Travel Industry Networking Drinks

25th June 2025

5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

Waterfront Kitchen

£22 - BOOK NOW

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As the drinks dry up on the Expo floor and the big-brand parties remain hours away, there’s a perfect window of time. It’s a moment that’s often overlooked — hungry, unscripted, and full of potential. That’s where we come in. Join us at the brand-new Waterfront Kitchen at Excel for an informal networking event that bridges the gap. Great food, good company, and a relaxed atmosphere await, just steps from the show floor. No badge scanning, no sales pitches. Just real connections, hearty bites, and a drink in hand before the night really begins.

Why should you attend?

Whether you're a seasoned expert or just getting started, this is your chance to connect with others without any expectations or formalities. No panels, no talks — just good food and even better company.

  • Peer Insights: Learn strategies and best practices from fellow travel managers on improving employee travel experiences and addressing common challenges.
  • Supplier Connections: Meet accommodation providers, airlines and ground transportation companies to explore partnerships and negotiate better deals.
  • Trend Awareness: Stay updated on emerging trends in business travel, including technology advancements and sustainability initiatives.
  • Problem-Solving Opportunities: Discuss pain points such as travel policy compliance, cost management and traveller well-being, and collaborate on potential solutions.
  • Enhanced Traveller Experience: Gain insights into improving the mental and physical well-being of business travellers through innovative approaches.

  • Client Acquisition: Meet potential clients, including corporate travel managers, looking for travel management solutions.
  • Partnership Building: Connect with technology providers, airlines and accommodation providers to enhance service offerings.
  • Market Intelligence: Discover client needs and expectations to tailor services more effectively.
  • Brand Visibility: Showcase expertise and establish authority in the corporate travel space.
  • Innovation Access: Stay ahead of competitors by learning about the latest trends, tools and platforms in the travel industry.

  • Corporate Relationships: Build relationships with travel managers and TMCs responsible for corporate bookings.
  • Revenue Growth: Highlight offerings tailored to business travellers, including long-stay accommodations and wellness amenities.
  • Feedback Loops: Gather feedback to improve facilities and services based on corporate traveller needs.
  • Market Trends: Understand shifting preferences, such as the rise in bleisure travel (business + leisure) and flexible booking demands.
  • Collaborative Partnerships: Explore cross-promotions and collaborations with airlines and transportation providers to offer bundled services.

  • Client Outreach: Connect directly with corporate travel managers and TMCs to promote corporate travel programmes and loyalty incentives.
  • Partnership Development: Build alliances with accommodation and transportation providers to create seamless travel experiences.
  • Industry Trends: Stay informed about travel risk management, sustainability goals and changing traveller expectations.
  • Technology Collaboration: Engage with travel tech providers to integrate new booking tools, automation and tracking solutions.
  • Customer Retention: Learn strategies to attract and retain business travellers through better flexibility, comfort and pricing options.

  • Market Testing: Showcase new technologies and receive real-time feedback from potential users like TMCs and corporate travel managers.
  • Sales Opportunities: Demonstrate solutions for streamlining bookings, managing travel policies or improving duty-of-care processes.
  • Industry Insights: Understand client pain points to refine features and usability.
  • Collaboration Potential: Partner with airlines, accommodation providers and TMCs to offer integrated solutions.
  • Visibility and Credibility: Build brand recognition as an innovator in the travel tech space.

  • Direct Access to Clients: Engage with corporate travel managers and TMCs to discuss partnerships for reliable, cost-effective transportation services.
  • Service Differentiation: Highlight features like eco-friendly options, luxury fleets or app integrations that appeal to corporate travellers.
  • Collaborative Growth: Partner with airlines and accommodation providers to offer seamless door-to-door travel solutions.
  • Trend Insights: Stay updated on traveller preferences, such as on-demand services and sustainability requirements.
  • Innovation Opportunities: Learn how to leverage technology to enhance booking systems and fleet management.

What's included?

An evening with exceptional value awaits—one where connections are formed, conversations flow, and your ticket opens the door to a memorable experience. For just the price of a ticket, you’re stepping into a relaxed atmosphere filled with professionals from across the travel industry, ready to share stories, insights, and perhaps a few laughs over great drinks and even better food.

With your ticket, you’ll enjoy a couple of hours of outstanding hospitality and invaluable connections. From 5pm until 7pm, your drinks are on us—whether you prefer a crisp beer, a glass of wine, or a refreshing non-alcoholic option, the choice is yours. Alongside this, you’ll savour a delicious selection of bar food, thoughtfully prepared to complement the relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

But the real value of this event goes far beyond food and drink. You’ll have the chance to connect with professionals from every corner of the travel industry—sharing ideas, swapping stories, and building relationships that could shape your career or spark exciting collaborations. This is networking at its best: informal, genuine, and with no agendas—just the opportunity to connect with people who truly understand the unique challenges and rewards of the travel sector.

The Book

When we bring people together, we don’t just throw everyone in a room and hope for the best. That’s just not the RAVL style.

Before every networking event, we take some time to get to know each attendee on a brief video call. The results of these conversations are then analysed and written into The Book.

So, what is The Book, exactly?

It’s a PDF of profiles of all the attendees. Not just the boring stuff that you put on LinkedIn but something that will give the other attendees a good flavour of who you are and what you’re hoping to get out of the event. It’s a way for us to help facilitate connections and relationships and to make sure that everyone gets the most out of each event.

You can use The Book to work out who you’d like to make a point of talking to at the event (or who to avoid!) or, if you’ve spoken with someone and forgot to take their details, you can use it to look them up after the event.

We’ve had some really good feedback on The Book and we’re happy to keep putting in the work to produce it so that each of our attendees continues to get the maximum possible value out of each RAVL event.

About Waterfront Kitchen

Waterfront Kitchen at Excel offers a vibrant, waterside retreat just moments from the west entrance of Excel London. With panoramic views across Royal Victoria Dock to the Canary Wharf skyline, it brings a relaxed, contemporary energy to the Docklands dining scene. Inside, the spacious 7,696 sq ft venue is cleverly zoned to suit everything from casual catch-ups to corporate gatherings, with a design that feels both stylish and welcoming. The globally inspired menu celebrates street food favourites such as loaded tacos, juicy burgers, and crowd-pleasing wings, while the well-stocked bar serves craft beers, premium wines, and expertly mixed cocktails. It’s an ideal setting for meaningful connections, whether over lunch, drinks, or late-evening conversations by the water.

Waterfront Kitchen

Royal Victoria Dock, One Western Gateway, London E16 1XL, UK

Book your ticket now

Step right up and secure your place at the most talked-about event of the season. This isn’t just another gathering—it’s your golden ticket to opportunity, connection, and inspiration. Picture yourself mingling with the sharpest minds in the travel industry, striking deals over coffee, and turning handshakes into partnerships. Success favours the bold, and this is your moment to seize it.

Guest price

£22

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Free member price

£20

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Premium member price

£20

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Premium+ member price

£18

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