Our contacts give us the edge

Sue Ockwell

Founder Director

Sue has over 30 years’ experience in the specialist travel and hospitality industries. Formerly Chief Executive of The Specialist Travel Association, AITO (www.aito.com), a hallmark of both quality and responsible practices within travel,  Sue’s passion and expertise led her to launch her own PR and communications agency, Travel PR, in 1997.

Travel PR celebrates its 25^th anniversary in 2022.  Sue and her team have worked consistently at building/growing the well-respected agency, which represents a wide and vibrant collection of clients within the travel and lifestyle industries. Passionate about the environment, Sue believes that the travel and hospitality industries can thrive - and improve greatly on the environmental front - despite the challenges of climate change.

Sue is actively involved across all of Travel PR’s portfolio of clients, both from strategic and creative perspectives, as well as handling a good many high-profile crisis situations.  She represents the specialist side of the travel and hospitality industries, on panels and at conferences in the UK and beyond, as well as appearing on broadcast media to discuss travel-related issues. An enthusiastic, can-do approach – with plenty of ideas to share! - completes the picture.

Lizzie Cooper

Associate Director

Lizzie has worked in PR and marketing for ten years, including seven years of specialising within travel & transport, hotels and interior design, both in-house and agency side. She has considerable experience as a trusted and personable counsel to travel organisations of various types and sizes.

Lizzie has a particular passion for – and extensive experience working with – hotels and design, and represents many of Travel PR’s luxury hotel clients.

Lizzie believes that building strong relationships and getting to know brands and the people, stakeholders and ideas behind them, is the key to successful, impactful PR and long-lasting reputation management. Strong relationships are vital too, to cut through with the media, and Lizzie is proud to work for an organisation like Travel PR where the strength of its ties with the media are foundational to its success over 25 years. Lizzie would love to hear from  brands who are looking to explore PR and communications, and interested to hear about what we can offer as a potential partner.

Russell Wheldon

Associate Director, Marketing & Trade Development

With some 30 years experience in the travel industry, mostly client side as a tour operator, Russell is well versed in most areas of the industry, from product development to market growth and across all marketing channels.

He specialises in creating effective solutions that meet the brief and deliver real bang for buck. He holds the Chartered Institute of Marketing Diploma, as well as a post-graduate Diploma in European Marketing Management that ensures a robust commercial mindset and strategic awareness of the bigger picture.

Travel PR has a long association with all sections of the travel trade, and Russell works with trusted partners of real flair who can help provide a powerful route to market for clients. Relationships are key and Russell enjoys working collaboratively to provide a proactive, dynamic service that supports clients where they need it most.

Gemma Minto

Associate Director

Gemma is a luxury travel specialist with 15 years’ experience in PR and communications, both in-house and agency side. Most recently working for Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, Gemma managed the launch of the brand's newest London hotel as well as its two standalone restaurants, luxurious spa and private members’ club.

Gemma’s previous agency experience included working alongside independent hotels, hotel groups, destinations, and lifestyle brands, both in the UK and overseas.

Gemma is passionate about working with hotels and travel companies to help uncover and share the stories that make them unique. Gemma would love to hear from brands which are looking for PR and communications support, and she will be happy to outline the wide range of services available from Travel PR.

Jane Collyer

Account Director

Jane has over 20 years PR and communications experience working both agency-side and freelance for various public relations companies and direct clients, working across the travel, lifestyle, food and drink, beauty and fashion sectors.

Specialising in the travel sector, Jane has worked extensively with tourist boards, tour operators and hotels, including luxury boutique properties, independent hotels, and large hotel groups, as well as spas and restaurants, both domestically and abroad.

Dedicated and enthusiastic, Jane is an exceptionally trusted PR practitioner, having built strong, long-lasting relationships with travel clients and the press alike.

Some of the properties and brands she has worked with and introduced to the UK media include Historic House Hotels, Durrants Hotel in Marylebone, SenSpa at Careys Manor in the New Forest, Montagu Arms Hotel with its Michelin star under Matthew Tomkinson, Jesmond Dene House in Newcastle, The Ring Hotel in Vienna, and London-based Thai Square Restaurants and many more.