I joined ITE in February 2024, having previously worked in the travel industry for 20 years as an overseas Resort Manager in tour operations and then as long haul cabin crew for British Airways for 10 years.
I then set up a real estate agency with my husband and spent a number of years as a journalist. I have lived overseas for 36 years. I currently live in Mojacar, Spain.
My main client base is expat British, many retired, living in Spain – cruises are particularly popular with my clients. Many of my husband’s real estate clients have become my travel clients and I am a Town Councillor in a town of less than 5,000 people so I have enjoyed a good deal of word of mouth business. I recently started advertising on the local expat radio station. I have a few UK-based clients and I am working on expanding that part of my business.
In January 2024, I was on a transatlantic cruise with lots of time on my hands, working on my travel blog and was thinking how I could get back into the travel industry without having to relocate. I did some research and looked at becoming a home-working travel agent. I looked at a number of options, including a company where I knew one of the directors from my time in tour operations. I interviewed with three companies and I made decision to join ITE as I found Kai-Yin and Andy Baker to be friendly yet professional and the company to be not too big or too small. This along with the support infrastructure gave me confidence that I was making the right decision.
The support from the management team and Business Development Managers (BDMs), the efficient admin team, wide choice of suppliers, excellent offerings from the marketing department and numerous conferences and events have been fantastic.
Alongside this, I feel part of a team despite working remotely by utilising the Team Talk Facebook group and monthly Zoom meetings.
The service of the BDMs is second to none and I call upon their advice regularly, (Andy, April and Steve) plus the previously mentioned Facebook group. The branded marketing videos and social media assets are excellent.
I certainly made the right choice with ITE. Living where I am means my business and clientele are somewhat different to that of many of my colleagues but my business continues to grow and I am delighted with my achievements so far and I hope to be an ITE member for many years come.
