We are the Travel Industry

Dawning on almost my 10 year of been in this amazing industry.

What the world sees the travel trade is glamorous parties, the cocktail events, the free tickets, the complimentary hotel stays, and free cruise rides.

It is always grass is greener on the either side situation I assume. Travel trade just like every other trade is a lot of hard work.

When most of you have public holidays we work because the rest of the world does not share common holidays. When a client missed a flight and is stranded at the airport at 2am you’re awake through the night sorting out someone else’s dream vacation. When your client sends an inquiry at 9pm, you are off for the day but by his/her time it is lunch time you attend. Our beautiful trade is a 24 x 7 job.

We are a set of ladies and gentlemen set out with one goal to make another’s dream vacation come true.

Most think travel trade is not busy, very mind dumbing trade. Sorry to say I have grown and been mentored by amazing business men and women with the smartest of minds.

We are people’s trade, we all need to be people friendly. We do not have a clock out time.

Yes at the parties we celebrate “our trade”, cocktails events we network, free tickets we say good well-done job to ourselves, free hotel and cruise stays either we are joining you to ensure your vacation is A ok or we are learning the product we are selling to serve you better.

Now I shall mention a sad fact that needs change, I joined the trade as a kid of 19 to travel the world. Joining and maturing in the trade I realized not in the travel trade have the luck of traveling, for most it is just a job. We need to make more time and space for ourselves, we are busy planning the perfect holiday for other “We should make one for ourselves”

I write this in salute to a trade I dearly love. The bread and butter to my life. To a trade that gave me amazing mentors. To a trade that gave me a focus and a discipline.

Cheers!

LISWITH

Maldives

Unrest Situations; Effects on Tourism

I have been in two countries during unrest political situations, I have seen the downside when it comes to industry I am in.

When it comes to tourism they get a huge hit. Media is amazing in blowing news out of proportion. When there is no real unrest or situations they discourage tourists showing an image of extreme in countries.

Due to media having this approach, countries issue travel bans. Tourists’ cancel booking with immediate effect due to worry of personal safety.

As a travel trade individual this is time that hoteliers and DMCs should show their power. In house guests of properties can be asked to give testimonials as to how they are safe and enjoying the respective country.

It is high time we didn’t wait on the cancelations, wait of letters from tourism authorities but as a trade family take the steps to ensure safety of our guest and protect our business.

Like Ritz Carlton states, "We are Ladies and Gentlemen serving Ladies and Gentlemen."

Cheers!

LISWITH


Maldives

Everyone wants to be an Entrepreneur!

The current day trend is that everyone wants to be an entrepreneur. Everyone wants to be the next Elon Musk or Steve Jobs.

I like the fortitude and the sheer determination one entails to be. I am currently not one “An Entrepreneur”. I have been a witness to many Entrepreneurs during the past couple of years and all and young blood entering this challenging game. They are full of ideas, full of enthusiasm, and filled with ideologies. What they lack maybe a singular focus, and they lack the discipline any dream, or a simple job entails.

I do not know the pressures of been an entrepreneur, nor the burdens that will follow. This is advice from a man who has worked almost 10 years of his life. You want to be an entrepreneur, try working an as employee in the relevant field you want to start.

Why do so? Your ideologies might be great, so can be your ideas, but when it comes to day to day work, meeting deadlines, seen the messy nature of handling a team, noticing how smaller the team there is always politics,  seen the struggles or fellow employees, or simply how cash flow gets stuck even though you invoiced a million dollars.

Before you become an Entrepreneur, take two years of your time to be a great outstanding employee. Learn the trade, the screw ups, the messy situations, how to balance your customers. This one sacrifice you shall do for two years would help you leagues apart even though this idea might sound moot or dumb to you at this point.

Cheers to chasing your dreams!

LISWITH

Maldives