ALL ABOUT YOU — READERS’ LIVES
THIS WEEK Ben Murtagh senior sales consultant Virgin Holidays, Kensington High Street, London Virgin agent seizes opportunities to travel the world
Every time the chance to travel comes Ben Murtagh’s way, he grabs it. As a result, the Virgin Holidays senior sales consultant manages seven overseas trips a year on average. Ben, who uses as many of his spare days off as he can to go abroad, says the experience is proving invaluable in his job, and has even involved him co-writing a Europe hotel guide for the company’s retail staff to give them handy tips to sell properties offered as part of Virgin Holidays’ tie-up with Hip Hotels. Ben’s 26th birthday this week will be no exception – he is making the most of a few
days off to travel to Dubai. Later this year, Singapore and Bali, his first trip to the Far East, beckon, and there is also a visit to Barbados planned. During his career with Virgin Holidays he has visited a vast range of destinations,
from Richard Branson’s Ulusaba safari lodge in South Africa to the Bahamas, Canada, Antigua, Boston and Los Angeles. “I’ve always enjoyed travelling and whenever I get three or fours days off together
I go away. I always like to visit a Hip hotel but I do also try to do one non-Virgin holiday a year too,” says Ben, who won specialist business consultant for 2013 at Virgin Holidays’ annual awards in February this year. His passion for travel and new experiences has seen him volunteer for a range of opportunities, from promoting the brand at Jamaica House during the London Olympic Games to promoting Virgin Holidays as sponsor at the inaugural Attitude Awards in 2012, where he rubbed shoulders with the likes of Gary Barlow and Sir Ian McKellen. “It was certainly a night to remember and a highlight of my career so far,” says Ben. He works in the luxury section of the company’s flagship stand-alone shop in
Ben’s CV
●2014: senior sales consultant, Virgin Holidays, Kensington High Street, London
●2013: travel guru, Virgin Holidays and Hip Hotels, London Bridge
●2011-13: sales consultant, Virgin Holidays store, Kensington High Street
●2011: sales consultant, Virgin Holidays concession store, High Wycombe
●2011: overseas rep, Thomas Cook, Magaluf
London’s Kensington High Street, which boasts table football, a cinema screen and arcade machines, and where staff go the extra mile to ensure clients stay in the store to book. “There is a great buzz in the store,” says Ben. “It’s unlike other travel agencies; it’s built as an experience and people come for a couple of hours with their kids. If one of the consultants is not busy, they will help play with the kids while their parents are being served.”
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38 •
travelweekly.co.uk — 17 July 2014 BEN’S SALES TIPS
✪ Be enthusiastic, passionate and put your name forward for things. If you don’t ask, you won’t do anything!
✪ Make sure you tick off the clients’ wants and needs. If you meet all of these there is no reason for them not to book.
✪ Make sure your personal knowledge and extra touches really stand out – it goes a long way.
✪ Read the travel trade magazines and various blogs, and keep up to date with what’s hot and what’s not – be in the know about a destination.
Ben with Charlotte Richards, also Virgin Holidays, and (above) taking part in a Tobago promotional event
READERS’ LIVES
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