The agency, which has branches in nearby Cowbridge and Pontyclun, and another on the coast in Mumbles near Swansea, welcomed almost 400 guests to the event on 19 April comprising new and repeat clients.
There, they were able to meet and mingle with 20 touring and cruise suppliers, and such was the "great success" of the inaugural event, Sam Smith Travel has already rebooked the venue for next year.
Sales and commercial manager Suzanne Cumpston told TTG the event delivered a direct and immediate commercial boost for the agency, with multiple bookings taken on the day and more "in the pipeline".
"Business is up year-on-year and we know that’s a direct result of the event," she said. "It was a massive effort, but definitely worth it."
Approximately 400 consumers attended the event, held at Hensol Castle in Wales (Credit: Hensol Castle)
The event, which ran from 11am to 3pm, featured suppliers including Wendy Wu Tours, Riviera Travel, AmaWaterways, Silversea, Newmarket Holidays and Titan Travel, who presented to guests and offered exclusive promotions.
Cumpston described the event as the agency’s "most ambitious" to date, stressing scale had been key to its impact, with the business effectively taking over the castle for the day.
"We were punching high; –and why not?" she said, adding filling such a "large and prestigious" venue had been a point of pride for the team.
Despite the scale of the undertaking, Cumpston said she felt confident ahead of the big event. "We’d worked so hard that I wasn’t nervous on the day – just really excited," she said.
The event was blessed by what Cumpston described as uncharacteristically good weather for a South Walian spring. "There were blue skies and sunshine, which made a huge difference to the turnout and the vibe of the day," she said.
'It was the best trade-consumer event they had attended'
Alongside supplier stands and offers, the event featured performances from the Cowbridge Male Voice Choir, a £500 travel voucher prize draw and fundraising efforts for Welsh causes, with proceeds set to be split between Velindre Cancer Centre and the MND Foundation.
Cumpston said feedback from suppliers had been equally strong, with several describing it as the "best trade-facing consumer event" they had attended.
"Operators praised how it was professionally organised, well-structured and, most importantly, full of people genuinely interested in their products," she added.
Feedback from suppliers was strong, with several describing it as the 'best trade-facing consumer event' they had attended (Credit: Sam Smith Travel)
The agency drove attendance through a multi-channel marketing campaign spanning social media, local magazine advertising, leaflet drops and in-store promotion, helping attract both new and repeat customers.
Cumpston argued the turnout, venue scale and supplier participation justified its claim as the largest cruise and touring event of its kind in Wales.
"This was our most ambitious event yet, and it’s set the benchmark for what we’ll do next," she said. "We had 20 operators this year and, next year, we may invite a few more!"
