over 10 years, before setting up Tailormade Inspiration, a marketing and communications agency, in 2009. Byron served on the board and as Chairman of the Latin American Travel Association (LATA) for over 8 years. He has created and launched three successful large-scale trade B2B events in the last 10 years (LATA Expo, Experience Africa and Brand USA Travel Week). In 2022, he launched Inspire Global, a worldwide community promoting positive impact tourism. In 2023, he launched the Inspire Global Media Awards, celebrating positive impact storytelling, and in the same year, The Travel Festivals, the #1 series of travel festivals in the U.K.
13:25 - 13:55
ideas for your next Latin America adventure
Having navigated everything from bustling markets in Mexico City to the glacial landscapes of Patagonia, our panel of seasoned Latin American explorers will share practical tips and inspiring stories to help you unlock the magic and responsible travel opportunities in this captivating continent.
Jarrod Kyte - Steppes Travel
14:00 - 14:30
Join our panel as they share their lifelong passion for Africa, a continent that’s captured hearts for centuries. From the thrill of a first safari to discovering hidden villages, we believe Africa isn’t just a destination, but a profound, life-altering experience. Get ready to explore golden savannas, vibrant cultures, and landscapes that redefine ‘breathtaking,’ and discover why Africa stays with you long after you’ve left.
Mark Cummings
Mark is a multiple award-winning BBC radio presenter, journalist and writer and has been broadcasting for over 40 years. He’s presented several “West Country” travel series for BBC Points West and writes a monthly column for Cotswold Life which has been running since 2005. Mark presented the BBC Radio Gloucestershire Breakfast Show for 18 years.
Mark first book, Glorious Gloucestershire, is a love letter to the county he knows so well, full of fascinating gems about Gloucestershire for tourists and locals alike. Mark sold out at The Gloucester History Festival and Stroud Book Festival this year and was moved from the Pillar Room to the Forum at The Cheltenham Literature Festival due to popular demand for tickets.
Mark lives in the South Cotswolds with his wife, Jo. They have two grown up daughters, Kate and Ali. Having travelled extensively as a backpacker, now as an empty nester, Mark’s writing includes travel features reflecting his love of adventure. As a keen walker, cyclist and campervan owner he shares his experiences in his unique style.
In 2023 Mark was the recipient of the “Outstanding Contribution to the Community Across Gloucestershire” Gloucestershire Live Business Award. He is a season ticket holder for Gloucester Rugby Club, an honorary member of The Gloucester Civic Trust and former Mock Mayor of Barton (a fun, non-political role dating back to the English Civil War).
14:35 - 15:05
where to holiday in 2026
A shift to the north, relaxed visa regulations, and new routes by planes, trains, boats, bikes and even balloons make 2026 the most exciting for travel in years. Our experts highlight the new trips that should be on your radar for the coming year.
Jarrod Kyte - Steppes Travel
Alex Robinson - Author & Photographer
Alex Robinson is a prize-winning photographer, videographer and writer with among other awards a National Magazine Award in the United States, the magazine equivalent of a Grammy. He writes regularly for the leading travel publications, including JRNY, Sunday Times, Independent and Wanderlust, specialising on Latin America, South East Asia and Portugal. He is the author of more than fifteen travel books and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. In 2025 he will lead group trips on the Mekong and Amazon Rivers where participants will have the chance to hone their writing and photography skills as well as learn about the regions.
Byron Shirto
Festival Director
Byron Shirto
Byron worked for leading luxury Tour Operator, Abercrombie & Kent, for over 10 years, before setting up Tailormade Inspiration, a marketing and communications agency, in 2009. Byron served on the board and as Chairman of the Latin American Travel Association (LATA) for over 8 years. He has created and launched three successful large-scale trade B2B events in the last 10 years (LATA Expo, Experience Africa and Brand USA Travel Week). In 2022, he launched Inspire Global, a worldwide community promoting positive impact tourism. In 2023, he launched the Inspire Global Media Awards, celebrating positive impact storytelling, and in the same year, The Travel Festivals, the #1 series of travel festivals in the U.K.
15:10 - 15:40
travel photography masterclass
The 30-minute masterclass is aimed at beginner- and intermediate-level travel photographers, providing invaluable advice on all aspects of the craft. Whether you’re shooting with a smartphone or professional kit, this introduction session explores how to travel better as a photographer, what and how to photograph, and simple ways to improve quality.
Kav Dadfar - JRNY Travel Magazine
Kav is the co-founder of the award-winning JRNY Travel Magazine. As a writer and photographer, over the years his images have appeared in publications around the world including JRNY, Condé Nast, National Geographic, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, Daily Mail, The Express, The Guardian and many more.