What does Select Representation do?
Select Representation is a travel trade sales and marketing representation company for hotels, resorts, villas, and destination management companies (DMCs). We act as an extension of our clients’ own sales and marketing teams, handling face-to-face sales calls, tour operator and travel agent relationships, contracting, marketing strategy, trade show representation, and reporting — so hotels and DMCs can grow business in markets where they don’t have their own on-the-ground presence.
Which source markets does Select Representation cover?
We represent our clients across the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Scandinavia (Norway, Denmark, Finland, and Sweden), with additional coverage of Iceland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland. Our team is based in the UK, near London, giving us direct, on-the-ground access to the UK travel trade.
Which countries does Select Representation represent?
We represent hotels, resorts, and DMCs based in Asia, the Indian Ocean, Africa, and the Indian Subcontinent. Our current portfolio includes properties and DMCs in Indonesia, Thailand, the Maldives, the Seychelles, India, Vietnam, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, South Korea, and Cambodia.
What is hotel sales representation, and how does it differ from marketing representation?
Sales representation means having a dedicated, in-market team making regular face-to-face calls to tour operators and travel agents, negotiating and contracting on your behalf, and managing day-to-day trade relationships in a market you don’t have your own office in. Marketing representation covers the strategic side — campaign planning, sharpening your unique selling points, securing brochure and OTA placement, and reviewing your website and marketing materials. Select Representation provides both as a combined, cost-effective service, rather than requiring clients to hire separately for each.
Why would a hotel or DMC use a representation company instead of hiring locally?
Opening a local office in a new source market means recruitment, employment overheads, office costs, and months of relationship-building before any bookings come in. A representation company like Select Representation already has established relationships with tour operators and travel agents across its markets, so clients get in-market sales activity, contracting, and reporting from day one — at a fraction of the cost of a direct hire, and without the administrative burden.
What services are included in Select Representation’s offering?
– Regular face-to-face sales calls and ongoing communication with tour operators and travel agents
– Introduction of new business partners and retention of existing relationships
– Negotiation and contracting on clients’ behalf
– Strategic planning and execution of travel sales and marketing campaigns
– Enhancement of unique selling points (USPs) to secure brochure and online travel platform placement
– Website and marketing materials review
– Rate structure analysis to maximise ROI
– Representation at travel trade shows and industry events
– Organisation of familiarisation (fam) trips, incentive programs, and industry gatherings
– Regular resort visits for product updates
– Training and support for reservations, product, and contracting teams
– Detailed monthly reporting on leads, market trends, competitor activity, and performance insights
– Guidance on health, safety, and operational standards
Trade Show ROI: Which Travel Shows Are Worth Exhibiting At
Every hotel, resort and DMC we work with asks: which trade shows are actually worth the stand fee, the flights, the hosted dinners and the week out of the office? The travel trade calendar is packed, and for a property in Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean, Africa or the Indian Subcontinent trying to build a presence across the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Scandinavia, it’s tempting to say yes to everything. That’s usually the wrong answer. Trade show ROI isn’t about footfall or how busy your stand looked in the photos. It’s about qualified meetings with buyers who can actually put your product in front of the client — and what it cost you to get each one of those conversations. Before committing to a show, we ask clients to run the decision through four filters rather than going on reputation alone. 1) Who is actually in the room? Some shows are dominated by consumers with a token trade day bolted on; others are 100% trade, pre-qualified, and pre-scheduled. The second kind is worth roughly ten times more per hour on the stand. 2) Are meetings pre-scheduled or walk-up? Diary systems like those used at WTM and ILTM let you select the buyers you want to meet and lock in appointments before you’ve even left home. Walk-up-only shows leave you dependent on foot traffic and luck. 3) Does the show match your source markets? A show that’s superb for German or French buyers is a poor use of budget if your priority is the UK, Ireland or the Nordics. Match the show’s attendee base to the region you’re actually trying to grow, not the region that’s easiest to get a stand in. 4) What’s the realistic cost per qualified meeting? Add stand or table cost, flights, hotel, meals and lost time, then divide by the number of genuinely useful appointments you expect to walk away with. This number is more honest than any exhibitor brochure. The shows worth prioritising for UK, Ireland, Benelux & Scandinavian trade reach include:
World Travel Market (WTM) London (3–5 November 2026, ExCeL London). For any hotel or DMC serious about the UK and Irish trade, this remains the single most important date in the calendar. It’s the one show where you’ll find UK tour operators, agents, media and long-haul specialists all under one roof, with a proper appointment diary system. If you can only justify one show a year, this is it.
