How long have you been in the business? 32 years! My father worked for Air Canada so I sort of grew up in the travel business.
What was your first job? At A&W, when I was 14 or 15. Everyone always loved the teenburgers.
Tell me about your first airplane ride. I was maybe…5? Florida or California – we often did the Disney thing.
Has the business changed since you got into it? Has it ever! I remember when there were just three fare types: economy, first and APEX. And taxes were $8.
Do you have a specialty? I love selling the Orient. I’ve travelled quite a bit there.
What was your best FAM? Indonesia. We went to Borneo, Sumatra, so serene and surreal. Amazing.
What drives you crazy? People who make you work a lot and never call you back.
What was your biggest individual sale? Probably just over $100,000. A gentleman had lost his wife and he just wanted to take his kids away over Christmas. I booked a South African Safari, everything first class. And he still books with me!
Do you have a magic sentence to close the sale? Not really, but I always tell them that I’ve put a lot of work into what I’ve told them, and say “So, can we book you something?”
How do you cope with jet lag? I try and get a lot of rest and drink a lot of water before I go away and attune myself to the new time.
What do you do to keep your clients loyal? I keep in touch! I let them know what’s out there in the market and call them if I see something I think would interest them.
How would your clients describe you? Loyal, dedicated.
What’s the best piece of advice you ever received? “Look it up!” The gentleman who owned the first agency I ever worked for always told me I’d never learn anything if he told me all the answers.
If you had to spend six months in a destination, which one would you pick? Something with a beach, a little bit of culture, some adventure. Thailand would be perfect.
If you weren’t doing this, what would you be doing? Maybe travelling through Thailand! Travelling, for sure. I’ve always enjoyed it, been born with it and hope to continue for many years.
