Crafting Seamless Travel from Behind the Scenes

Alan Richards has spent his career ensuring travellers see the best of the UK without glimpsing its complexity. With over two decades of experience in destination management, he’s the steady hand behind thousands of itineraries that run on time, with care, detail and consistency. At Kuoni Tumlare, he leads the UK destination team focusing on operational clarity, team development and strategic delivery.

A Manager Who Thinks Like a Host

For Richards, destination management is as much about mindset as logistics. He sees every tour through the eyes of the end traveller—what will they remember, what could go wrong, how do we make it feel right? That lens informs how he trains his team, manages suppliers and responds under pressure. Whether handling a delayed cruise arrival, a last-minute dietary issue or a tour group reroute, Richards stays focused on the experience, not just the checklist.

That same mindset shapes how he leads. Richards doesn’t just manage operations; he builds awareness habits in the team. He trains people to spot what might go wrong before it does, to see a supplier’s reliability not just in terms of price but in terms of responsiveness. It’s why clients trust the work even when they never see it happening. Everything runs smoother because someone’s already thought a few steps ahead.

Built from the Ground Up

Richards didn’t step into leadership. He built it. From his early days coordinating tour schedules at Tourwise to leading procurement at JTB Europe, he’s worked every layer of the travel supply chain. By the time he took on the UK Destination Manager role at Tumlare, he’d already managed season planning, supplier contracting, team development and crisis response at scale.

This breadth of experience gives him a rare perspective. He understands the why behind every policy, the risk behind every assumption and the opportunity inside every operational bottleneck. That combination—detail and distance— defines his leadership style.

Bringing Order to Movement

Today, when travel is constantly reshaped by market shifts, weather events and geopolitical changes, Richards doesn’t just keep up—he builds systems that stay ahead. His strategies balance structure with flexibility, ensuring Tumlare’s UK operations remain efficient and resilient. He empowers his team to act decisively, trains them to anticipate disruption and fosters relationships that last beyond contracts.

You won’t hear him talk about systems or strategies unless something breaks. What you’ll notice instead is that things rarely do. Problems get absorbed before they ripple. Teams stay ready. Suppliers show up. That’s not luck—it’s someone keeping steady behind the scenes.