ILTM Cannes (30 November–3 December 2026), Palais des Festivals. A different proposition entirely: fully hosted-buyer, appointment-only, and built for luxury product. If your property sits at the top end of the market, ILTM delivers a concentration of luxury travel advisors and tour operators — including strong UK and Scandinavian representation — that you won’t get anywhere else. It’s expensive and selective, but for the right product the meeting quality is unmatched. Wrong product, and it’s money wasted.
IMEX Frankfurt (19–21 May 2026), Messe Frankfurt. Worth considering only if MICE, incentive and group business is genuinely part of your strategy. It draws corporate meeting planners and agencies from across Northern Europe, Scandinavia included, but it’s a poor fit for a property that’s purely leisure-focused. Don’t exhibit here on reputation alone — exhibit here because groups and incentives are a real revenue line for you.
Arabian Travel Market (ATM), Dubai (14–17 September 2026), Dubai World Trade Centre. Useful as a regional gateway show if Gulf stopover business, connecting itineraries, or reaching buyers who sell both the Middle East and onward Asia/ Indian Ocean product matters to you. It attracts a meaningful contingent of European buyers, but it’s not a UK or Nordic show first — treat it as a secondary, strategic addition rather than a core fixture.
Africa’s Travel Indaba (11–14 May 2026) South Africa. The essential show for African hotels and DMCs, and increasingly effective at drawing international — including European — buyers rather than only domestic South African trade. If Africa is your destination, this is close to non-negotiable; if you’re representing Asian or Indian Ocean product, it’s not relevant to you.
Matka Nordic Travel Fair, Helsinki (trade day 20 January 2027). The one show on this list built specifically around Nordic buyers, and worth flagging for any client whose growth priority is Norway, Denmark, Finland or Sweden specifically. It’s Northern Europe’s largest travel event, with a dedicated professionals-only opening day before the doors open to the public. Smaller than WTM in absolute terms, but far more concentrated on the Nordic trade you’re trying to reach.
Who founded Select Representation, and when?
Select Representation was founded in February 2012 by Jonathan Wilkins, who has over 20 years of travel industry experience in senior purchasing and sales & marketing roles, including positions at Air Miles Travel Promotions (Avios), First Choice Group (TUI PLC), Hilton Hotels & Resorts, and Miki Travel Ltd.
Where is Select Representation based?
Select Representation is based in the UK, near London, which gives our team direct access to the UK travel trade — tour operators, travel agents, and industry events — while representing clients across our full network of European source markets.
Is Select Representation part of any industry alliances or accreditations?
Yes. Select Representation is a founding member of the Global Travel Representation Alliance (GTRA), launched in 2019, and a member of the PATA UK & Ireland Chapter. Through GTRA, we’re connected to a network of representation partners covering Australia & New Zealand, the USA & Canada, Germany/Austria/Switzerland, Spain/Portugal/Latin America, the GCC & Middle East, Russia/Ukraine/Eastern Europe/the Caucasus/Baltic states, Italy & Southern Europe, and India — so clients can extend representation into additional markets through a single trusted network.
What kind of clients does Select Representation work with?
We work with hotels, resorts, villas, and DMCs across Asia, the Indian Ocean, Africa, and the Indian Subcontinent. Current clients include resorts such as Amora Beach Resort Phuket, Samabe Bali Suites & Villas, and the Adaaran Maldives properties, and DMCs including Tour East (across Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan, Singapore, the Philippines, Myanmar, Malaysia, Laos, South Korea, and Cambodia), Whispers of Japan and Earthen Experiences in India.
How much does hotel or DMC representation cost?
Costs vary depending on the scope of representation (sales only, or combined sales and marketing), the number of source markets, and the level of activity required. Select Representation positions itself as a practical, cost-effective alternative to opening a direct office in each market — get in touch at sales@select-rep.com for a proposal tailored to your property or destination.
How do I work with Select Representation?
Contact us at sales@select-rep.com or +44 7972 908 049 to discuss your hotel, resort, or DMC’s growth goals in the UK, Ireland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Sweden, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, and Poland. We’ll talk through which markets make sense for your property and put together a tailored representation proposal.