Happy New Year to all of you… well, I actually mean happy to include lots of fun and laughter and also wish you a healthy New Year.
Our industry loves statistics and reasons for everything- we will predict more bookings if there is snow and if it’s not as busy as ...
Well now I have revealed the news, you will understand that I have been wearing 2 hats - one to run the business and the other to work with Virgin Holidays towards the successful acquisition of Bales Worldwide. I was told it would be difficult and I disputed this knowing ...
I’ve got some exciting news which I need to share with you all today.
Over the last few months I have been working on an extra special mission, one which required me to be very secretive which is completely out of character as regular readers of this blog will know! I ...
Work/ life balance is almost a cliché statement and one that annoys a lot of people. It does resonate with some of us and possibly it is more likely to be recognised by people that struggle with it. I have never thought I juggle well, I think I muddle through ...
It has been full on at Bales which is good. I am in the period of doing appraisals with my direct reports and I also receive my own appraisal. I think appraisals are a good discipline so long as the balance is right in that they should not be just ...
I can’t be the only one?? So let me test you – are there other nocturnal people out there?
I don’t mean I stay up and party all night and I do go to bed, but my mind is on overload and I seem to get my best, perhaps radical, but ...
I met a lady last night who works with her husband for a charity called Shelter Box. This is an aid and support charity for disasters around the world and they were getting a flight ready to take cargo and aid workers to Indonesia. It is so tragic and really the ...
Some people were not born for a fitness regime. I shouldn’t have laughed but I did laugh out loud when the ‘Big Boss’ ( I don’t mean big in terms of size) Dipak, who runs the ground agents we work with in India, regaled me of his story. Earlier this ...
Wow, talk about hitting the tarmac – running!! So I have been back for just over two weeks and it seems an eternity ago since I was on holiday. I am not saying it is not fun or interesting but usually I intersperse my weeks with networking. The return to ...
I have just returned from the most amazing holiday to Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia. I have been away a fortnight but it feels like a longer when I look back on everything we have done. That is the beauty of the kind of holidays we organise - the variety and ...
I am at the airport waiting for my flight to Thailand where we will go on to Laos for a few days and then onto Vietnam and Cambodia. I am so excited! However Iain – our Sales and Marketing Director asked me politely to ensure I post a blog before ...
Ben Nevis has been conquered!!! But don’t I know it - known for the very high shoes I wear I have resorted to flats this week. Ooh my legs! What I really loved about the climb was the camaraderie as we were going up the mountain – not least because ...
I have had a week of euphoria. We were asked to tender for some business back in April and on Monday I received a phone call to confirm we had been awarded the contract. This is a very prestigious contract to win as it is the UK contingents and support ...
I have recently joined the Board of AITO. AITO is the Association of Independent Tour Operators and there are 143 tour operator members. I joined for two reasons – one, is that I do think that sometimes if you are a member of an association or it you are a ...
Not every one is honest about how they are trading in this climate - and it is refreshing when people are. It can also help to stimulate discussion and innovative ideas about how to increase business. We have had a few meetings with hoteliers and airlines in the last couple ...
You can call me old fashioned... but I don’t get it!! Yes I get the need for technology and the need for e-commerce, but I really do think the world has gone mad!! We have internet dating, internet friendships, friends reunited, facebook and now a new phenomenon – ‘twittering’. This ...
Recession – what recession? My husband Steve went to take his daughter and boyfriend to Heathrow yesterday and I took his son Matthew and his new wife to Gatwick. The airports were heaving and both Rachel’s flight to Washington and Matthew’s flight to Las Vegas was chocker block. Whether for ...
Well, something has happened, we have just had a really good two week period of bookings and to my knowledge there are no politicians in there on expenses! Far be it from me to cast aspersions, after all some of our clients may well be politicians, but if there is ...
