Speakers & Sessions
Waypoint will bring together 150 leading content creators for exclusive, high-impact meetings with top travel brands and destinations.
Si Willmore is an award-winning travel journalist, editor, and podcaster. He is the current Head of Digital for JRNY Travel Magazine as well as the Editor of JRNY America and Subeditor for JRNY, the reigning TravMedia Travel Magazine of the Year.
He's the current BGTW Travel Broadcaster of the Year for the JRNY Podcast; judges praised his warm, conversational interview style. Over the years, his articles have been featured in major outlets like Wanderlust and National Geographic. He has also contributed to guidebooks for Rough Guides and Frommer's.
He remains the youngest-ever chairman of the British Guild of Travel Writers, a prominent UK media organisation, serving from 2019 to 2022. He is also a co-editor of the book The Best British Travel Writing of the 21st Century.
He has also recently launched the 100% unofficial Glastonbury Festival podcast with leading blogger Paul Farrugia. The podcast debuted at number one on Apple Music.
-
Beyond the Handshake: The Creator's Legal Playbook for High-Value PartnershipsDiana Pintahttps://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/IMG_8475-Lawyer-Traveler-Dreamer.jpegDP
This session is a tactical deep-dive into the Legal Trifecta of travel content creation: protection, negotiation, and enforcement. Drawing on her dual background as a New York-licensed attorney and active travel content creator, Diana Pinta bridges the gap between creative storytelling and professional legal standards.
The session moves beyond the excitement of the "yes" and into the high-stakes reality of doing business in 2026, providing a practical roadmap for auditing contracts for red-flag clauses, enforcing copyright when content is used without permission, and navigating the professional protocols for when a partnership goes sideways or a client refuses to pay. This is a no-fluff guide to treating personal experience and authenticity, the only assets AI cannot replace, as legally protected, high-value business assets.
Diana Pinta has built a career at the intersection of two worlds most people assume have nothing in common: travel storytelling and law. It turns out they have everything in common. As a New York-licensed attorney and active travel content creator, Diana has partnered with tourism boards, destination marketing organisations, and hospitality brands across four continents. She doesn't just advise on deals from the outside, she signs them herself, which means she brings both a creator's instincts and a lawyer's eye to every agreement, negotiation, and handshake that comes her way.
Through her brand @lawyer.traveler.dreamer, Diana produces content rooted in luxury travel, cultural immersion, and the kind of hidden-gem discoveries that keep audiences genuinely engaged. She splits her time between Europe and the United States, living the global creator economy she teaches about. Her perspective isn't theoretical. It's field-tested.
Diana has delivered sessions at IMEX Frankfurt, the IADWP World Romance Travel Conference Costa Rica, and ROMEXPO, and this August she joins the lineup at IBTM Americas in Mexico City, each time addressing event professionals, hospitality leaders, and creators who are waking up to the legal realities of doing business in the modern content industry. She holds an LLM from Fordham University School of Law and has been a member of the New York City Bar Association since 2017.
-
How to Land a Book Deal with PenguinRichard Colletthttps://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Richard-Collett-WA-profile-piv-Richard-Collett-scaled.jpgRC
Have you ever wanted to land a book deal with a major publishing house? In this session, award-winning travel journalist and author Richard Collett provides a step-by-step account of how he scored his first book deal with Penguin Random House, and how you can use the same methods to work with your dream publisher too.
Richard Collett is an award-winning travel journalist and author from the United Kingdom. A professional travel writer and blogger since 2018, Richard regularly contributes to major international publications, including National Geographic, BBC Travel, CNN Travel, The Times, The Telegraph, iNews, and many more titles.
Richard is fascinated by borders and loves exploring off-beat destinations. In April 2026, Penguin Random House published his first book, Along the Borders: In search of what divides and unites the British Isles, a travelogue exploring the history of Britain's borders, and how they shaped the country he lives in today.
-
Stop Chasing Followers. Start Building a Community.Bex Bandhttps://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Me-Square-CU-Bex-Band.jpgBB
In constantly changing algorithms, communities are standing the test of time! Drawing on her experience growing a community of more than 100,000 members and insights from interviewing community leaders around the world for her book, Gather, Bex shares practical strategies on building a loyal audience, income streams and a lifestyle you love!
Bex Band is an award-winning adventure content creator, bestselling author, and founder of two non-profits: Love Her Wild, the UK's largest women's adventure community, and Ocean Advocate.
