This International Women’s Day, we’re proud to celebrate Lilybea Taylor and her remarkable 15-year journey within the world of travel management at Access Bookings.
Lilybea’s career began straight from school, studying through Babington Business College while stepping into her first role as a junior admin assistant. It was her introduction to the environment of a travel and one that laid the foundations for a career built on resilience, relationships and genuine expertise.
From the outset, she immersed herself in the business at Access, working across multiple sales teams, including BBC transient travel and film projects and this breadth of experience gave her a deep understanding of the complexities involved in both corporate and production travel.
Her ability to balance attention to detail with big-picture thinking soon led to her promotion as team leader for BBC Scotland and Northern Ireland, a role that really strengthened her leadership capability and sharpened her commercial instincts.
In 2014, she transitioned into supplier relations, formally stepping into the role in November 2017 and this was a natural progression that allowed her to combine her operational insight with her flair for building strong, lasting relationships. Today, she serves as the central point of contact for hotel suppliers, overseeing contract management, negotiating competitive rates and ensuring partnerships deliver genuine value for clients and the business alike.
“My role is anything but routine,” she says fondly. “From organising lunch and learn sessions for our internal teams to conducting hotel visits in Los Angeles, Las Vegas, New Orleans and Sardinia, my work spans continents rather than counties.”
She doesn’t simply negotiate prices either, she understands how to position business effectively within each property, ensuring both the client and the hotel benefit.
“It’s about knowing how to talk to my contacts, how to secure the right rates and, crucially, how to place the right project in the right hotel. In many ways, I’m a matchmaker.”
Whether sourcing the perfect base for a production crew or aligning corporate travel requirements with trusted long-standing partners, Lillybea blends commercial insight with instinct. Some of the hotels she works with have partnered with her for more than eight years, a testament to trust, consistency and mutual respect built under the Access Bookings banner.
Her lunch and learn sessions are strategically mapped out, serving not just as presentations but as valuable touchpoints that keep Access informed, relevant and competitive.
But beyond the contracts and global travel lies something deeper, that of job fulfilment. She says:
“I’m desperately proud to have this job. You have to put your all into it. Otherwise, what’s the point? You’re wasting your life if it doesn’t work for you so it’s got to be worth it.”
For Lilybea, it is, she believes the landscape for women in business has evolved and flexibility, trust and culture now matter more than ever. Strong leadership plays a crucial role in creating an environment where people grow together, enjoy their work and feel valued.
At Access Bookings, success is not just measured in revenue, but in relationships and people. Her advice this International Women’s Day? Have faith in yourself. Build your self-confidence. Recognise your worth.
As she looks ahead, Lilybea remains focused on growing the team, strengthening partnerships and ensuring Access Bookings continues to evolve with the industry. Most importantly, she plans to keep enjoying the journey. And in her words: “Because when your career brings fulfilment, it’s never just a job.”