Kate Lawry, Reservations Manager For Down Under Answers | Travel Research Online

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Kate Lawry, Reservations Manager For Down Under Answers

KateI can’t believe it was 26 years ago that I got my first job in the travel industry. My parents had just returned from a big trip overseas booked through Austravel and noticed they were advertising for an administrative assistant in their Bristol, UK office. We always traveled a lot as a family and it seemed like a good fit for a young 18 year old just starting out in her career. I applied, got the job, and never looked back! I quickly moved into their ticketing department and spent a year there, but always yearned to be more involved with the customers and the process of planning their holidays. I moved into sales and was hooked. I enjoyed sharing my experiences with potential travelers and also loved the travel that we got to experience.

After 10 years with the company, I moved to Sydney Australia for a year where I continued to work for Austravel, looking after all the clients that were currently traveling. At that time, Austravel operated its own charter flights to Australia from London via Singapore. I met the passengers at Sydney airport and helped them with travel arrangements while they were in Australia. My favorite thing was working at the check-in desk at Sydney airport.

My next stop was Seattle, where Austravel opened a new location and I was asked to manage the office. It was a fantastic challenge getting a new office open and off the ground. From there I moved on to Down Under Answers and have been here ever since. Australia, New Zealand, and the South Pacific are amazing destinations that I am very passionate about, so I feel extremely lucky to be able to promote them on a daily basis. I was a new Mum looking for a part time role from home, and Down Under Answers was a great fit for this set up. As my kids grew up I was able to take on a full time role and was promoted to Reservations Manager. I enjoy people, so this is a great fit for me! I also love the destinations and suppliers we work with. This is an ever-changing and exciting industry I work in, and so there is never a dull moment managing an amazing team of Destination Specialists.

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