Andrew Appleyard
Where were you born? In Hertfordshire, England.
How long have you been in the business? For 20 years. I started at Flight Centre as a sales consultant. I’ve been with Exodus 14 years now.
What did you want to be as a kid? An archaeologist – I have 3 degrees in archaeology.
What was your 1st job? (laughs) Planting freesia bulbs in Guernsey in the Channel Islands when I was 14. 37p per hour.
What’s the scariest thing you’ve ever done? White water rafting in Turkey. It was bloody freezing!
What’s your favourite airline? I’ve flown United Airlines all my life. How much do I fly now? About 150,000 miles a year.
Favourite hotel? The Fairmont in San Francisco.
What’s on your iPad? Classical music and a lot of travel apps. I’m using traveladvisor a lot these days.
What do people not know about you? I’m an avid ornithologist. My best day ever was spotting 97 bird species in 3 hours in East Africa.
Any hobbies or interests – apart from birds? Photography and wildlife conservation.
When were you happiest? On December 5, 2012, my wife and I married at the foot of Mount Kenya. We had 2 elephants as our witnesses.
What skill or talent do you admire in someone? The ability to master technology.
Is there anything you won’t eat? Tarantulas.
Ever had a brush with fame? John Cleese and in Dubai, Michael Palin.
What keeps you awake at night? Concern that the people who work for me have a correct work/life balance.
How do you spend your frequent flyer points? I had never spent any until last year when I used them towards a walking holiday in Spain.
What was your proudest moment? Getting my 2nd degree, a Masters in the Ancient History of the Middle East.
What is your greatest extravagance? Wine (South American wine) and food.
How do you stay fit when you travel? I walk everywhere.
If you could change one thing about the industry what would it be? The perception of adventure travel – that you have to be young, fit, male. That is so wrong! Also, age barriers – that people think they are “too old” to do something. One of my most memorable trips was to Libya with a gentleman in his late 80s. He loved every minute and was a great travelling companion.
What kind of car do you drive? I’ve never had a driver’s licence.
Do you have a favourite charity? Exodus has just launched its own charity, Baraka, which supports initiatives such as library boats in the Mekong, schools in Zambia and a hammam [a type of Turkish bath] in Morocco, which is now part of many Exodus itineraries.
What will be the biggest challenge for the industry in the next 12 months? Technology and simplifying the booking process.
What do you hope to be doing in 10 years? Retired!
