Audley Travel has promoted Lisa Fitzell from Chief Product and Operations Officer to UK Managing Director and created a new Key Account Manager role for Sarah Turner.
Lisa takes over the role from Mark Hanson, who is leaving the operator on 30 September after two decades, while Sarah has been promoted from Trade Partnerships Manager in the South of the UK.
Before joining Audley last October, Lisa was MD at luxury brands, Elegant Resorts and If Only, as well as at DTH (Diethelm) Travel in Asia. She becomes Audley’s new UK MD on 1 October.
Meanwhile, Sarah’s new remit includes responsibility for the relationships with top performing agent partnerships, enhancing Audley’s luxury travel training proposition and identifying new business opportunities.
CEO Richard Hodgson said: “Audley celebrates its 30th anniversary this year, and we are immensely proud of what has been achieved and how the business has grown. As we look ahead, the business is entering an exciting new phase in its development, with a firm focus on taking advantage of the strong growth opportunities ahead.
“Lisa has a track record in building high-performing teams, driving strategic growth, and delivering operational excellence in a sales environment and this, combined with her in-depth knowledge of our product portfolio and wider business gained during the last 12 months, means she is perfectly placed to lead our next chapter.
“Over the past two decades, Mark has played an important role in helping to shape and grow the business, leading our team through both opportunities and industry challenges and contributing to the strong foundations we have today. I would like to thank Mark for his commitment, contribution and loyalty to Audley Travel and wish him every success and happiness for the future.”
Head of Trade Sales Greg Thurston said: “Sarah is the perfect fit for this role. Not only is she an exceptional relationship builder, who cares passionately about experiential travel and exceptional customer service, but she has also been instrumental in developing new and effective initiatives that take Audley’s trade support to another level. Our Future Faces of Luxury Travel training programme is a perfect example of this, which was one of the most well-received and impactful training initiatives we have ever run – Sarah will be spearheading the development of this initiative into 2027.
“The introduction of the Key Account Manager role, alongside our recent addition of Lucy Park as Trade Partnerships Manager for the North and Scotland, is further commitment to the future of our trade partnerships. We see a huge opportunity with agents, and these roles will help us deliver our goal of doubling our sales from travel agents over the next few years.”
Sarah Turner added: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be stepping up into the Key Account Manager role. The two and a half years since I started at Audley have been incredible, seeing how much our trade sales have grown, and the belief and support we’ve received from agents across the industry has been such a privilege.
“I’m incredibly proud of the partnerships we’ve built, and I’m excited to approach this next chapter with curiosity and heart, deepening our relationships with the partners who have supported us so brilliantly, finding new ways to help grow their businesses alongside our own, and continuing to champion and learn from the next generation of travel agents coming into our industry. There’s still so much more we can achieve together as a team, and I genuinely can’t wait to see what comes next.”
Audley will now be recruiting for Sarah’s replacement as Trade Partnerships Manager in the South of the UK. Sarah begins her new role on the 1 October.
