Q: What was your first job and what did you learn from it that you still use today?
A: My first job after leaving school was working as an apprentice mechanical engineer – very far removed from the travel industry, I know!
One of the biggest lessons I’ve carried with me ever since is the concept of “eat your frogs first”. Like any job, not all aspects were always enjoyable or easy, so I learned early on to tackle the hard or less enjoyable tasks first.
Get in and get them done, and not only will it feel rewarding, but everything else that follows will feel that little bit easier. If you dwell on them, they still have to be done and you’ve just made it harder on yourself in the long run.
Q: What’s the first thing you do when you start a new position?
A: I make it a priority to get to know as many people as I can – the team I’ll be working with and other key relationships – right from the get-go.
It really helps to build those connections early and in turn makes the onboarding experience smoother, both for me and the colleagues I’m joining.
Q: What advice would you give someone wanting to start a career in travel now?
A: Do it! It’s such an incredible industry, filled with like-minded, passionate people. The personal growth that comes from the experiences you’ll have is huge.
And when you do start, don’t sweat the small stuff. It’s okay not to know everything – it’ll all click eventually. And the beauty of this industry is that you never stop learning – I’m 17 years in and still picking up something new every day.
Q: If you hadn’t gone into travel, what career path might you have taken?
A: While I am so glad to have my mechanical trade behind me, I knew it wasn’t a long-term fit.
If I hadn’t found myself in travel, I was seriously considering joining the police. But then I went travelling, got bitten by the bug and the rest is history!
Q: How do you think the travel industry is looking at this moment in time?
A: Overall, I think the industry is in a strong place. Having seen where it was pre-pandemic, through those challenging years and now in the few years since borders reopened, one thing’s very clear: people’s passion for travel hasn’t gone anywhere – if anything, it’s come back stronger.
Sure, there are some headwinds beyond the industry’s control, such as global conflicts and cost-of-living pressures – but even during these recent challenges, demand has remained strong.
This is evident when you look at increasing air capacity and new trade roles opening up due to growth. One of the silver linings of the pandemic occurring is that businesses within the travel industry have become more agile and resilient – which bodes well for the future.
Q: Who would you most like to sit next to on a plane, living or dead?
A: Hopefully someone who doesn’t snore! Seriously though, I’d say Nelson Mandela. He lived such a long and varied life – his story is very interesting due to the different phases he went through.
The experiences and perspectives he’d have would be very thought provoking to hear.
Q: What are some of your favourite spots around the world and why?
A: Wow, that’s probably the hardest question, a bit like picking your favourite child (the eldest is the right answer, by the way, lol…yes, I am the eldest).
I loved a famil trip I went on in Kenya and Tanzania – meeting locals who were truly happy with their lives, always smiling, friendly and eager to share their country and culture.
On the flip side to that, the Monaco and the French Riviera region were fascinating – seeing how the other end of the scale lives, on a hot Euro-summer August day, celeb-spotting and the like.
I also just spent a few weeks in Japan and Singapore earlier this year. Singapore has always been a favourite (I’ve been six times), but Japan absolutely blew me away. The people, the food, the honourable culture, and so much to see and do.
It left me feeling like I barely scratched the surface and I was already planning my return before I left.
Q: What is your best travel story?
A: Well, there was that one time I literally got chased by a hippo on the Kenyan–Tanzanian border! At least I can now say I’m faster than a hippo…just.
Our local guide had told us not to get between a hippo and the water, as that’s when they feel threatened and can get aggressive.
When we arrived, they were all in the water, so we over-confidently decided we were in the clear. Two others and I went down to the ramp close to the water’s edge to get a close-up photo of two male hippos fighting above the water line.
Once the fight finished, one swam away and the other turned and looked straight at us… and started heading our way.
Some group members retreated straight away while me and another traveller lingered a little longer to get a few more amazing pictures as he was now mostly out of the water – until his pace suddenly picked up!
My mate and I looked at each other and had a simultaneous brainwave that it was time to make a run for it. Thankfully, once the hippo sensed we were backing away, he slowed down and returned to the water.
Our guide said later, “Sorry, I also forgot to mention – don’t get too close if they’ve been fighting, they’re already riled up.” While that information would’ve been helpful to know 10 minutes earlier, at least it’s given me a great story to tell!
Q: What are you most looking forward to about working with Inside Travel Group?
A: What really excites me is being part of a company that genuinely lives and breathes its ethos – focusing on responsible, cultural adventure travel that makes a positive impact.
The way InsideJapan and InsideAsia unlock destinations – through their people-connections in local communities – is something I’m proud to be a part of.
Everyone I’ve met so far is incredibly like-minded and like I said earlier – you never stop learning.
I’m really looking forward to seeing what I’ll learn working with the experienced team here in the Australia office and abroad.
