What inspired you to pursue a career in travel and tourism? Was there a defining moment?
I had finished the series of interviews to join a corporate management track. Very corporate. Very buttoned-down. I had convinced myself that this was the practical, logical thing to do. I’d spent the last five years living and traveling the world and it was time. Right? The phone rang. I didn’t get the job.
Here’s the defining moment: a wave of relief washed through my mind and body. I had been saved by the wise executives that knew I wasn’t the right fit for a cubicle! The next day I sat down and assessed what in life I wanted more of. It was travel. The world beyond me. The unpredictable. The wonder.
Can you share a moment in your career when you realized, “This is exactly what I’m meant to do”?
After my narrow escape from the cubicle life, I set out to interview everyone I could. I had circled the globe, but I had no idea what the travel “business” was. It was while sitting in the office of Phil Osborne, Osborne Travel in Atlanta that I knew. He was leading a life of generosity, leadership, passion, joy, and belonging all underpinned by his love – and business – of travel. Phil became a mentor, friend, and inspiration. It was during that conversation that I knew this is what I’m meant to do. After that, the moments of dreams realized are too many to mention.
How has your journey evolved since graduating from The Travel Institute?
The Travel Institute (ICTA back in the day) created the space for me to develop a business plan. The final requirement for the CTC was a paper. My paper was on the emerging market for Adventure Travel. It was the 1980s and adventure travel was not yet a thing. That paper became the blueprint for much of the next 25 years of my career as I built a portfolio of adventure and exotic travel companies that were little known in the agency world. A favorite compliment was when having received a call from an advisor about some far-away place, I asked her how she knew to call me. She replied that one of her colleagues had attended one of my Adventure Travel workshops and suggested she call Helen because “she knows all about the weird stuff!” My reputation had preceded me!
That reputation caught the eye of Virtuoso 18 years ago. The travel advisor years, the years ‘on the road’ educating the industry on adventure, opportunities to speak at large forums like ICTA National Conferences, ASTA International meetings, International Adventure Travel Shows, serving on boards during the early years of “eco” awareness in travel came together when Virtuoso tapped me to help develop their network’s Professional Development department.
What’s your favorite part about helping others experience the world through travel?
Marvel Proust’s famous quote on seeing the world with a fresh perspective is: “The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” Fresh perspective. Not my perspective. A fresh perspective.
What’s one cultural experience that left a lasting impression on you?
The peoples of the New Guinea Highlands in the region formerly known as Irian Jaya possess some of the oldest and most isolated agricultural cultures in the world. The highlands are one of the few places in the world where agriculture developed completely independently thousands of years ago and whose existence was completely unknown to the outside world until the late 1930’s. The Dani Tribespeople, adorned with gourds, bark and orchid fiber were welcoming and generous, sharing their traditions and sweet potatoes! Stunning.
What skills from The Travel Institute have made the biggest impact in your career?
Not sure it is a skill, but I developed an awareness of the importance of life-long professional learning.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their travel industry journey?
Become the advisor clients trust, not the advisor who simply books trips. Everything else flows from that.
Champion relationships over transactions, process over improvisation, and human connection over technology.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in an industry that’s constantly changing?
Every industry is constantly changing! We’re not alone. I look to leaders and innovators in other industries, follow their podcasts and writings, think about how that applies to what is happening in travel.
Are there any mentors or peers in the industry who’ve deeply influenced your path?
I mentioned Phil Osborne as an early mentor and whose philosophy continues to guide me. But there are so many. I find myself thinking of those people who supported me when I succeeded, yes, but very importantly, those that buoyed me when I doubted or when I feared the next move or when I stumbled. There are too many to even begin to mention.
If you could only pack 3 items for a trip around the world, what would they be?
I always overpack! Let’s stick with:
1. Curiosity (Good questions, listening, learning.)
2. A Notebook (Old school, analog, memory keeper. I have notebooks that go waaaaaay back!)
3. Relationships (Travel is about human connection. Who I meet, learn from, stay connected with are far more valuable than anything in a suitcase!)
What’s one place on your travel bucket list that you haven’t crossed off yet?
The Subantarctic Islands. I made a big mistake years ago when traveling to the Antarctic peninsula. I didn’t include the Subantarctics like South Georgia, the South Shetlands, South Orkneys. Should have!