Bex has hiked 1,000km, kayaked the width of the UK to campaign against plastic pollution, and kick-scooted the length of the USA. Now a mum, she continues to prove that adventure doesn't stop when you have children. Named one of the UK's Top 30 Inspirational Entrepreneurs by Business Leader, Bex has received the Next Generation Award and was featured on BBC Radio 4's Ramblings with Clare Balding.
-
From Blog Post to AI-Cited Brand: How to Survive in the AI EraJudith Lewishttps://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/404469B9-B781-41ED-B5EC-35E8354417D1-Judith-Lewis-rotated.jpgJL
How does a solo or small-team blogger turn expertise into content that performs across Google, AI Overviews, newsletters and brand partnerships without becoming generic AI output? This session gives independent creators a practical survival map: choose topics machines can cite but audiences still crave, turn lived experience into E-E-A-T, and decide when to allow, block or optimise for AI extraction.
At the end of this session you will understand how AI systems interpret authority, clarity, experience, and trust, and how you can compete without large marketing budgets. Judith cuts through hype with SEO, AI and creator-economy pragmatism, including explanations of how the technology works. Attendees can expect to learn: how to make content citeable by AI systems and Google, how to avoid AI slop signals, how to measure success beyond pageviews, how to stay discoverable, useful and paid when platforms increasingly answer, recommend and remix before anyone reaches a site, and most importantly how to future-proof content for evolving AI systems. Plus, this session will include what methods stop (as much as possible) content from being included in LLMs.
Judith is a renowned international MC, fractional CMO, keynote speaker, writer, trainer, blogger and digital media consultant. She specialises in applying strategic understanding of digital technologies to help businesses innovate and optimise their effectiveness within the new, networked communications environment. She has a specialised honours degree in psychology, a background in programming and law, and over a quarter of a century of experience in digital marketing.
She is a regular speaker and trainer around the world on AI, a field she actively works in within the wine industry, technical SEO, content strategy, link building, and digital strategy across diverse industries. Judith was a founding Modern Muse, contributed to the book Pimp My Site, wrote the Econsultancy Best Practice Guide to SEO and created the online study module on reporting for Wix. She judges the industry-leading Search Awards around the world, and has every year since their creation.
Judith has worked with market-leading global businesses including Google, NatWest/RBS, the National Gallery, Fidelity, GalaCoral, NBC Universal, Readers Digest, Bayer, Amadeus, AMD, AmEx, Virgin.com, Virgin Startup, LoveToKnow, Wicked Uncle, Zopa and more. She sits on the board of directors for the Academy of Chocolate and is head of technology on the WBA think tank at the Weinbauzentrum in Wädenswil, Switzerland. She has written about wine and tourism for publications including the Huffington Post, has judged international wine awards including the Winelovers Award, Vinarium, and Berlin Wine Trophy, and holds her WSET Level 3 alongside several local wine education certificates.
-
Mastering Self-Management as a Content CreatorCandace Saltershttps://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Candace-Salters-Headshot-Candace-Abroad.pngCS
Everyone talks about how to grow a following online - but what happens once you have the following, the brand deals and, in short, a content creator business? In this intermediate/advanced session, Candace Salters will break down how to self-manage as a creator and run your influencer business with more clarity, confidence and long-term direction.
Drawing on her own experience going full-time as a creator in 2022, Candace will share practical ways creators can step into the role of their own manager and CEO. The session will cover how to organise your creator business behind the scenes, understand where your income is coming from, and future-forecast your income streams so your business feels more sustainable - not just reactive. Attendees will leave with actionable steps to audit their creator business, manage their workflow and build a long-term plan that supports both business growth and their love for creating.
Candace Salters is the London-based travel writer, content creator and founder behind Candace Abroad, a London and travel platform sharing practical guides, itineraries, hotel reviews, food recommendations and destination-led travel content for travellers exploring London, the UK, Europe and beyond.
Originally from the US, Candace moved to London over a decade ago and has since built Candace Abroad into a trusted travel brand across her website, social platforms and digital products. Her work has been featured by the BBC, USA Today and Recipe TV, and she has partnered with a range of tourism boards, travel brands, hotels and lifestyle companies across the UK and internationally including Disney UK, Mastercard, Hotels.com, Transport for London, Visit England, the Mayor of London, the Egyptian National Tourist Board, Visit Morocco, Boots, Eurail, Virgin Voyages and more.
