What inspired you to pursue a career in travel and tourism? Was there a defining moment?
I don’t think there was one dramatic moment when I decided to pursue travel. It was more like all the pieces finally came together. I had always loved traveling, researching destinations, building itineraries, and finding those experiences that turn a good trip into one you talk about for years.
The defining realization was that I enjoyed planning travel for other people just as much as I enjoyed planning it for myself. There was something incredibly satisfying about taking someone’s ideas, sometimes just a destination they’d dreamed about or a vague “this is what we want”, and turning them into an actual experience.
That was when I realized this could be more than something I loved doing. It could be something I was genuinely good at. Travel advising combines my curiosity about the world with research, organization, attention to detail, and helping people, and I can’t imagine a better combination.
Can you share a moment in your career when you realized, “This is exactly what I’m meant to do”?
One of the moments that really confirmed it for me was hosting my first group trip. There’s something completely different about actually being there and watching people experience a trip you helped bring together.
Seeing people laughing, exploring somewhere new, making new friends, and creating memories together made me realize just how much I loved this work. All of the research, emails, logistics, problem-solving, and little details that happen behind the scenes suddenly became very real.
I remember looking around at everyone and thinking, “I helped make this happen.” That was definitely one of those moments when I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.
What’s your favorite part about helping others experience the world through travel?
I think my favorite part is knowing that I helped someone say, “I can’t believe I actually did that.”
I’ve had so many of those moments in my own travels, standing somewhere I had seen in pictures for years, trying something completely outside my comfort zone, learning about a culture firsthand instead of reading about it, or simply looking around and thinking, “How is this my life right now?”
I want other people to have those moments too. I love taking something that starts as “Someday I’d love to…” and helping turn it into plane tickets, an itinerary, and eventually a story they get to tell over and over.
There’s something really special about being a small part of making someone’s “someday” actually happen.
What’s one cultural experience that left a lasting impression on you?
Colombia really stayed with me because it challenged so many preconceived ideas about a destination.
Experiencing the country firsthand, the people, food, music, history, and incredible sense of pride in how far Colombia has come, gave me a completely different understanding of it than I ever could have received from what I had heard or read at home.
Experiences like that are one of the biggest reasons I love travel. It’s very easy to form an opinion about a place from a distance. Actually going there, meeting people, listening to their stories, and experiencing everyday life has a way of making the world feel both much bigger and much smaller at the same time.
What advice would you give to someone just starting their travel industry journey?
Never stop learning, and don’t be afraid to admit what you don’t know. This industry is enormous, and no one can possibly know every destination, supplier, cruise line, resort, or answer to every question.
Take the trainings, earn the certifications, attend the conferences, travel whenever you can, and most importantly, build relationships. Some of the best resources I have are other travel advisors and industry partners who are willing to answer a question, share their experience, or point me in the right direction.
And give yourself permission to grow as you go. You don’t need to have your perfect niche, brand, or five-year plan figured out on day one. Stay curious, say yes to opportunities that scare you a little, and keep showing up. You’ll learn so much along the way.
How do you stay motivated and inspired in an industry that’s constantly changing?
The fact that this industry is constantly changing is part of what keeps me motivated. There is always something new to learn, whether it be a destination I haven’t visited yet, a new ship or resort, a different way of traveling, or an experience I didn’t even know existed.
I’m naturally curious, so I genuinely enjoy the learning side of this business. Trainings, conferences, conversations with other advisors and industry partners, and especially traveling myself all keep me excited about what I do.
And then there are my clients. Just when I think I know what kind of trip someone is going to ask me about, an inquiry lands in my inbox that sends me down a completely new rabbit hole. I love that. I don’t think I could ever get bored in an industry where there is literally an entire world left to learn about.
If you could only pack 3 items for a trip around the world, what would they be?
My phone, a comfortable pair of shoes, and an open mind.
My phone because it’s my camera, map, translator, travel library, and connection to home all in one. Comfortable shoes because I’m absolutely going to try to see and do as much as humanly possible. And an open mind because some of my favorite travel experiences have happened when I stepped outside my comfort zone or experienced something completely different from what I expected.
What’s one place on your travel bucket list that you haven’t crossed off yet?
Antarctica. I’ve been incredibly fortunate to visit some amazing places, including the Galápagos Islands, which remains one of my favorite places I’ve ever been, but Antarctica is still at the top of my list.
There’s something about going somewhere so remote, wild, and completely unlike anywhere else on Earth that fascinates me. I know it’s one of those trips where no photo could really prepare you for what it feels like to actually be there.
The funny thing about my travel bucket list, though, is that for every destination I cross off, I seem to add three more!
