Q: What inspired you to join the travel industry in the first place?
A: This probably shows my age – some kids today may not even know what they are
Growing up, my family had a full set of encyclopaedias and before the internet, that’s where we turned for fun and information.
I developed an almost unhealthy obsession with the Pyramids of Egypt – every school assignment and project I did was somehow linked to them.
So, when I was 21, my very first trip overseas was to Egypt. And after 92 countries and counting, the rest, as they say, is history!
Q: What is it about the travel industry that you enjoy the most?
A: What I love most about this industry is the people: the agents, the wholesalers and the strong sense of community. As I often say, it can feel a little insular, but in the best way – like one big family.
Beyond that, what really motivates me each day is the sales and competition side of the business. I’m passionate about developing new opportunities, taking an account from zero to a million dollars and seeing something I’ve nurtured grow into something truly significant.
Q: If you hadn’t gone into travel, what other career path might you have taken?
A: Many years ago, I taught English as a second language in Costa Rica and I really enjoyed the experience. If I weren’t in travel, I could see myself pursuing a path as a teacher.
Q: What advice would you give someone wanting to start a career in travel now?
A: I’d suggest starting out as a travel agent and learning as much as possible from senior team members.
Use that time to explore different avenues within the business and discover where your passion lies. From there, you can identify your niche and build a path toward your goals.
The beauty of the travel industry is that the opportunities are endless – you can move into marketing, yield management, HR, product management, accounting and so much more.
Q: What’s the first thing you do when you start a new position?
A: When starting a new position, it’s important to spend the first few months observing, listening and taking note of how the business operates including its strengths, its weaknesses, its procedures and its overall structure.
The next step is identifying gaps you can fill quickly, your “quick wins”. These early achievements set the foundation for the next phase: developing a business plan that outlines how you will drive growth, implement change, expand the business and take charge of the market.
The best advice I can give anyone is this: don’t be afraid to try something new or suggest an idea the business has never done before. It may turn out to be a game-changer.
Q: How do you think the travel industry is looking at this moment in time?
A: The only constant in the travel industry is inconsistency. There will always be challenges, but one thing is certain, Australians’ thirst for exploration continues to grow and shows no signs of slowing down.
Q: Who would you most like to sit next to on a plane, living or dead?
A: It would have to be Dave Grohl from the Foo Fighters. I think he’d have hundreds of great stories and I admire the work he does for charities and different causes.
Despite all his fame, he still seems very down to earth and overall, just a really cool person. I’m also a big fan of comedians and my favourite is Nate Bargatze.
Q: What are some of your favourite spots around the world?
A: I get asked this question a lot and it’s always a hard one to answer. Of course, Greece comes to mind – perhaps because I’ve lived there, it’s part of my ancestry and as Australians, we share many of the same values.
We value time with family, great food, great wine, beautiful weather and above all, a good time – all qualities that define Greece.
If I had to choose one place in particular, it would be Milos. In my opinion, it has the best food in Greece and the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever seen.
Q: What is your best travel story?
A: In my misspent youth, I was in Jordan taking a bus from Amman to Petra when the bus broke down. An American, an Australian and I decided to hitchhike, and we were picked up by a truck that already had a Japanese hitchhiker on board.
The truck was barely hanging on – it could only manage about 30 km/h. We trundled down the King’s Highway until the driver, who was heading to Eilat on the Egyptian border, dropped us off at the Petra turn-off.
As we all jumped out with our backpacks, I glanced at the Australian and noticed he had both his main pack and a small rucksack. That’s when it hit me – I had left my smaller rucksack in the truck! Inside were my passport, my SLR camera and everything valuable I owned.
My brain immediately went into problem-solving mode: Do I go back to Amman and sort it out at the embassy, or do I try to chase down the truck? I chose the latter.
Soon after, a brand-new Mercedes truck stopped for me. With a mix of sign language and broken words, I explained to the driver and the policeman riding with him that I had left my bag in another truck. They assumed it had been stolen and we sped off down the highway in pursuit.
We passed several trucks before I finally spotted the Japanese hitchhiker sitting in the passenger seat of the one we were chasing. We flagged it down, the policeman jumped out and in a dramatic moment, retrieved my bag. Inside was everything – passport, camera, the lot.
A miracle, to say the least.
Q: What are you most looking forward to about working with Celestyal?
A: I love the thrill of new business development, so I’m most looking forward to introducing the product to new markets while also driving growth with our existing partners.
