“There are few other industries where you can get as much diversity in your role, or satisfaction in a job well done”

What did you do after you left school (first job and / or course)?

I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do when I left school, so I took a year out and worked in a pharmacy. I decided to try marketing, studying by night in CIT while working full time. I continued to do this for 4 years and completed the Certificate, Diploma and Graduateship Programmes awarded by the Marketing Institute of Ireland. I also hold a Certificate in Tourism Business Practices from WIT, awarded following completion of the Mergo programme (a previous on-the-job training programme by Fáilte Ireland).

Did you go straight into tourism?

Yes, I went straight into tourism from my studies. My first role was Sales Administrator in Hayfield Manor. There were great opportunities to progress there. Over my 7 years with the hotel I held positions in Sales, Marketing and Events Coordination. I then moved to the role of Events Manager for Fota Island Resort for 4 years. I knew I wanted to stay in tourism but after 11 years in hospitality I was looking for a new challenge. I have now been the Senior Travel Advisor with Fáilte Ireland since 2018.

Why did you decide to work in tourism?

It wasn’t a decision to choose tourism as such. It was specifically a role with a hotel sales and marketing team that really appealed to me. I thought it would be a job where every day would be different and would involve a wide variety of tasks. I hoped it would help me gain valuable experience and skills for future roles. And how right I was! However, what I didn’t count on was the infectious nature of working in the tourism industry. So, though the skills I learned in my first roles were indeed transferrable to so many other industries, I found that I didn’t want to leave tourism after all.

What does your current role entail?

As a Travel Advisor with Fáilte Ireland, I welcome visitors to the Cork Tourist Information Centre and help them to make the most of their holiday in Ireland. There is such a wide range of visitors to the office. There are those who only having a few hours in Cork to others who will be here for 6 months, and everything in between. I suggest things they might enjoy in the time they have and based on the interests they express. And then help them with the logistics of getting there.

What’s the best part of your job?

Meeting so many people from all over the world is great, I hear so many interesting things as visitors often like to tell us about their own country. They also love to talk about what they have already enjoyed on their journey around Ireland! So, I’m learning all the time about all the wonderful things there are to be experienced right here at home, from a visitors’ perspective.

It’s also a really rewarding job helping people to have the best time possible while here in Ireland. Many often call back to the office to tell me what they did and how much they enjoyed it, it’s lovely to think that I helped them achieve that in some way.

What characteristics do you need to succeed in tourism?

Good communication skills are important to be able understand what a visitor or customer is looking for, when often language barriers can be a challenge.

You need to have passion. Firstly for what Ireland has to offer but also in your own role – never underestimate the value of what you do and how much it can influence a visitor’s experience. If you are passionate about what you are doing, this influence will most certainly be a positive one.

And being innovative - always looking for ways to improve and add to your offering, to entice the visitors to keep coming back!

What advice would you offer someone who is thinking about a career in tourism?

Think about what you love to do and what your skillset is. Then research what type of role will best suit, there are bound to be roles that are ideal for you. Often people think of tourism as working in a hotel, but there is so much more that you can venture into and there are such a wide range of roles in tourism.

There are few other industries where you can get as much diversity in your role, or satisfaction in a job well done. I have had the opportunity to be involved in such a variety of things from a small dinner function for Presidents to themed parties for 1,000 guests, as well as hosting visiting travel agents and a Santa experience with 40,000 visitors! And now I have the pleasure of promoting Cork and Ireland to visitors on a daily basis. It’s a highly enjoyable industry to work in.