NEWS — AMERICAN IDOL 2014
cAn idol 2014 winner: Greenway, Carrick Travel
moved to Kenilworth in April. Although Lauren’s year-long
apprenticeship had been extended after Carrick’s training provider went into administration, the agency was so impressed that they offered her a permanent contract anyway. Gerry Boyle, Brand USA’s
travel trade director for the UK & Ireland, says: “We had some fantastic entries to become our American Idol, and I’m delighted that we now have the opportunity to work with Lauren to develop her destination knowledge and drive more USA sales for her branch and Carrick Travel in general. “I think we have a great ambassador in Lauren, and she is exactly the type of agent we want to engage with to showcase the wealth of opportunities the USA can offer for customers.” Lucy Huxley, editor-in-chief
of Travel Weekly, adds: “We are delighted to be working with Brand USA to discover a really proactive agent to be our American Idol and go on to become a real ambassador for America. “Lauren has some fantastic experiences ahead of her, and
WHAT IT MEANS FOR LAUREN’S AGENCY
Carrick Travel co-owner Tracey Carter says Lauren’s success in the American Idol competition should reap rewards for her branch and the agency in general. “Customers will increasingly book
straightforward itineraries for themselves online, but we come to the fore when they need advice on more-complex, often long-haul holidays,” she says. “We started to see an increase in our US sales last year after a bit of a drop-off, and
it’s about having the confidence to suggest it and explain there’s far more to America than Disney and New York. “We are renowned as Australasia specialists, but we have talked about developing another niche and it would be great to have the US as another specialism. “As Lauren learns and experiences more about the destination, she will be able to relay that to our other staff and it will cascade across the rest of the team.”
4 September 2014 —
travelweekly.co.uk • 17
“I couldn’t believe it when I received the call to say I’d won. I can’t wait to start learning more about the USA”
the expertise she will develop will give her the perfect opportunity to boost her US business.”
In addition to personal support as she completes the online USA Discovery Program, Lauren has also won the opportunity to attend events including World Travel Market and the Travel Weekly Globe Travel Awards – and she will also get the chance to attend the incredible Brand USA MegaFam in 2015.
Her agency also benefits
from her prize, with a customer event planned for next month in conjunction with USAirtours, which will create unique product and suggested itineraries for Carrick customers. Guy Novik, chief executive of
Lauren is congratulated by Gerry Boyle of Brand USA and (below) Guy Novik of USAirtours
USAirtours, says: “We are very pleased to be involved and I think Lauren will be a fantastic American Idol. “Brand USA and the USA
Discovery Program have been created to showcase the reasons to visit the destination or to return and enjoy new experiences, and that fits perfectly for a specialist like USAirtours, which offers unique tailor-made itineraries.”
ABOUT LAUREN
Lauren applied to become a Carrick Travel
apprentice after travelling with friends to Asia and Fiji. Before that, she’d worked as a waitress to save up money to travel.
Although relatively new to the travel industry,
Lauren has been eager to learn. She has already attended her first Aito Agents’ conference, and won a three-night trip to Miami after completing the Miami training course on Travel Uni.
Her Miami trip was her first visit to America, and
she says she was bowled over by the experience. She would like to explore more of Florida, but is also intrigued by Texas.
She is a fitness fanatic, and loves going to the
gym. She has been with her partner Luke, a professional footballer for Falkirk in Scotland, for four years.
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