Agency credits client appreciation dinner for three six-figure bookings

A client appreciation dinner led to three six-figure bookings for high-end agency Luxury Travel By Emma in 2025.

 

Owner Emma Frearson began hosting the annual dinners in 2020, initially on a small scale before expanding, with 22 clients attending the 2025 event and 34 expected to join the 2026 edition.

 

Frearson said the dinners began as a “matter of appreciation” but have since become an important selling tool.

 

She was able to secure three bookings each worth more than £100,000 following a conversation with a long-standing client at last year’s event in January 2025. The client made one high-value booking himself and referred two new connections to do the same. 

 

Frearson said: “I told my clients [at the dinner] that I had capacity to take on a few more clients that year, if they could recommend me to anyone they knew. Then this particular client came up to me afterwards and apologised for not making referrals sooner.”

 

She added: “I’ve always been uncomfortable [asking for referrals] because you don’t want to sound like you need the business when you’re dealing with these high-net-worth clients as they need to feel like they’re special, but saying that I had some capacity for more clients seemed to work.”

 

Frearson said she had seen a “definite” spike in bookings following her client dinners, partially because “everybody is chatting about their stories and trips” and inspiring each other to try new destinations.

 

The dinners also give clients a direct line to select suppliers, with regular Carrier clients at last year’s event able to “feel a connection” to the brand by meeting head of trade partnerships Lee Marshall.

 

This year’s event will take place on February 5 at The Spa at Breedon Priory in Derbyshire, with representatives from Carrier, Grecotel Hotels & Resorts and One&Only Resorts in attendance.

 

Frearson said she “really encourages agents to go for it” if they are considering hosting their own client events but added they must acknowledge “it’s time-consuming and hard work”, especially when catering for high-net-worth individuals.

 

She said having extensive “face time” with clients was invaluable and “cements relationships even further”, in turn creating long-standing client loyalty.