ALIA SAUNDERS
Sales Director
Alia Saunders brings over 25 years of expertise in hospitality and events, specialising in Destination Management with an unparalleled understanding of the UAE region, having previously worked within a Destination Management Company with the UK Market and developing hotel product and services across Scotland & England for both UK & Overseas markets.
Alia’s multicultural upbringing across the Middle & Far East, including Trinidad & Tobago, has given her unique insights into numerous destinations, their culture and the nuances that make events in the region truly outstanding. Today, Alia is the Sales Director unlocking destinations and services for the UK MICE & Corporate market, guiding each client towards exceptional events with her partners.
Alia has recruited together a team of ex-event clients and event agencies. Cashel Representation truly understands the difficulty of finding reliable partners and has done the hard work for you, searching the globe for the very best to ensure the highest levels of care and precision.
What destination feels like a second home to you?
I was born in Abu Dhabi, where my parents—an Indonesian–British engineering couple—worked in the late 1970s and early 1980s and built their own expat community. They named me Alia to reflect my birthplace, a name that in Arabic means “The Highest” or “The Exalted,” and the UAE has always felt like home to me. Whenever we take clients on FAM trips to the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding, I enjoy seeing their perceptions shift as they discover how deeply rooted and authentic the country’s culture truly is.
Interests
Outside of work, you will often find Alia continuing to travel with her family and exploring her new home in North Yorkshire. Alia is Mom to Calla, born in 2023 and wife to James, a Chiropractor which is extra handy after an economy long-haul flight!