After going full-time as a creator in 2022, Candace has grown her business beyond content creation alone, building income streams across brand partnerships, affiliate marketing, digital travel products, advertising and speaking. With an MBA in International Business and first-hand experience managing her own creator business, she is particularly passionate about helping creators understand the business behind the content.
-
Is Blogging Still Relevant in the Age of AI?Victoria Watts Kennedyhttps://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Me-in-Copenhagen-Victoria-Watts-Kennedy-scaled.jpgVW
Is blogging dead? With AI-generated content on the rise and traditional search in flux, it's a question many creators are asking. Drawing on over a decade of experience building one of the UK's most successful independent travel blogs, Victoria Watts Kennedy explores how blogging is evolving, where the opportunities lie, and how creators can build resilient brands in the age of AI.
Victoria Watts Kennedy is the founder of Bridges and Balloons, an award-winning family travel blog dedicated to helping people plan soulful, stylish trips that adults love as much as kids. A former journalist, she has spent more than a decade sharing detailed itineraries, hotel reviews and travel guides, building one of the UK's most trusted family travel platforms.
Winner of the British Guild of Travel Writers' Travel Blogger of the Year award, Victoria has worked with destinations and brands around the world while remaining committed to honest, experience-led recommendations. Today, Bridges and Balloons reaches more than 100k readers each month (250k page views) and has become one of the UK's most visited independent travel blogs.
-
Side Hustle Mastery: Making Content Work Around Real LifeRoma Smallhttps://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/RR-R-Small.jpgRS
Running a travel content side hustle alongside a full-time job means time is your scarcest resource. In this practical session, Roma covers the systems and mindset shifts that help her get more done in less time: time management techniques, streamlining your workflow, cutting through industry noise to focus on what actually works for you, and how AI tools can lighten the load. Attendees will leave with concrete strategies for managing their own time and energy, whatever it is that's competing for it.
Roma is a travel content creator focused on food, short breaks, and getting the most out of limited time. She's proof that you don't need weeks off or a bottomless budget to travel well. What started as a side project, with her husband roped in not long after, has become a genuine passion project the pair have built around their full-time jobs, real schedules, and real life.
Roma's approach to travel is unapologetic: she skips the "must-see" attractions in favour of what she actually wants to experience. For Roma, travel isn't about ticking off a list of landmarks. It's about food, flavour, and finding the experiences that actually bring joy, even when the trip itself is short. She's become known for proving that a long weekend can be just as memorable as a fortnight away, if you spend it on the right things.
That same philosophy runs through how she works. Roma is ruthless about time management, has streamlined her processes so content doesn't eat every spare evening and weekend, and has learned to tune out an industry that often pushes creators to be everywhere, doing everything, all the time. She and her husband run the blog together, splitting the workload around two demanding jobs, and increasingly lean on tools to move faster, freeing up time for the parts of the process they actually enjoy. It's a practical, no-nonsense approach to content creation: build smart systems, protect your time fiercely, and don't be afraid to do less, better.
-
Stop Pitching Pageviews. Start Pitching ProofStay22https://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/stay22-logo-waypoint.pnglogoS22
Your audience is already booking hotels, comparing flights, and building their dream itinerary... all inspired by your content. Someone is getting paid when they book. This panel is about making sure it's you. We'll get into the data that closes deals, the media kit that brands remember, and the one number you should probably be tracking right now but aren't. Come ready to take notes.
-
Catalonia FoodCatalonia Tourismhttps://www.traverse-events.com/waypoint/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/catalunya-waypoint-logo.pnglogoCT
Discover a true taste of Catalonia with this hands-on pa amb tomàquet experience. Learn how to prepare the region's iconic bread with tomato, before enjoying it with red wine served from a traditional porró. A relaxed and sociable introduction to one of Catalonia's best-loved culinary traditions.
Live panel
One More Try: Why the People Who Didn't Quit Are Winning
Hosted by Pavel Petrov, this live panel explores the real stories behind persistence and breakthrough: the messy, uncertain middle where results aren't visible yet, doubt is loud, and most people walk away. These guests didn't. Bring your questions - the floor will be open.
Live panel
The YouTube Panel
Hosted by Simon Willmore, two of travel's best-known YouTube creators on growing an audience, turning travel into a full-time career, and building a sustainable creator business - all while adventuring with young families.
An award winning adventure travel film maker with an online audience of 5M+. Known for pioneering daily travel vlogs on YouTube. Now travelling with his wife Raya and 2 kids, excited about eco travel and sustainability!
