GTN's Meredith Hill Wins ASTA's 2016 Entrepreneur Award
Meredith Hill, founder of the Global Institute for Travel Entrepreneurs (GIFTE) and co-founder of Gifted Travel Network (GTN) was awarded the 2016 Entrepreneur Award by the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA) and the Dan and Gloria Bohan Foundation on Monday, September 26th at the ASTA Global Convention. The Entrepreneur Award is presented each year to an individual or company who has made a significant contribution to furthering entrepreneurship in the travel industry.
Hill began her journey in the travel industry in 2001 as a travel agent. After spending several years struggling to gain her footing, Hill realized that in order to build her dream business she really needed to invest in her entrepreneurial education. So, she looked outside the travel industry, dug deep and spent thousands of dollars educating herself on business practices and marketing strategies. It worked and her business thrived.
Still, attaining the travel business of her dreams was not enough for Hill. She felt compelled to show others to path to achieve what she had. There were plenty of industry resources available for travel agents to learn to sell travel, but no one in the industry was effectively teaching travel agents how to actually build and run their own businesses. And so, after 10 years as a travel agent, Hill founded GIFTE in 2011. Through GIFTE, Hill has coached hundreds of travel professionals to profitability by teaching marketing and business development strategies as well as entrepreneurial mindset.
While so many of her coaching clients were finding success implementing the strategies she taught, Hill repeatedly heard that they were having trouble finding a host agency that truly supported them as business owners and entrepreneurs. So Hill teamed up with Vanessa McGovern and Jennifer Cochrane to form a new host agency, GTN, in 2013. GTN was built specifically to support the travel entrepreneur, and in less than 3 years, has grown to support over 160 independent contractors—all of whom have their own businesses and brands centered around what they love.
Hill is not only passionate about showing travel professionals the path to profitability through entrepreneurship, but also aims to put the travel professional back on the radar screen of the traveling public.
“I am so incredibly grateful for Meredith’s incredible insight to lead our industry back into the limelight,” said Marion Rose, president of Elgin Travel and Cruises.
About the Global Institute for Travel Entrepreneurs
The Global Institute for Travel Entrepreneurs was founded in 2011 by Meredith Hill in response to a desperate need for support, resources and tools for the committed travel consultant. As the fastest growing industry organization dedicated to marketing education for travel professionals, GIFTE’s mission is to revolutionize the way travel advisors market and grow their businesses. GIFTE’s products and programs provide all the tools, resources and support travel professionals need to reach a whole new level of success in travel—one that includes making more money while making a difference in the lives of their clients. Learn more at www.travelbusinessu.com.
About Gifted Travel Network
Gifted Travel Network is a host agency founded on the belief that there is unlimited potential in the travel industry for travel professionals who understand the new market dynamic and employ cutting-edge marketing principles. GTN’s unique program offerings and unparalleled support help travel professionals identify their brilliance, define their niche, and implement successful business strategies so that they can make more money selling travel. To learn more about Gifted Travel Network, please visit: www.GiftedTravelNetwork.com.
