What plans do you have for the future? I don’t expect to see any improvement in budgets for next year, but there will still be much for us to work on. Sustainability is becoming more and more important, and I will be looking more closely into the personalisation of traveller data.
Tell us more about that personalisation. If we could show travellers their individual data and present it, for example, as sales achieved-versus-amount spent on travel then I think that would really encourage people to think about their spending.
What about you personally? What does the future hold for you? I’m very excited about travel right now. New technologies are changing so much that I
think in two to three years we’ll be in a very different place to now, and it’s a future I personally am looking forward to. For, example when travellers are able to manage everything from their smartphones and tablets, it will save so much time. I also believe we are most effective at work when we have external interests that we enjoy. So, during 2013, I plan to run at least one marathon. Running is fantastic for clearing the mind.
Do you have any advice for those starting a career in
travel management? It is important to have your own personal goals. These need to relate to both the short and long term, and you need to be continually assessing what skills, experiences, contacts, qualifications and attitudes you need in order to achieve those goals. Crucially, those goals need to be based on something you enjoy doing. What’s interesting is that we’re not always best at knowing ourselves what we enjoy doing. So I always make a point of discussing my goals with friends and colleagues – they always add a different perspective. Above all else, remember that it should be fun. For me, work is not solely about the result – it is also about how I feel and who I become. ■