Alex is the co-founder of Travel Beans, where he and his wife Emma have spent over a decade building one of the UK's best-known travel YouTube channels. Together they've grown a community of more than 450,000 followers across YouTube, Instagram and Facebook by sharing honest, story-driven adventures from around the world.
Having turned travel into a full-time career, Alex is passionate about building a sustainable creator business without losing sight of authentic storytelling. Today, Travel Beans follows the family's adventures as they balance travel, parenthood and the renovation of a home in rural Sicily, showing that adventure can evolve alongside life's biggest changes.
What separates the people who made it from the people who didn't is rarely talent, timing, or luck. More often, it comes down to one decision made at the worst possible moment - the decision to try one more time.
One More Try is a live panel session hosted by Pavel Petrov (a.k.a. Curious Pavel), exploring the real stories behind persistence, breakthrough, and what it actually takes to keep going when everything is telling you to stop. The session features three guests whose journeys reflect something the personal development world rarely shows: the messy, uncertain, often unglamorous middle - where results aren't visible yet, doubt is loud, and most people walk away. These guests didn't. And what happened next changed everything for them.
The conversation covers the turning points, the sacrifices, the moments of near-collapse, and the breakthroughs that followed. More importantly, it opens the floor to the audience. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, share their own experiences, and walk away with something more valuable than advice: the knowledge that where they are right now is not the end of the story. One More Try is designed for content creators, entrepreneurs, and anyone currently building something they're not yet sure will work.
Pavel Petrov (a.k.a. Curious Pavel) is a video producer, content strategist, and conference facilitator based in the UK, whose career is living proof of what persistence looks like in practice.
Originally from Bulgaria, Pavel moved to the UK in 2014 with a background in entertainment and engineering - and a determination to build something from scratch. When early doors didn't open, he didn't walk away. Instead, he started a YouTube channel, quietly and consistently creating content with no guarantee it would lead anywhere. A year and a half later, that channel became his CV. A company found him through his videos and offered him his first job in the industry. What looked like a side project turned out to be the foundation of everything.
Since then, Pavel has built a thriving solo video production business serving UK entrepreneurs, property educators, and business owners. His work spans video ads, webinars, event filming, and live facilitation, and he also leads immersive travel excursions to Bulgaria, combining storytelling with his passion for showing the world places it hasn't discovered yet. Pavel has spent years not just telling stories on camera, but drawing stories out of other people - on stage, at conferences, and in front of audiences across the UK.
After studying finance and spending five years in the corporate world, Em left her career in 2017 to pursue her passion for photography, food and travel full-time. In the years prior to quitting, she founded Catch52, a 52-week bucket list project that evolved into a food and travel platform, gaining recognition from the BBC and Huffington Post and going on to win at the UK Blog Awards.
Noticing a demand for the kind of content she was creating, Em founded Zodee Media, a creative agency working with luxury hospitality and lifestyle brands on photography, videography, social media and influencer marketing. Her photography has since been published in Vogue, GQ, Glamour, Stylist, Esquire, Condé Nast Traveller and Elle, with clients including Marriott, Rosewood, The Ritz, Hyatt and many more. Being in the creative industry for over a decade has taught her a great deal about the practical realities of building something independently and how to hold onto passion through the inevitable challenges.
Rohan Pawar is a London-based filmmaker, travel storyteller, and digital content creator whose work focuses on culture, travel, community, and the power of authentic storytelling in the digital age. As the founder of LondonYaar.com and creator behind @rohan.londonyaar, he has built an engaged audience of more than 140,000 followers across social media platforms by creating content that informs, entertains, and inspires people to explore the world around them.
Originally from Mumbai and now based in London, Rohan brings a unique multicultural perspective to his work. His storytelling often explores the intersection of cultures, helping audiences better understand life, traditions, and experiences across different communities. His content spans everything from destination guides and cultural experiences to wellness retreats, city discoveries, major events, and community-focused stories, combining cinematic visuals with genuine storytelling.
A significant milestone came in 2023 when he was selected as one of the winners of the Visit Maldives Storytellers' Conference, a programme that brought together creators from around the world to showcase the Maldives through innovative digital storytelling. Throughout his career, Rohan has collaborated with tourism boards, hospitality brands, transport providers, and lifestyle companies, producing content that balances creativity with authenticity, and he regularly explores how creators can use their platforms to educate, entertain, and bring communities together.
Khaani B joins the One More Try panel to share her story of persistence and breakthrough. Full bio coming soon.